The Ministry of Public Health, in collaboration with UNICEF Thailand and Mahamor Company, has signed a memorandum of understanding to launch the "9 Steps to Raise a Child" project. The initiative aims to support modern parents in enhancing early childhood development for Thai children. The signing ceremony took place at Venus 1 Room, IMPACT Exhibition Center, Nonthaburi Province.

The Ministry of Public Health emphasized the importance of human development throughout life, especially during the first three years of a child’s life—when the brain develops and functions at twice the rate of an adult’s. Proper care during pregnancy, nurturing, and age-appropriate child development support are key to stimulating brain, physical, emotional, and cognitive growth in early childhood. These foundations have a direct impact on a child’s long-term intellectual and social development.

The Ministry aims to promote knowledge, attitudes, and parenting skills through the use of technology and innovation. The “9 Steps to Raise a Child” project is a significant innovation that delivers maternal and child health information via easily accessible technology, such as the LINE Official Account (@9yangth). This platform is designed to ensure that parents, guardians, and caregivers have access to accurate, comprehensive, and age-appropriate information. It covers health care from pregnancy and breastfeeding to child-rearing up to six years of age, along with developmental skill-building and confidence support for parents in raising their children properly.

The Ministry of Public Health, Mahamor Company, and UNICEF Thailand share a common goal to establish a Parenting Communication Platform. This includes the development of technologies and artificial intelligence systems linked with LINE @9yangth to provide free access to health knowledge and developmentally appropriate activities for children of all ages through the “9 Steps to Raise a Child” project. The objective is to empower families and caregivers with quality services and accessible information.

Additionally, the Department of Health noted that both domestic and international research confirms that early childhood is a period of rapid brain development. Stimulation through hugging, talking, playing, or breastfeeding significantly influences long-term brain structure and function. Therefore, parents and caregivers must be well-prepared with the right knowledge, attitudes, and skills. They must understand each child’s developmental needs and individual differences and be able to respond with love, understanding, and emotional security.

Preparing parents from the prenatal stage is considered the most valuable investment—benefiting not only families but society and the nation as a whole.

Currently, the LINE Official Account for the 9 Steps project has over 191,000 followers, while the Facebook page has more than 87,000 followers. These platforms share essential health information covering pregnancy, postpartum care, breastfeeding, and parenting from birth through age six. The initiative equips families and caregivers with knowledge, positive attitudes, and practical skills, ensuring that children receive proper care in their first years of life—helping them grow into capable adults and become the foundation of a stable society in the future.

 

Source:

Ministry of Public Health