Two events took place in Tanzania in different parts of the country in September 2025. One was a training in Dar es Salam and the other an historic event in Arusha. More than 50 facilitators and 11 trainers from 4 different parts of northern Tanzania were gathered for the biggest ICDP seminar ever held in Tanzania, together with 5 guests from Norway.
At the seminar, Grete Flakk from Norway, told the participants the story of ICDP Tanzania since its beginnings in Moshi in 2004. She invited Lui Mfangavo, Egla Matechi and Verynice Monyo to talk about their experiences as facilitators and trainers, who have been active from the very early days and still are today. Gunnar Eide from Fo Norway (Norwegian association of social workers) continued the story describing how ICDP was brought to Haydom in 2013, with Martha Massawe as coordinator, and lhow ater on, from 2015, the programme’s outreach was expended to other towns and villages in the Manyara region, through cooperation with TASWO (Tanzanian association of social workers) and with Ezekiel Assecheck as coordinator. First groups of facilitators were trained in Arusha in 2017, and then in Singida in 2019. The link to Moshi has been there all the time with Egla and Verynice as trainers of all new facilitators. And then finally, in 2024, eight of the facilitators were trained as trainers by Patrick O’Loughlin and Chiku Ali.
Several of the participants expressed their joy at getting to know the story of ICDP in Tanzania, as well as their pride of belonging to a larger community.
In addition to this the seminar focused on various topics related to both theory and practice: Daniel Kasikiwe from Arusha talked about early childhood and parenting care and compared ICDP with other public programmes in Tanzania, followed by Grete who talked about the characteristics of ICDP and asked if ICDP fits in all cultural contexts. This led to a conversation about Tanzanian traditions with either positive and negative aspects. Godwin Hilary from Singida talked about their experiences of the fight against FGM (female genital mutilation) in their region and how important it is to include this in the ICDP groups. Egla Matechi initiated a talk about challenges in working with sensitization and how to become better at implementing this in practice.
An important topic was how ICDP has influenced the participants’ own lives. Herson from Haydom told a touching story about his personal growth after attending ICDP. In his tribe it is the women’s job to raise daughters and men’s job to raise sons. His problem was that he had no sons but 8 daughters. He decided that this had to change, he informed his tribe and challenged them as well. And today he has a close and good relationship with his daughters’. “Sometimes they come to me instead of my wife when there is something they want to share or ask about,” he proudly finished.
To bring it all together an ICDP Tanzania Network was established on 22nd of September 2025. The interim group will be looking at how best to bring ICDP forward in Tanzania. Based on this Heidi Westborg Steel from ICDP Norway asked the facilitators at the workshop to dream about how ICDP might look like in their regions in the future.
Finally, it is important to say something about the atmosphere during the seminar. In good Tanzanian spirit there was a lot of singing and dancing. This is a good example of tradition with very positive outcomes!
A total of 18 individuals qualified as facilitators in the autumn of 2025. Their training was sponsored by the Strømme Foundation, Norway.
A voice from us, new facilitators from Eastern part of Tanzania, November 2025:
Interaction with parents / caregivers worked very well for us. Their stories, their ownership of change in parenting skills and testimonies were indeed a wake-up call for us all. Among many changes impacted by ICDP knowledge, we were all taken aback by how great the effect of insulting name-calling is on children. We never thought that negative name-calling was affecting a child’s self-esteem and that it could disrupt the natural development of a child in many areas. This was an eye opener for us. We, together with caregivers, had to stop and rewrite our cultural application modes from negative consequences they imposed. As one facilitator member put it: “I wish everybody would participate in this training. We should all ask ourselves how our children perceive us caregivers”!
We altogether expressed the need of promoting “ICDP families” in our communities. Though, in the beginning of the training we were a bit sceptical, at the end of the training we agreed that the ICDP intervention was easily embraced with very good results. We all reached an understanding that ICDP was not for younger generations and their children, but for all generations. In fact, we realised that it is mostly parents and grandparent`s stories that put ICDP on the agenda. ICDP fits in with everybody. Some of us have no children of our own but we have become “watch dogs” for our sisters and other members of our families, not to mention our neighbours and their children. It is just magic the way we spontaneously apply it in our everyday interactions.
