About us

Harnessing expertise and collaboration: Transforming Early Childhood Systems for Every Child

Our vision is a society where families, communities and professionals work together to empower each child to reach their unique potential and embrace values of social justice and equity.

ISSA is a leading international learning community and dynamic member association, powered by Europe’s and Central Asia’s foremost early childhood experts. Our shared, unwavering goal is to ensure that every child reaches their full potential and our work is based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. With a steadfast commitment to advancing early childhood development based on principles of inclusivity and equity, we champion holistic and integrated systems, policies, and high-quality services for all young children.

In fostering purpose-driven collaborations among members, partners, and supporters, ISSA creates a collective synergy that significantly amplifies our impact on early childhood development in diverse, dynamic, and multi-faceted environments. Our expertise lies in devising and implementing evidence-based solutions customized to meet distinct localized needs, distinguishing us for our ability to foster trust and resilience. Moreover, we excel in generating and sharing new knowledge and fostering innovations focused on transforming early childhood systems, thereby ensuring improved outcomes for all.

Who we are

Founded in 1999, the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) emerged from the transformative Step by Step program initiated by the Open Society Foundations. Focused on Central Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, Step by Step aimed to revolutionize early childhood education, championing child-centered approaches and democratic values.

As the program expanded to 29 countries, ISSA evolved into a platform for organizations and individuals committed to improving the lives of young children and families. Over the years, ISSA has grown into a preeminent early childhood network for Europe and Central Asia, advocating for quality, equity, and inclusivity in early childhood development.

Today, ISSA continues to build on its legacy, collaborating with ministries, civil society organizations, and donors to advance its vision of empowering every child's unique potential. From pioneering quality standards to supporting professional development across sectors, ISSA remains dedicated to driving systemic change and fostering brighter futures for all children.

What we do

The ISSA Network Advantage. ISSA is a powerful impact network that unites stakeholders to advance early childhood development. Through our efforts to connect and empower members and partners, we amplify contributions to early childhood development across a range of initiatives. We align and advocate for policies and services that promote empowerment, diversity, and inclusivity in early childhood development, learning, and care.

Collaborative Impact

With over 25 years of expertise in early childhood development, ISSA members collaborate together, as well as with partners and funders, to implement comprehensive initiatives that engage varied stakeholders—practitioners, researchers, academics, local governments, sevice providers, and more—to foster systemic transformation in early childhood development. These initiatives are designed to build inclusive and integrated systems that enhance the well-being and development of all children. Key components include capacity building, advocacy, and training.

Collective Learning

As a network, we advance the ECD field by generating new knowledge and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation that supports a wide variety of stakeholders including practitioners, policy makers, parents, and more.

Generating new knowledge: Drawing on extensive research and an evidence-based approach, we develop frameworks, guidelines, and resources on a wide range of issues that support holistic, integrated, and inclusive approaches to quality early childhood development.

Knowledge exchanges: We conduct robust capacity building programs and facilitate cross-border learning. Also, we manage several thematic knowledge hubs that offer many valuable resources across a variety of topics within ECD, as well as new insights and best practices across ECD worldwide.

ECD Programmatic and Consultancy Work

Beyond the ISSA Secretariat’s role for growing and maintaining the member association, we also advance early childhood development through strategic programmatic initiatives and expert consultancy services to create meaningful, systemic change across Europe and Central Asia.

Large-Scale Initiatives: We regularly engage in partnership initiatives, developing innovative, evidence-based solutions and practices that address the needs of early childhood development. Our collaborative efforts with policymakers, local organizations, international agencies and foundations, academics, and practitioners ensure that our initiatives are well-rounded and impactful. We design, facilitate, and implement interventions that drive meaningful change at national, regional, and global levels, focusing on building comprehensive, inclusive, and integrated systems that promote the well-being and development of all children. Key components of these initiatives include capacity building, advocacy, training, and the development of essential frameworks, guidelines, toolkits, reports, and other resources.

Tailored Consultancy Services: Our highly skilled team offers tailored consultancy services to members, partners, and other clients, delivering customized technical assistance to meet specific needs. We specialize in enhancing service quality, developing frameworks that promote inclusive policies and services, and creating customized training programs. Additionally, we support local governments with tools, capacity building, and targeted projects focused on early childhood development. By addressing unique challenges and opportunities, our place-based interventions are designed to be both effective and sustainable, empowering local actors and ensuring long-lasting benefits for the communities we serve.

Our value proposition

The ISSA Network excels at bridging theory and practice, developing global frameworks and practical, evidence-based solutions that can be used around the world while also adaptable to meet localized needs. Leveraging our unparalleled expertise in early childhood development, we work collaboratively to bolster communities through holistic ECD endeavors. Additionally, we serve as a bridge, connecting East and West Europe and Central Asia through shared knowledge, practices, interventions, and advocacy, thereby harmonizing diverse perspectives and driving cohesive progress in early childhood development across the continent.

Our International Reach

Renowned for our commitment to fostering holistic development in young children, ISSA not only serves as a leading regional advocate for ECD but also plays a pivotal role as an international key player in advancing best practices, research, and policies in this crucial field. Through its collaborative efforts with diverse stakeholders, ISSA catalyzes synergy and connectivity with other regional networks, international agencies and academic centers of excellence, enabling collaborations as well as professional and organizational development opportunities.

Why we do what we do

In everything we do, we strive to promote the holistic development of young children, so that each child is empowered to reach their unique and full potential while embracing values of social justice and equity. We do so through nurturing an early childhood learning community and ecosystem focused on delivering high-quality early years services equitably.

Our vision

A society where families, communities and professionals work together to empower each child to reach her or his unique potential and embrace values of social justice and equity.

Our mission

We are a learning community, powered by the leading early childhood experts in Europe and Central Asia. We unite professionals and partners to deliver high-quality early years services equitably. We challenge existing knowledge and practice and co-construct new approaches and models.

Shared purpose

ISSA is a network of 100 member organizations committed to sustaining and expanding a movement for inclusive, high-quality systems, services, and policies for children and their families to ensure that all children have the best start in life.

Child rights approach

We adopt a child rights approach in our work, focusing on building the capacity of duty-bearers to fulfill their obligations to respect, protect, and uphold children’s rights. At the same time, we aim to empower children to actively claim their rights. Our approach is holistic, emphasizing the strengths and resources of the child and the ecosystem to which they belong.

(Reference: General Comment No 13 / UN Convention on the Rights of the Child)

To view ISSA's Childs Safeguarding Policy, click here.

We endorse

ISSA's work is underpinned by The Convention on the Rights of the Child.
We are also a part of:

Location

ISSA's offices are located in a historic building that once functioned as an orphanage. Founded in 1593, it closed its doors as an orphanage during the 1960s. In May 2010 the renovated orphanage re-opened as Kinderrechtenhuis Nederland (Child Rights Home, the Netherlands). Besides ISSA, several other organizations working with and for children and young people have their offices in the building. These developments are made possible by financial and moral support from Stichting Utopa (the Utopa Foundation).

ISSA - a public benefit organization

ISSA is entirely committed to the public benefit and as such is recognized as a Public Benefit Organization by the Dutch tax authority. In the Netherlands, a PBO is known as an Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling (ANBI).