Early Childhood Development

Early Childhood Development: Learning Begins at Birth “A child’s experiences in the first few months and years of life determine whether he or she will enter school eager to learn or not.” 1 Experiences in Early Childhood are Crucial The brain’s rapid development during early childhood provides “windows of opportunity” during which experiences can promote certain kinds of growth and change. The experience of childhood determines which neurons are used, and how the circuits of the brain are wired.

Those neurons which are not used may die.2 Deprived of a stimulating environment, a child’s brain suffers. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have found that children who don’t play much or are rarely touched develop brains 20% to 30% smaller than normal for their age.3 What are Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs?

ECD programs utilize a comprehensive approach to ensure that children between birth and the age of eight develop to their full social, cognitive, emotional, and physical potential. Programs address children’s individual needs, offer support to caregivers and parents, and address the specific health, nutrition, water, and environmental sanitation concerns of the community.4 ECD programs are adapted to meet local needs. They range from home-based initiatives in which parents receive individual instruction from trained volunteers, to community programs integrated into the national educational system.5,6 How do these Programs Help Children?

Children who attend ECD programs that foster development tend to be more successful in school, show better verbal and physical development during early childhood, and are more socially and emotionally competent than children who do not attend ECD programs.

Quality ECD programs also foster: Higher intelligence scores and increased school enrollments Less grade repetition and lower dropout rates Improved nutrition and health Improved social and emotional behavior Improved parent-child relationships Increased earning potential and economic self-sufficiency in adulthood Increased female labor force participation 7 In Brazil, a recent study found that poor girls who attended preschool were twice as likely to reach grade 5, and three times as likely to reach grade 8. Poor boys who attended preschool were three times more likely to reach grade 5 than boys who had not. 40% of boys who attended preschool programs finished primary school, compared to 2% of boys who had not been involved in early educational programs.4

Who has Access to ECD? While some European countries such as Italy and France have enrollment rates of more than 90% of children between the ages of 3 and 5, in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab States and North Africa, only around 20% of children participate in ECD programs.5 Only 12% of children under six in Turkey benefit from ECD programs because families cannot afford the fees.4 4 Reasons to Invest in Young Children To build human resources. Research has shown that half a person’s intelligence potential is developed by age four, and that early childhood interventions can have a lasting effect on intellectual capacity, personality, and social behavior.

To generate higher economic returns and reduce social costs. Early childhood interventions increase the return on investments in later education, and can cut the social and financial costs of grade repetition, juvenile delinquency, and drug use.

To achieve greater social equity. Girls enrolled in early childhood programs are better prepared for school and frequently stay in school longer. Older girls who provide childcare for younger siblings also have more time to go to school when their siblings are enrolled.

To help mothers as well as children. Providing child care gives women the chance to work outside the home or to continue their education.1 ECD: A Cost Effective Investment Researchers found that an annual public investment of 18 million Swiss francs in an ECD project in Zurich, Switzerland, is offset by at least 29 million Swiss Francs in terms of additional tax revenues alone.5 In the United States, a longitudinal study of the benefit-cost return on one successful preschool program found that the public saved $7.16 for every dollar spent on the program.8 Not only Education: India’s Community Centers To improve the quality of life for its children, the Indian government initiated Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in 1975. The program, now in virtually all Indian states, offers supplementary nutrition to children under six, and provides three to six year-olds with preschool education, immunizations, health checkups, and medical referral services. Pregnant and lactating women also obtain health and nutrition education, and the centers promote interactive learning techniques by providing educational toys and materials.

Studies have shown ICDS community centers to be effective—ICDS participants have higher primary school enrollment rates, and better attendance and performance records. Infant mortality rates in ICDS areas are also lower than in non-ICDS areas.1 1

Early Child Development: Investing in the Future, 1996.

The World Bank 2 “Your Child’s Brain,” February 19, 1996. Newsweek 3 “Fertile Minds,” Feb 3, 1997. Time Magazine 4 The State of the World’s Children 2001. UNICEF 5 Education for All: Is the World on Track? EFA Global Monitoring Report 2002. UNESCO

6

“Child World Spring 2003.” Christian Children’s Fund www.worldbank.org/children/ 8 “Impact of Early Education on School Performance and Productivity,” 1996. High/Scope Perry Educational Research Foundation 7

www.BasicEd.org

THE BASIC EDUCATION COALITION Last updated: May 2003