#5for5 campaign

The progression from birth to school is the most important time in a child's life.

The first five years of your life has everything to do with how you turn out as an adult - literally. From brain development and good nutrition to play and imagination building, those early years set us up for success in later life. Which is why #5for5, Theirworld’s global campaign is aiming to change how the the world thinks about early childhood development, but we need your help!

What is #5for5?

By the time a child reaches five years old, 90% of their brain has already developed - which means the journey from birth to school is one of the most important of their lives.

And even though it’s been scientifically proven that those early years are critical, world leaders still aren’t giving it the attention it deserves. That’s why as part of Theirworld’s #5for5 early childhood development campaign, we are calling on everyone to help make early childhood development a top priority.

We believe all young children should have access to the care they need, including nutrition, health, learning, play and protection, so they stand the best chance of growing up to be, well, to be anything they want.

That’s why our #5for5 campaign is all about taking small actions, which could have a big impact. It’s all about giving people a way to stand up for children who haven’t quite mastered standing yet.

5 seconds. 5 steps. 5 goals. It’s all #5for5

And if you’ve got 5 seconds to spare now - please sign our petition calling on world leaders to start listening, and start investing.

What's happening in the #5for5 campaign?

voices
"Among new efforts for children in emergencies, it is crucial the needs of the youngest children are not overlooked"

"Among new efforts for children in emergencies, it is crucial the needs of the youngest children are not overlooked"

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"Fear, stress and deprivation in the first years of life can take a significant toll on a young child, with serious and lifelong consequences"

"Fear, stress and deprivation in the first years of life can take a significant toll on a young child, with serious and lifelong consequences"

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#5for5 campaign: why countries should invest in giving children best start

#5for5 campaign: why countries should invest in giving children best start

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#5for5 campaign: why countries should invest in giving children best start

#5for5 campaign: why countries should invest in giving children best start

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Introducing our new campaign: #5for5

Introducing our new campaign: #5for5

The Theirworld Safe Spaces Report

A report on the urgent need for Early Childhood Development in Emergencies and Disasters.
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#5for5 campaign: we must keep promise to give every child the best start in life

#5for5 campaign: we must keep promise to give every child the best start in life

The Lancet Medical Journal on Early Childhood Development

“Children who do not meet their development potential may forfeit up to a quarter of adult earnings, and some low and middle-income countries as much as twice their national expenditure for health”
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#5for5 campaign: unfair start can affect a child's whole life

#5for5 campaign: unfair start can affect a child's whole life

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The story so far

  1. September 2017

    Penny Lancaster visits a children's centre to find out why the early years are so important to a child's development - and backs the campaign!

  2. September 2017

    We release a new scorecard revealing that pre-primary education gets less than 1% of education aid. 

  3. June 2017

    We launched a series of funny films starring famous comedians like Matt Lucas, Carolyne Wanjiku and Rainn Wilson to support the #5for5 campaign

  4. June 2017

    We launched a new report “Bright and Early ” on early childhood development, particularly focusing on the importance of pre primary education.

  5. June 2017

    #5for5 is chosen by Mumsnet as one of their Guest Campaigns of the Month!

  6. April 2017

    We launched a #5for5 animated film explaining more about the campaign and why it’s important

  7. February 9, 2017

    We launched our High Five action, asking supporters, celebrities, business leaders, NGOs and anyone who’d listen to high five a child under five to show support for early childhood development.

  8. January 17, 2017

    Early years champion and Education Commissioner Shakira accepted the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award and took the opportunity to ask world leaders to look after the development of our youngest children.

  9. November 25, 2016

    The Global Business Coalition for Education hosted a discussion with business leaders in Kenya focused on best practices to support early years.

  10. November 24, 2016

    We launched a new report with Kenyan organisation KANCO that found 40% of Kenyan children aged between 3 and 4 were not reaching their developmental cognitive and social emotional milestones.

  11. November 17, 216

    Hundreds of supporters - including many celebrities - shared photos of themselves when they were under five to help raise awareness and show support for investment in the early years on Universal Children’s Day.

  12. October 6, 2016

    We launched the #5for5 campaign and the #5for5 petition to put pressure on world leaders to take urgent action to make sure all children, especially the poorest and most marginalised, have access to the full range of nurturing care.

  13. October 5, 2016

    The influential medical journal The Lancet sets out the global challenge if countries do not invest in the early years.

  14. September 2016

    The international community is neglecting millions of vulnerable babies and young children affected by conflicts and disasters, we warned in report called Safe Spaces. 

    The Education Commission report called for every country in the world to provide two years of free, quality pre-schooling to every child.

  15. August 2016

    Our snapshot scorecard looked at nutrition and early childhood development in East and Southern Africa.

  16. June 2016

    On the annual Global Day of Parents, we released two reports - Early Childhood Development and the Childcare Crisis and Early Childhood Development In Conflict and Protracted Crisis. We also produced a scorecard on the level of donor aid to pre-primary education.

  17. January 2016

    We revealed we would be working to raise awareness of Early Childhood Development and encourage investment. Theirworld President Sarah Brown said: "2016 will be a big year for ECD... Watch this space."

explainer

Early childhood development

Early childhood development supports children’s nurturing care and development from birth to age five - Theirworld is campaigning for urgent action to make sure all children have access to the full range of nurturing care.

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