The Early Childhood Center (ECC) is an anchor for its target population in routine times and in emergencies. The countrywide ECC network is led by the Early Childhood Division of the Ministry of Education in an inter-ministerial partnership along with 3600 – the National Program for Children and Youth at Risk. The network currently includes 77 ECCs and provides coordinated and ongoing supervision for their directors.
Managing ECC operations in emergencies in each community and as a national network was the subject of a comprehensive review in 2020, following the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the realization that life in Israel entails a variety of emergencies that should be prepared for in advance to provide an optimal response in real time.
The events of October 7, 2023, required rapid and coordinated action in order to operate the ECCs on an emergency footing. Currently, the revised Binder of Standards for ECCs is being written, led by the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute’s Quality Assurance Team. The Binder includes a section on ECC operations in emergencies, which was in an advanced draft version on October 7. It addresses five basic values in ECC operations: management, person-centered care, skilled professionals, continuity of care, and parent partnership. Optimal practices for ECC operations in emergencies are listed for each value. This section was revised and distributed to all ECC directors countrywide on October 8, 2023, the second day of the Israel-Hamas War.
For MJB’s publications on Israel-Hamas War in English, press here.
For MJB’s publications on Israel-Hamas War in Hebrew, press here.