Proximity of Care approach
The Proximity of Care approach is at the core of the Design Guide.
It was developed to better understand and articulate how various urban systems relate to early childhood development needs in vulnerable urban contexts. The understanding that results from its application can support the design and implementation of healthy, stimulating, safe and supportive environments that contribute to young children’s optimal development, and that enhance caregivers’ and pregnant women’s living conditions and wellbeing.
Proximity of Care framework diagram
Click on the dimensions to see more details
The Proximity Care Approach provides a holistic structure to understand the specific areas most critical to improving early childhood development in vulnerable urban contexts. It enables a consideration of both hard and soft assets – physical space, infrastructure and materiality, as well as human interactions and relationships, and policy and planning support – at different urban scales.
The Proximity of Care Approach assesses four Dimensions foundational to optimal early childhood development, focusing on the Health, Protection, Stimulation and Support needs of young children, their caregivers, and pregnant women as they move through their daily lives and routines in a vulnerable urban context.
Underlying each Dimension are four Goals, which are a more detailed thematic reference of what needs to be achieved under each dimension to make the built environment a place for beneficiaries to thrive.
Within each dimension, the approach focuses on beneficiaries’ needs at three primary scales of urban interaction: the household, neighbourhood and city levels. To improve early childhood development in vulnerable urban contexts, it is necessary to engage with all three levels simultaneously for greatest effect.
Levels of proximity
Within each dimension, the Proximity of Care approach focuses on beneficiaries’ needs at three primary scales of urban interaction: the household, neighbourhood and city levels. To improve early childhood development in vulnerable urban contexts, it is necessary to engage with all three levels simultaneously for greatest effect.