One of us recalled that the community members had given her a nick name “ICDP mother”. She said, “whenever they saw her approaching, they found time to sit down with her and start asking questions that are to do with a positive and healthy child upbringing”. This is an achievement, not only for us but for the rest of all those who have been touched by ICDP.
We shared stories from parents who now call themselves legitimately “ICDP parents”. One parent confessed to us after she had attended a few meetings she finally allowed her son to study music, a field we as parents always thought of as vulgar and not a serious profession- “fani ya kihuni” in Swahili language. Another parent used to cane her child just because the child spit saliva on the palm of her hand and brushed the saliva on her dress. ICDP changed her. In short, we agreed that ICDP is an agent of change, we just need to send a message that helps caregivers to recognise that “a child is a person”. In Swahili language this is now a slogan; “MTOTO NI MTU”
Children with health challenges such as physical disabilities, dyslexia, mental health issues are now receiving the ICDP approach. We received testimonies assuring us that some vulnerable groups are now no longer suffering violence, and are protected from being bullied – instead they are included in activities as far as their capacities allow.
We, as facilitators, are certainly helping others regarding healthy upbringing. When we acknowledge and applaud parents who have realized that corporal punishment is not a solution, this is an undeniably a result of ICDP.
Tanzania is a country with many ethnic groups. There are more that 130 languages spoken in Tanzania – all with different cultural practices. We, the facilitators in the Coast Region also come from different cultures under the same nation, Tanzania. Our ICDP gathering enriched our knowledge by sharing unique stories among us. This diverse cultural meeting gave us a wider perspective in collecting and comparing parents’ experiences from out there in the communities. Together with caregivers with different perspectives and practices in child’s upbringing, we have nevertheless been able to build a common ground for all, simply by sharing those experiences.
ICDP is not only a good platform but a “safe space”. It is solution-oriented, allowing you to let your children feel free to choose their professions, their dreams. ICDP nurtures peer living. Before ICDP, we deprived children of their role in forming their own future lives. However, with ICDP, we are now embracing a platform that will help their development. Meeting with parents was an added value both for them and their children, as well as for us with our families. Violence has become a stranger because “love wins all”.
Let us sum up our news by narrating a short story from Mossi Pembe (on photo above):
Mossi Pembe, a 46-year-old mother of three and grandmother of one from Bagamoyo community, once described herself as a very strict and feared parent.
“I used to be extremely harsh, and the entire community knew me for my tough nature,” she recalls. Her relationship with her children was strained, and communication within the family was almost non-existent.
Mossi admits that in her earlier parenting approach, she treated her children more like objects than individuals with feelings and needs. This deeply affected them and contributed to their misbehaviour, as they grew up in an environment dominated by fear rather than understanding. In her household, discipline was often enforced through punishment. “Whenever something went wrong, my first instinct was to beat them, not to ask questions,” Mossi says. This pattern created fear and silence among the children.
One painful example she remembers is when her grandson lost his school bag and exercise books. Out of fear of being beaten, he kept it a secret and went to school for a whole week without writing anything. When Mossi eventually found out, she reacted with anger and punished him severely without even asking for the reason. Incidents like this built a wall between her and the children, making them fearful and withdrawn.
Everything began to change when Mossi was introduced to ICDP. The training focused on positive parenting and how to raise children in a more loving and understanding environment. It became a turning point in her life.
“Through the knowledge I received, I have changed significantly. It has really helped me in raising my children and my grandchild,” Mossi shares.
The ICDP training opened her eyes to a new way of parenting one based on empathy, dialogue, and mutual respect, rather than fear and punishment.
“These days, I no longer rush to punish my children when something goes wrong. I take time to talk to them and understand the root cause of their behaviour,” she explains. “I listen to them more, and we have open conversations. I now use calm words to solve problems instead of shouting or beating.”
Her 11-year-old grandson, Shafii Haruna Juma (on photo below), has also noticed the transformation.
“I used to be afraid of my grandmother. She was always harsh and difficult to talk to,” he says. “But recently, she has changed. I haven’t been beaten in a long time. One day, my shoes were stolen at school, and I called her. To my surprise, she came to the school shortly after and helped me. I was so happy. I didn’t expect that at all. I thought she would beat me without even asking what had happened.”
