1000 days: From pregnancy throughout first three years of life. Supporting parents and children to promote health, protect wellbeing and reduce inequalities

Parents, mothers-to-be or children who live in contexts of difficulty, marginality, disadvantage or separation from culture or country of origin face higher risks of being stranded in a socio-cultural immobilism which can jeopardize psycho-phyisic development and pass down distress from one generation to the other. 1000 Days is a program designed by Associazione Pianoterra together with Associazione Culturale Pediatri (Paediatricians’ Cultural Association) to support vulnerable families through early and multidimensional interventions and the promotion of a meaningful integration of services for mothers and children healthcare. Research on children development have broadly highlighted the crucial importance of first three years of life. Supporting parents with an intense educational-informative action, an active offer of contact and reception both for individuals and groups, additional and innovative care services for families at higher risk of social exclusion, means offering each child better opportunities even before his/her birth. For its commitment in achieving this, 1000 Days program received in 2015 a special mention from Transatlantic Forum on Inclusive Early Years and in 2019 an award by Italian Association for Children Mental Health (AISMI). Associazione Pianoterra designed and experienced a procedure of taking charge which implies a strong collaboration with the beneficiaries themselves. Families can thus experience a mitigation of their most urgent worries and find it easier to make enough room to work on autonomy and self-care to achieve well-being for children and the whole family. In five years since the program’s beginning in 2015, 1096 parents and 955 children have been supported with 1000 Days program. Innovative organizational solutions implemented since first days of Covid-19 outbreak made it possible for individual and group services to continue without interruption, notwithstanding the pandemic context. On a long term perspective, the community as a whole could be considered as a potential indirect beneficiary of 1000 Days program: a woman better supported during her pregnancy will meet the birth with lesser problems or urgencies; a child followed in his growth will highlight lesser psycho-physic problems; a family included into a social network of support will be an essential resource for future generations. Keywords: early intervention; 0-3 years; birthing and parenting support; pregnancy and birth; mother-child health; positive parenthood. NOTE: This research was presented by Elisa Serangeli (Associazione Pianoterra) at 2nd World Pediatrics Congress held on June 08-09, 2021. For more details visit: https://www.pediatrics-conference.com