In Israel, pediatricians are hospital-trained. They are outstanding healers when a child is sick. Yet many are unprepared to prevent, identify or treat, behavioral, developmental or mental health problems. These are increasingly more frequent in community practice. Opportunities for timely interventions for infants and young children, especially those from vulnerable populations, are often missed.
A combination of national budget limitations, an increasing lack of doctors and the structure of health care incentives means that doctors have limited time to explore with patients developmental and emotional challenges. They are also insufficiently integrated with child caregivers, developmental professionals, therapists and educators in the community.
At the same time, parents can get lost in the maze of information overload available today. They do not know where to turn to access user-friendly, evidence-based parenting resources that can help them understand and care for their children in a positive and nurturing way that results in healthy outcomes.
We believe that with the correct vision, hard work and policy changes, Israel will transform childhood development, especially for the country’s most vulnerable children. Goshen works together with professionals – pediatricians and family doctors, Parent and Child Health Center (Tipat Halav) nurses, health and welfare organizations, policy makers, educators and partners across the healthcare system to reinforce civil society and shape the future of Israel’s children.
