Health
Appropriate health care, monitoring, nutrition, and attention to medical needs.
Parent learning resource
Nurturing care: support the whole child, not only the concern.
WHO and UNICEF describe nurturing care as a whole-child approach that includes health, safety, responsive caregiving, early learning, and support around the family.
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Whole-child view
A diagnosis or therapy session is not the whole childhood.
Safety
Protection from harm and environments where the child can participate safely.
Responsive care
Noticing the child's signals, responding warmly, and building predictable relationships.
Learning
Everyday opportunities to communicate, play, explore, practise, and participate.
Family support
Caregivers need information, coordination, practical support, and respect too.
02
For developmental delay or disability
Support may need to be coordinated, not fragmented.
The 2026 WHO and UNICEF thematic brief emphasizes that children with developmental delays and disabilities have diverse needs and may require different levels of coordinated, family-centred support across services, communities, and caregivers.
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At home
Small responsive routines can sit alongside professional care.
- Follow the child's interests during play and communication.
- Give time to respond instead of rushing every interaction.
- Build predictable routines around sleep, meals, play, and transitions where possible.
- Use everyday activities as opportunities for participation and learning.
- Ask professionals how goals can be supported naturally at home without turning family life into constant therapy.
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Trusted learning
Sources consulted