3. Supporting developmental health
Children are our future, our most precious resource. How often do we hear these words or something similar? The last decade has brought a fairly profound change in how early child development is valued and understood, but the investment into programs and supports for infants and young children remains comparatively low.
In the next video, Dr. Robin Williams, former Chief Medical Officer of Health in Ontario, discusses how the three Early Years Studies have helped people around the world, in different disciplines, focus on the importance of supporting all children to be successful.
Listen now as Dr. Megan Gunnar, professor and former director of the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota, explains some of the long-term health and biological implications of early adversity. Her message highlights the importance of promoting health and well-being early in life.
On the following pages we will consider effective advocacy strategies for investing in early child development, public policies that make a difference and a new global agenda that seeks to ensure that all children not only survive, but thrive.
As you go through this section of the module, keep in mind the characteristics of effective early childhood programs, as outlined in the Early Years Study 4.
1. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AS AN ENTITLEMENT: Without being mandatory, a legal entitlement makes children’s participation in preschool the norm, whether or not their parents engage in paid work. Entitlement emphasizes the educational nature of the investment and protects ECE from political shifts and economic downturns.
2. UNIVERSAL PROVISION: The goal is for all children to participate in a single universal early education and care system. Universal access, with special outreach to marginalized groups, promotes social and economic integration, consistent quality and positive peer effects among children from different backgrounds.
3. STRONG PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE: It is essential that early education have its own home within government. It needs a department with a mandate and resources to ensure that preschool is available, that children enjoy high quality programming, and that the ECE workforce is well prepared and receives adequate compensation and support. Early education departments are correctly located within broader education ministries to support the continuum of learning from early childhood and beyond.
4. ADEQUATE PUBLIC FUNDING: Funding structures must ensure that costs are not a barrier to participation. This means either free enrolment or developing a fee structure that is progressive to ensure early education is affordable for all. Affordability needs to include middle-income families who often do not qualify for government subsidies.
Meeting these goals will require an increase in funding (McCain, 2020, p. 67).
