Early education and care

High-quality early childhood care and education (ECCE) is now recognised as a core strategy for poverty reduction. There is evidence of high returns from ECCE investments, which can contribute to global policy priorities such as tackling child malnutrition, increasing children’s successful participation in school, and strengthening economic development. In short, by supporting children and families early in life, well-delivered ECCE can help to interrupt the cycle of poverty. But the reality is that this potential only becomes meaningful if ECCE programmes are actually able to effectively reach the poorest and most marginalised children.

Young Lives research finds significant inequalities in access to early education In all four of the study countries relating to whether children live in urban or rural areas, household income levels, maternal education, and differential access to public and private-sector provision. For example, virtually all children whose mothers had more than 10 years of education had attended pre-school in Peru, but this dropped to just 30% of children whose mothers have less than 4 years of schooling.

There are also notable discrepancies in the quality of services available. One rural pre-school teacher in Peru said: " I heard the Ministry of Education provide some learning materials for primary schools but they don't for pre-schools. I see private pre-schools with books and paint, it eases the job and the child is more into it, right? But we have to make do with what we have."

These findings underline the importance of ensuring that high-quality care and education in early childhood reach the poorest children, so that policies are able to fulfil their potential.

Supporting every child to have a good start requires an increased focus on the most marginalised sectors, targeted investments to improve the quality of services, and effective governance of both public and private-sector provision. The window of opportunity is now.