When representatives from Latin America and the Caribbean get together for a dialogue around the present and future of areas as important as health, social protection, and early childhood development, the result is an unending stream of ideas, exchanges, and synergies. Paths open; paths which, beyond showing the shared needs and shortcomings, lead to lessons and innovations … [Read more...] about Three Lessons from a Regional Dialogue on Early Childhood
Policies and Programs
The Challenge of Integrating Early Childhood Services with Caribbean Health Systems
Initial results from an innovative parenting program in Jamaica showed that it benefited children's cognitive development and parents’ attitudes about caring for children. However, evaluations in subsequent years found that these effects had disappeared. In this post, we present an early childhood program that is incorporated into the country’s health system, as well as the … [Read more...] about The Challenge of Integrating Early Childhood Services with Caribbean Health Systems
IDB Committed to Improving Lives of Latin American Children and Mothers
COVID-19 has exposed the heavy burden on female heads of household or women responsible for caring for children or other family members. One of the main obstacles continuing to impede women’s access to labor markets is the cultural expectation on their role as caregivers. In Latin America and the Caribbean, as in other regions of the world, the work of caring for and raising … [Read more...] about IDB Committed to Improving Lives of Latin American Children and Mothers
The Consequences for Human Capital of Closing and Reopening Early Childhood Centers
The temporary mass closure of preschools and daycares due to COVID-19 is depriving hundreds of millions of children of learning opportunities. These losses will have a lifelong effect on their education, health, income, and productivity, limiting their future opportunities. In addition to these negative impacts on children's development, the closures will also have an impact on … [Read more...] about The Consequences for Human Capital of Closing and Reopening Early Childhood Centers
Playful learning for families: the Jamaican home visiting model going to scale…in Jamaica!
The Jamaican Home Visiting intervention strengthens parents’ abilities to use responsive interactions and play to help their children develop well. The intervention has substantial benefits to children’s development and is the first early childhood stimulation program in low and middle-income countries to show long term benefits of play for adult education, income, and … [Read more...] about Playful learning for families: the Jamaican home visiting model going to scale…in Jamaica!