Mossi’s transformation has not gone unnoticed. Her children now enjoy a closer and more loving relationship with their mother.
“I’ve also started to praise them when they do something good,” she says with a smile. “This is a big change for me. I never used to acknowledge their efforts before, but now I recognize and celebrate their achievements.”
She is deeply grateful for the knowledge she gained through ICDP and encourages other parents to embrace this positive approach to parenting. This shift has brought peace, trust, and joy back into her home.
What Happened so far This Year, update by Magdalena Brannstrom
TRAINING:
In January, we had a new ICDP course training new facilitators.
In April, the new facilitators started running their own ICDP courses for caregivers. Two groups of caregivers attended the ICDP course in two different “Happy Start” preschools. And two groups of preschool caregivers who became facilitators, went on to implement the ICDP programme with parents. This was a great group of facilitators, who enjoyed the training process and we also had fun together. The results are very good, as I was able to observe facilitators and see that they are doing excellent work in delivering the ICDP programme to parents and preschool staff.
In June, we conducted a ceremony to give out certificates to new ICDP Facilitators. Six people received their ICDP Facilitator Diploma.
TELEGRAM CHANNELS: We have started two new ICDP Telegram channels for those who want to have more information about the programme. Parents, teachers or anyone who has gone through the programme will receive updates on these channels.
MATERIALS: We have finalized the material translated into Uzbek. We now have available in Uzbek language, both the booklet “I Am a Person”, and the “ICDP Guide for Facilitators”.
In September we started an ICDP programme for teachers in the government school called “School 29”, where the training is being held on Saturdays. Three facilitators are conducting this ICDP course: Ragnar Moskvild, Tabea Wick and Magdalena Brannstrom are conducting the ICDP course for some of the school teachers. To date, we have had about 60 teachers participating in the training. Not everyone attends at the same time, about 25 to 30 teachers participate in sessions. The training is going very well and the teachers have been very interested and engaged. And we will end the course in December.
Here is some feedback from the ICDP course with preschool staff:
From a trainee facilitator doing her first ICDP course: -I think this course had a positive impact on the participants because they were of different ages, cultures, and backgrounds in working with children. Those who have already taken this course gained a new perspective on familiar principles.
Feedback from another trainee facilitator doing her first ICDP course in a kindergarten with her colleagues. This is her feedback after observing her participants’ interaction with the children during and after the ICDP course. She observed how her colleagues had changed: – I was able to achieve the goal of my work. When I saw how the participants interacted with the children, that is when I understood that their attitude towards the children had changed. They began communicating with them more, and I could see them starting to touch children reassuringly.
Comment from another facilitator, who said: – At one of the meetings, we discussed how children need to be shown love and care, and we talked about the meaningful dialogue. Immediately after this meeting, I saw how the participants began to connect with children more, to connect with them on their level. And then, later after the ICDP course has been completed I noticed that many of the participants have begun communicating with their children differently and have begun to achieve mutual agreement with children without using strict or harsh ways, but with love and patience.
Feedback from parents who attended ICDP caregiver course:
A mother said: – The relationship and understanding between me and the children has improved. It is easier for me to give information. The children are behaving more stably now, with fewer hysterical reactions. The relationship and understanding within the family became better.
Another mother explained: – I became calmer. I learned how to set time for my children and make it predictable for them; How to spend time intentionally and communicate plans ahead (e.g., telling them what will happen tomorrow).
Feedback from one of the teachers
After the session about turning negative aspects into positive aspects in a child or a student, one of the facilitators talked about how you need to dig for gold in each student. At the next ICDP meeting, one of the teachers shared about her home task and showed a picture of students lining up and presenting something. She explained that one of the boys in the picture was usually not very engaged in class, but in this picture, the boy was standing with other students, presenting. The teacher sent this picture to the boy’s father and told him: “Look at your son. Look how great he is doing the presentation. How engaged he is in the class.” This had a positive effect on the father. The next day, the boy who before was not engaged and maybe not listening attentively, was now very engaged in class. She thought probably the father had said something positive to the boy after seeing the picture.
In the Institute for Relational Psychology (Institut for Relationspsykologi), we have conducted ICDP courses in both daycare centers and schools with all or a large part of the staff group. There is a great strength in this, as it provides a common language and a common starting point for the relational and resource-oriented work in practice and many good discussions during the course.
