How do we know if childcare centers, preschools and home visits are effectively preparing children for school? How do we know if these services actually promote child development in young children? The question of how to measure access to quality services has been present in academia and policy for decades. So, where do we stand today and how should we move forward? In … [Read more...] about 5 Steps Toward Generating Policy-oriented Data on Access to Quality Early Childhood Services
childhood development
Returning to work after becoming a mother: the challenge of breastfeeding
We have long known that breastmilk is the best food for babies and has many benefits for mothers as well. For decades, 170 countries have celebrated World Breastfeeding Week, an annual campaign to raise awareness about how important it is to defend, promote, and support exclusive breastfeeding during babies’ first six months, together with continued breastfeeding alongside … [Read more...] about Returning to work after becoming a mother: the challenge of breastfeeding
Can cash transfers boost child development?
We’ve talked before about how poverty negatively impacts both early child development and brain development. Young children are shaped by the stimulation they receive, as well as the words they hear and the significant relationships they have. However, these factors vary considerably from one socioeconomic level to another. To bolster child development, we have to bring down … [Read more...] about Can cash transfers boost child development?
Preventing violence in early childhood in the context of COVID-19
In late 2021, more than 80 officials and representatives from Latin America and the Caribbean met for a dialogue on the challenges faced and the innovations developed around the issues of health, social protection, and early childhood development since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In that Regional Policy Dialogue, we discussed extensively the subject of violence against … [Read more...] about Preventing violence in early childhood in the context of COVID-19
3 emerging lessons on Early Care and Education Systems from the COVID-19 pandemic
“Good afternoon: (…) greetings from the Trinidad Association of Community Homes. Personally, I have really enjoyed these spaces, they have allowed me to get away a little from the concerns of the situation (COVID-19), additionally enrich my practice, allowing me to grow and reaffirm many of my ideas about early childhood”. Beatriz, Santa Rosa de Cabal, Risaralda, … [Read more...] about 3 emerging lessons on Early Care and Education Systems from the COVID-19 pandemic