The development of a sustainable, integrated Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) system in Croatia is ongoing, with the National Plan for Early Childhood Intervention for 2026–2030 currently in the drafting phase.
The plan’s purpose is to establish a comprehensive, sustainable system based on intersectoral collaboration and coordination among the health, social welfare and education sectors. The drafting process is participatory and partnership-based, with extensive consultations carried out from July 2024 to July 2025. These consultations involved diverse stakeholders, including users, representatives of expert institutions and organizations, and decision-makers at all levels, to collectively identify key challenges and define priority goals for the further development of the ECI system. The initiative was launched by the UNICEF Office in Croatia, providing expert and technical support throughout the process. The Ministry of Health led the activities and coordinated the process, while the Centre for Health Systems, Policy and Diplomacy at the University of Zagreb’s School of Medicine provided expert and technical support. Stakeholders involved in the consultation process included those directly or indirectly engaged in decision-making, planning, organization and service delivery within the ECI system.
The rationale for the National Plan arises from challenges and gaps in the current system for children aged 0 to 7 years. UNICEF’s 2020 analysis highlighted fragmentation, lack of strategic coordination, uneven availability and limited institutional capacity in Croatia’s ECI system. Currently, there is no unified national strategic or legislative framework systematically regulating early intervention. Instead, relevant services are governed by multiple sectoral laws, with differing definitions and operationalizations by the health, social welfare and education sectors. This fragmentation hampers recognition of ECI as an integrated, intersectoral system critical for optimal child development.