This is a story from a teacher at a Danish school who has participated in the ICDP course together with her colleagues. She describes the effect that working relationally based on the interaction themes has had for her.
I was a little skeptical about what ICDP would change in my pedagogical practice. I wondered if it would be another “fancy model” that would quietly be shelved with many other initiatives. I have been very positively surprised by how effective ICDP has been for me and how quickly I can see results from the changes I make. I quickly experienced gains in my relationships with all the children in my class by applying the 8 interaction themes. Small adjustments have a big impact.
The teacher has also expressed that it has been of great importance to her that she has accompanied her colleagues in the process.
The above is an example of how ICDP has an effect in practice. The processes we have had with staff groups have given rise to a dialogue about how, as an organization or municipality, you can build good structures and an organization in terms of management that ensures the continued implementation of the ICDP principles. We therefore see an increased interest in supporting this process in practice.
The Danish Centre for ICDP (Dansk Center for ICDP) has published new teaching material, to be used when applying ICDP with children in kindergartens.
These new materials provide help for professionals to support the development of children’s social skills through teaching, conversations and guidance. The “suitcase with materials” can be used as a concrete toolbox for teaching and individual counselling of children who need knowledge about relationships and interaction. The material can be a valuable resource for introducing the eight themes for good interaction (ICDP) at children’s level.
How do we use our emotions – so that our hearts become warmer?
How do we play and learn together – so that our brains become smart?
How do we help decide – so that we create good communities?
New book
Resilience researcher Ida Skytte Jakobsen, PhD and psychologist Anne Linder have together published the book “The Resilience Guide” at the publishing house Dafolo. The book is based on the basic idea that good relationships – created through the ICDP create the necessary hope and resilience in vulnerable children and families.
The book is aimed at professionals – teachers, educators, social workers and psychologists in both general and special education contexts – and it gives concrete instructions on how to work together to strengthen hope, relations and resilience of children and young people when life becomes a challenge.
The first group of ICDP facilitators received their certificates on Sunday, 24th of August, 2025. They came from different organizations involved in the care of children and adults, and all participants carried out their field work with great enthusiasm and commitment.
During the last workshop, every single facilitator’s presentation revealed a precious journey of empowerment and sensitization through the ICDP process. The facilitators felt touched by the many golden moments they had experienced while applying the eight ICDP guidelines for good interaction within a caregiving context, whether with children or with adults. One facilitator implemented the ICDP programme with a group of eight parents (seven mothers and one father). He wrote the following summary:
All participating parents did primarily reflect on their own attitudes andself-perception. (…) Parents described truly noticeable shifts in the qualityof their relationship with their children. Several reported touching feedback from the children, who noticed changes in their parents’ behavior toward them that made them feel more at ease and emotionally supported. (…) A sense of trust emerged among the participants and in their relationship with me as the facilitator. One participant described how, in the moment of interaction(with her child), she sensed the presence of the entire group in her mind,helping her mastering the situation. (…) The atmosphere of the parent meetings was warm and familiar, and they became a routine for every participant who gladly integrated them into their daily routines even though it seemed so busy. It felt like a breath of fresh air from the busy day, shared in a circle of trust.
– J. Blume, Berlin.
The implementation of ICDP in Germany is being led by psychologist Rita Crecelius. She is supported by the Lower Saxony Institute for Early Childhood Education and Development (nifbe) and AEWB, the Agency for Adult and Continuing Education in Lower Saxony. The next facilitator level training will start in February 2026.
(Photo: The September sun shines on ICDP facilitators as they explore Empathy in action.)
As the autumn envelops us in dark evenings, ICDP Finland has many shining memories to look back on from this year.
We would especially like to highlight the international training, where twenty-seven youth workers and teachers from seventeen different European countries participated in a three-day ICDP course in Pargas. The event was organized by Pargas City Youth Department in a successful collaboration with ICDP Finland and the EU SALTO Erasmus+ programme.
At the end of September, 21 ICDP facilitators met in Helsinki to dive into the subject of Empathy in action. We learned about the different meanings and nuances of the words empathy, sympathy, compassion, and empathetic identification. To the delight of the participants, we also got to practice empathy in workshops and role play.
