{"id":2439,"date":"2012-03-27T16:04:27","date_gmt":"2012-03-27T16:04:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/content.scienceofecd.com\/third-edition\/?page_id=2439"},"modified":"2026-05-01T14:29:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T14:29:28","slug":"dh-3-2-shaping-public-policies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/content.scienceofecd.com\/third-edition\/dh-3-2-shaping-public-policies\/","title":{"rendered":"DH 3.2 Shaping public policies"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Early years policies, if co-ordinated and evidence-based, can reduce the need for expensive remedial education and social services in the future” (OECD, 2025, para. 2).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

If we think about child development in the context of the developmental health perspective it gives us a clear and profound lens for understanding what is important in supporting the well-being of young children and ultimately in creating healthy and competent populations. The future of humanity depends on our capacity to cope with the many complex challenges in the 21st century. We need strong, healthy children who grow into competent adults, capable of coping with the challenges of survival and quality of life in the \u2018global village\u2019. It is incumbent on everyone involved in making policy decisions to always keep this perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In their report, “Reducing Inequalities by Investing in Early Childhood Education and Care”, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) provide a policy roadmap for governments to ensure equal opportunities in the early years. They suggest aligning universal and targeted approaches as well as aligning ECEC with broader early years approaches. You can read more about this policy roadmap in the report, below. (The executive summary, full report, and support materials are all available on this site).<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n EXPLORE<\/span>\n OECD Report: Reducing Inequalities by Investing in Early Childhood Education and Care<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Early Childhood Scientific Council on Equity and the Environment (2026) suggests “designing policies and programs that create, maintain, and restore stability can help strengthen the foundations for healthy development” (para 3). Read more in the working paper below.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n READ<\/span>From Resources to Routines: The Importance of Stability in the Developmental Environment<\/span><\/span> \n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

In the Early Years Study 4<\/em>, the Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain calls on governments to offer early education to all preschool-aged children. “The benefits are large, as are the costs of inaction. We cannot afford to squander the untold talents of another generation. When Canadian children thrive, Canada thrives” (McCain,  2020, p. 4)\u200b. The Early Years Study 4 video highlights the importance of the first 2000 days and presents a somewhat dismal picture of the current early childhood education situation in Canada. Both in the video and in the Chapter 4 highlights, Margaret McCain presents a convincing overview of necessary policy implications and the accompanying need for significant investment in Canada’s children.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n READ<\/span>Early Years Study 4: Chapter 4 highlights<\/span><\/span> \n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

In the next video, Dr. Charles Nelson, professor in the Department of Society, Human Development and Health at the Harvard School of Public Health, asks policy makers to take the long term perspective because what happens early in life matters later.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n VIEW<\/span>\n Nelson – recommendations to policy makers (1:53)<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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