lack of school readiness
Early childhood development
Why early years?
The first six years of a child’s life are critical, laying the foundations for their future development and wellbeing. Inadequate care and stimulation in these early years often leads to poor health, poor education, lost life opportunities and poverty.
As well as disadvantaging these children and their families, it is estimated that this lost potential reduces adult earning income by 20% on average.
Conversely, children who receive quality early care are proven to have better school readiness, school achievement and higher adult earnings.
Cost-benefit ratios of early intervention indicate that for every dollar spent on improving early child development, returns can be on average 4 to 5 times the amount invested, and in some cases, much higher (The Lancet 2007, 2011 & 2016 ECD series).
"Ensuring the healthy cognitive, social and emotional development of young children merits the highest priority of every responsible government, organisation, community, family and individual for the sake of raising healthy children worldwide.
Reaching children in a holistic manner and incorporating health, nutrition, water and sanitation, education and interventions that support their full development is crucial".
"Play helps children develop the intellectual, emotional, social and creative skills that are of lifelong benefit to them and their communities".
Consequences of ECD
Consequences of good ECD
Confident & aspirational
Good school achievement
Consequences of poor ECD
Education drop out & low achievement
Poor school readiness