Global Displacement

Since 2017, the Van Leer Foundation has been working to support families affected by crisis and displacement. We started this work with partnerships supporting Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon, and in 2020, expanded our support to families affected by displacement around the world.

More than one in five babies start their lives in situations of conflict. Evidence indicates that early childhood services – including those that support and guide parents, caregivers and families in times of crisis – can mitigate the negative effects of trauma and stress on young children and promote resilience and wellbeing. Yet currently only an estimated 3% of total development assistance goes to crisis-affected countries, and in 2018, 2% of aid explicitly went towards providing quality early years services to newborns, young children and their caregivers.

Our global displacement portfolio identifies and supports examples of good practice in early years programmes and policies in crisis contexts globally. Examples of our work include supporting Amna scale their refugee-led Baytna approach through a hub of grassroots organisations; exploring opportunities to integrate Kangeroo Mother Care for premature babies into maternal and child health provision in humanitarian contexts; and working to increase support to displaced families at the local level together with the Mayors Migration Council on the the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees: Children and Caregivers.

Through the Moving Minds Alliance, we share learnings and participate in joint advocacy activities to increase financing and improve policies and leadership to support the youngest children and their caregivers in humanitarian response.