Our third highlight of the year is currently in the making. We are grateful to our extended ICDP-family in Sweden, who have produced an ICDP-booklet for expectant parents and given us permission to translate it into Finnish. This will soon be ready and we are eagerly awaiting to be able to launch the booklet for this important target group.
During 2025, the National Council for Early Childhood, Children, and Adolescents (CONAPINA), continued to implement the ICDP programme “También Soy Persona” (“I am a person too”) in all three modalities of the programme:
1) ICDP for early childhood/for parents of young children,
2) ICDP in the modality adapted for parents of adolescents, and
3) ICDP for adolescents, who receive training from their peers trained as ICDP facilitators.
The implementation of the three modalities is taking place at national level.
Within the framework of the National Play Strategy, CONAPINA incorporated an additional session as part of the roll out of “Tambien Soy Persona” – it is a session on the importance of play at each stage of life. The play session has been added to each of the three modalities of the programme mentioned above.
During 2025, for the first time in El Salvador, the ICDP programme “Tambien Soy Persona” was also used with mothers deprived of liberty, and with families of children who are under the care of the National Protection Board.
CONAPINA’s observation of the effect of the programme convinced them of its positive impact on families, children, and adolescents.
A Norwegian NGO called “Progreso Foundation” initiated the ICDP developments in Bhutan. This was possible thanks to their contacts in the country, who were seeking for programmes that could enhance the understanding of child development and provide psychosocial support for children in Bhutan.
Later on, an agreement was signed between the Department of Public Health and Allied Health Sciences, the Faculty of Nursing and Public Health (FNPH) and ICDP Norway, at the beginning of 2024. It was decided that an ICDP pilot project should be implemented as a first step in evaluating whether the ICDP programme could be relevant to the country. The pilot was funded by Progreso Foundation and HimalPartners in Norway.
The first ICDP workshop was held in Paro, from 26 -28, November, 2024. There were 23 participants connected to the Faculty of Nursing and Public Health (FNPH), National Medical Services (NMS), and Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD). The primary objective was to start the process of ICDP training that would lead to the certification of participants as ICDP facilitators. International trainers, Ingeborg Egebjerg and May Aanundsen conducted the training. The workshop served as a platform for participants to explore key aspects of child development within the local context, and through a series of interactive activities, presentations, and group discussions, the training aimed to enhance the competencies of child care providers and promote more meaningful and empathetic engagement with children.
The second ICDP facilitator level training took place in Wangdue Phodrang, from 18-20, March, 2025. Due to unavoidable circumstances, two participants from the ECCD group were unable to attend. Consequently, 21 participants enrolled in the training and eventually completed the training. Following the second ICDP training, nine groups were formed, each conducting eight professional caregiver training sessions.
The Faculty of Nursing and Public Health (FNPH) is in process of establishing partnership with ICDP and they will be responsible for ICDP developments in Bhutan.
I would like to tell you about several things that have been happening in our department regarding the program.
In our department, there has been a shift in the implementation of mental health programs and strategies within the Boyacá Health Secretariat. These changes also affect the ICDP program “I Am a Person Too”. This means that from now on, the Secretariat will be implementing the ICDP program with groups of psychologists who have previously trained in the program. This strategy will continue to sustain the program in our department long term.
On another note, I would like to share with you that we continue with the commitment of celebrating the 20th anniversary of ICDP in Boyacá. In this context, I am showcasing the community and health education strategy based on good treatment, emotional connection, empathy, improving the family environment, and strengthening public policy for early childhood and adolescence.
ICDP is still going strong here twenty years after Nicoletta Armstrong introduced us to ICDP: Thank you Nicoletta for your support and trust over these twenty years of growth, not only as a department, but in my case, as a person and a human being… my initial vision of parenting and its importance in human lives has changed radically. I hope to continue counting on your support in my new activities, which will undoubtedly continue to be linked to ICDP.
Here I also share with you some images of the work we have done in recent months in 2025, in Paipa, Pisba, Floresta and Corrales. This work has been multi-level: decision makers, formal and informal leaders in the communities, families and adolescents.
I will write to the Governor of Boyacá thanking him for his support over these twenty years.
Thank you again,
Luis Fernando Lopez, ICDP trainer and coordinator of ICDP in Boyacá
