A happy life for all children

International Child Development Initiatives (ICDI) is a knowledge organization in psychosocial development of children and young people growing up in difficult circumstances. ICDI believes in the power of children and young people, supporting their rights and addressing the underlying causes of the problems they face.

We aim to improve policies and practices by building the skills of: children, mothers, fathers, families, communities, local organizations, and authorities. ICDI also works with and for bigger international children's rights organizations, supporting knowledge transfer through training, research, and advice.

From Nepal to Nicaragua, and from Kiev to Katwijk, our dream is ‘a happy life for all children’. Serious and sincere, academic and practical, small and with major impact, ICDI has been promoting psychosocial well-being of children and young people for more than twenty-five years.

Find an example of what we do in this short video.

Our staff

We are a small but dedicated group of professionals with academic backgrounds in the social sciences. Our organization consists of people with extensive experience in child and youth related issues. We work on two themes: Early Years (0-8 years) and Children and Youth (8-21 years). The salaries of ICDI staff (including the director) are based on the collective employment agreement for Dutch universities.

What we do ›

Committee of Recommendation

The members of the Committee of Recommendation support the mission and vision of ICDI. They are renowned dignitaries and experts in their respective fields. You can click on the below statements to read more about why they believe in our work.

ICDI tries to roll-back the increasing lack of contact between the generations by, for example, bringing children together with elderly people.

Prof. Dr. David Lancy, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, University of Utah

For more than twenty years ICDI is making impressive contributions to the psychosocial well-being of children and young people around the world.

Drs. H.J.J. (Henri) Lenferink, Mayor of Leiden

ICDI’s work revolves around the empowerment of children and young people and aims to support children’s rights.

Prof. Dr. Ton Liefaard, UNICEF Chair in Children’s Rights at Leiden Law School, Leiden University

ICDI implements programmes supporting psychosocial development, not only of the children themselves, but of communities as a whole.

Dr. Elly Singer, Associate Professor (ret.) Developmental Psychology and Education at the University of Utrecht and University of Amsterdam

Annual reports

Our illustrated annual reports give a good overview of the wide range of initiatives that ICDI is involved in.