Salama Bint Hamdan Foundation unveils early childhood development programme

Abu Dhabi –

“The earliest months of life are the most important months of a child’s life.” With that belief, the Shaikha Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation has just unveiled its Early Childhood Development programme that aims to nourish children in their first few years.

In a forum held on Monday (October 7) at Manarat Al Saadiyat, officials from the foundation discussed the programme, which includes the establishment of an early childhood education centre by 2015, as well as various workshops on parenting.

The centre is currently under construction on Reem Island in Abu Dhabi and is being built in partnership with Yale University.

“We have a wonderful vision of [the centre], which is going to be an early childhood education centre that really draws on best practices internationally but adapts it to the local setting and culture,” Dr Salvatore LaSpada, executive director of the Foundation, told Gulf News.

“We’ll also be able to bring together parents for seminars, workshops, and discussions. I’m really happy that it will also include a centre where we can do some early diagnosis work on potential learning challenges in children,” LaSpada added, noting that the centre will also be a research hub for university students studying childhood education.

The forum, which was free to the public, saw other speakers including Fatima Al Bastaki, director of the Early Childhood Learning Centre at Zayed University; and Dr Walter Gilliam, associate professor of child psychiatry and psychology at the Child Study Centre at Yale University.

Both speakers discussed parenting methods and shared their expertise on the impact of early childhood development in building children’s future and even its biological effect on their brain.

Speaking of the partnership between Yale University and the foundation, Gilliam described it as “phenomenal”.

“This foundation is a true partnership in every aspect of the word. We try to dream as actively as possible on how to realise this passion of the royal family for early childhood care and education and taking care of all the children and families of Abu Dhabi,” Gilliam explained.

The foundation is set to offer parent-education workshops on a monthly basis starting from January 2014 until May at Manarat Al Saadiyat.

With international experts in the field, the topics will include how to create emotionally intelligent homes; how to further engage fathers in raising their children; and best practices for setting limits with children, among others.

Sarah Diaa is a trainee with Gulf News