National Program on Social & Behavioral Change for Child Health Promotion

Children who are healthy in early life, not only grow up to be healthier adults, they are also better educated, earn more and contribute to the economy optimally. Hence, investing on social and behavior change in child health promotion during early childhood up to the end of primary school age, will have a higher return on investment for the society, economy and development of the country. Fourteen key sectors are identified as multi-sector stakeholders related to child health promotion. Multi-sector collaboration and integrated action are needed to make expected social and behavior changes for child health promotion guided by health promotion principles. 

With this backdrop National Program on Social & Behavioral Change for Child Health Promotion was initiated in 2024, to ensure healthy lifestyles are initiated from formative years and continued to adolescence. Desired social and behavior outcomes were identified by content specialists together with HPB People Engagement Network (HPB PEN) members. 

Vision: Happy, healthy and secure childhood to nurture wholesome Sri Lankans

Mission: Equipping parents, caregivers and communities to develop enabling environments which facilitate children to have a happy, healthy and secure childhood as a foundation, and empower children to make healthy choices in becoming wholesome adult citizens of Sri Lanka

Objectives

1. To mediate with all different administrative frameworks and settings to ensure child health promotion is synchronized in a continuum 
2. To facilitate health promotion environments for improving physical, emotional and social wellbeing of children by facilitating provision of early learning opportunities giving special emphasis on improving health related habits and behaviors
3. To optimize child friendly services and environments by incorporating child centered social and behavioral change principles into all policies, standards, guidelines and action plans related to children 
4. To make child health and wellbeing a social responsibility through public engagement and multi-sectoral partnerships
5. To improve child- parent attachment by improving responsive caregiving by parents and caregivers
6. To empower children, parents and caregivers to minimize child maltreatment (negligence, neglect & abuse) and improve safety & protection 
7. To conduct operational research and evaluate child health promotion outcomes for evidence informed program management, and good governance. 

Guiding Principles

1. Integrated policies, standards, guidelines and regulations
2. Multi-sectoral partnerships
3. Life-course approach
4. Synchronized health promoting settings 
5. Uniform child social and behavior change communications and interventions (SBCC&I)
6. Enabling people and places
7. Co-creation 

Fourteen Ministries were mapped as key stakeholders and advocated for multi-sectoral shared responsibility for the identified social and behavioral changes for child health promotion. The National Steering Committee for Child Health Promotion was established and first meeting held chaired by Secretary Health.  

1. Presidential Secretariat
2. ministry Of Women and Child Affairs And Social Empowerment
3. ministry Of Provincial and Local Governments And Home Affairs
4. Provincial Directors of Early Childhood Development 
5. ministry Of Education
6. ministry Of Transport 
7. ministry Of Urban Development & Housing 
8. ministry Of Highways 
9. ministry Of Public Security  
10. ministry Of Mass Media
11. ministry Of Finance
12. ministry Of Industries 
13. ministry Of Water Supply & Estate Infrastructure Development
14. ministry Of Health

Prioritized 8 social and behavioral outcomes to be achieved by 2030, in first phase of the program

1. Children follow hygiene practices
2. Children dispose waste properly
3. Children engage in recommended daily physical activity
4. Children engage in controlled screen time within the recommended time
5. Children sleep recommended duration daily
6. Children eat 2 Fruits, 2 Vegetables and 1 green leafy vegetable per day
7. Parents and caregivers do not yell at children instead talk kindly
8. Children are allowed to be independent and learn with critical thinking