Abstract:The potential of quality early childhood and primary education to help break inter-generational poverty cycles is widely recognised. My focus is on how far this potential is being translated into reality, through implementing positive early childhood policies in practice. The paper summarises evidence from Young Lives research into early transitions, based on both survey and in-depth qualitative research with 6,000 Young Lives younger cohort children in Ethiopia, Andhra Pradesh (India) and Peru.

This report presents an initial analysis of some of the qualitative data collected in four of the 20 Young Lives sites in Peru between August and December 2007. Data collection was carried out with both cohorts of Young Lives children (the Younger Cohort are aged 5 to 6 and the Older Cohort are aged 11 to 13), as well as their caregivers, teachers, community representatives and other children. The sub-sample includes 51 children.

This paper presents the results of a Young Lives study into the impact and perceptions of the Programa Nacional Wawa Wasi, a Peruvian government programme for impoverished children aged six to 48 months. Up to eight children spend five days a week at a Wawa Wasi centre where they are assisted by a carer carefully selected from the local community. The results suggest that children who have spent at least six months at a centre have similar indicators in gross motor, language and fine motor development to children who have stayed at home.