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The Precede Manifesto for young children recognizes supports and promotes the importance of
early childhood education, development, positive and child centred upbringing and good caregiving,
within a care and learning culture of respect, inclusion and acceptance of diversity from birth in
families, in early education and in communities.
The PRECEDE Network appreciates that the governments of the Balkan countries have many issues
that require their attention, but none more pressing than those that affect young children, their
families, their future and that of their respective countries. Accepting and respecting diversity and
every childs right to live in a community that is inclusive, cohesive and peaceful will enable the
communities and countries in the Balkan Region to live harmoniously.
Through this manifesto, the Precede Network requests the urgent improvement across the
Balkan Region of the provision of high quality early years education for every young child.
The provision or not of quality inclusive services has a profound impact on every child and on
his/her future and ultimately on the development of a fair and equal society.
Without exception, all relevant institutions accept the necessity for greater inclusion and respect for
diversity as crucial elements of young childrens lives and learning in order to foster a world with
less discrimination, a reduction in the level of prejudices and stereotypes and the promotion of social
harmony and care for others. The following issues are those that the Precede Network believes are
essential to improve the quality and level of early childhood education, care and development within
the Balkan countries and also to enhance respect for diversity and social inclusion as a preamble to
social cohesion.
In general, accepting the proposals of the Precede Manifesto regionally, as well as nationally, has the
potential to bring about the much needed and long awaited leadership, commitment, co-ordination
and cohesion to the delivery of holistic child-centred early years development and education
services.
By signing the Precede Manifesto, we urge the relevant institutions, political parties, MPs, national
and regional policy and decision making bodies, local communities, including parents, pre-school
teachers, caregivers, educators, together with the media, civil society organizations, formal and
informal groups to MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN by committing to:
Ensure access and inclusion of all children in free high quality early years services
including, health, preschool education and family support services. That the services are
inclusive of all young children with well trained and competent professional workers who
place the child first in all their activities, ensuring that the services are accessible to the most
vulnerable and excluded children and their families.
Recommend that free early childhood education is available for every child from the age of
three years old.
Invest in the early years, childcare and family support workforce in terms of relevant
qualifications, high quality effective theoretical and practical training, employment
opportunities, supportive management structures and continuous professional training to
ensure an improvement in the status and motivation of the workforce.
Efforts must be made to encourage and facilitate more men to join the early years
workforce therefore ensuring a gender balance and positive caring male role models.
Enable and create ways for increased parental involvement in the preschool centres, both as
active participants in the learning processes, but also as promoters of respect for diversity and
inclusion amongst families and educators.
Preschool education to include as standard modules and activities that ensure that the learning
environment promotes, inclusion, respect for diversity, conflict prevention, tolerance, peace
building and reconciliation as an integral component of national preschool curricula.
The national governments must develop and ensure implementation of policies that support
those parents who choose to stay at home to care for their young children by providing
access and information to appropriate home-based and group support services. For mothers
or fathers to be afforded the option to stay at home through financial schemes that do not
adversely affect their economic/financial situation to provide adequately for their children.
The PRECEDE Manifesto urges the State Governments in the region to take action and
create conditions in their countries and accordingly adjust their legislations, in order to
ensure improved participation in quality early childhood education for all children.