A New Model for Improving Child Development: Combining Better Caregiver-Child Interactions, Community Health and Nutrition for Children 0-3 in A Low-Income Community in Peru

Combining enhanced caregiver-child interactions, improvements in nutrition, and creating community gardens, this project reshapes the care context for poor families. Nurses in Peru are the frontline health workers, yet their studies do not cover the psychosocial or nutritional needs of the developing brain. We will add modules to the nursing curriculum and a guided practicum to working with poor families. Our multi-disciplinary approach includes ICDP, an effective psychosocial intervention to strengthen emotional bonds between caregivers and children, combined with a robust community health programme to detect and refer cases of malnutrition and infection and provide micronutrient supplements for children 6-36 months. Nursing students will deliver 12 workshops where parents will develop improved interactions with their children and be supported in breastfeeding, hygiene and nutrition. Community gardens provide a space for interaction, in which parents can practice new skills.