growing up right: investing in early child development interactive innovations iii conference...

Growing Up Right:Investing in

Early Child Development

Interactive Innovations III Conference

Charles S. Coffey, O.C.Council for Early Child Development

March 4, 2008

“Knowledge is the currency of our economy and learning is a key to

maintaining productivity, competitiveness and prosperity.

By stimulating innovation in public education and learning systems,

Canadians will become more highly skilled, creative and adaptable—qualities

leading to an innovative society and a better workforce.”

Dr. Michael Bloom, Vice-President, Organizational Effectiveness and Learning The Conference Board of Canada

The Capacity to Learn…

“If you want an idea of what your economy will look like in say 15 or 20 years…if you want an economy that's

vibrant, citizens who are productive and a workplace that's innovative - think

about the investment you're making in very young people today.”

Dr. Fraser Mustard

Children – “Keepers of the Key”…

Early child development (ECD) is the first and most critical phase of

education and human growth.

Foundation for Lifelong Learning…

1. A child’s earliest experiences shape brain development.

The Power and Workings of the Brain…


2. Between conception and entry to school, the developing brain establishes sight, hearing, language and cognitive ability.




3. ‘Healthy functioning’ is not characterized by how much a child knows, but how much she/he is capable of learning.




3. ‘Healthy functioning’ is not characterized by how much a child knows, but how much she/he is capable of learning.

4. ¼ of Canada’s children between birth to age 6 are experiencing some learning or behavioural difficulty.


“First, young children develop in an environment of relationships. Second, early experiences sculpt the evolving architecture of the brain. Third, wise investments in young children are

among the most cost-effective outlays a society can provide.”

Jack Shonkoff, Julius B. Richmond FAMRI Professor of Child Health and Development at the Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Graduate School of Education, and founding director of the Center on

the Developing Child at Harvard University

The Power and Workings of Economics…

“We're spending too much money on prisons, welfare, remedial education and

crisis intervention because we don't spend enough on children before they

head off to school.”

“…a $17 return for every dollar invested in high-quality early learning”

Art Rolnick, Economist - Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis


“The returns to human capital

investments are greatest for the young for two reasons: (a) skill begets skills, and b) younger persons have a longer

horizon over which to recoup the fruits of their investments.”

James Heckman, a Nobel Laureate in Economic SciencesUniversity of Chicago


Pre-school Programs

School

Job Training

ReturnPer $Invested

R

2

4

6

8

0 6 18Age

Pre-School School Post School

Adapted from Founders’ Network (Carneiro, Heckman, Human Capital Policy, 2003)

The Power and Workings of Economics…Rates of Return to Human Development Investment Across All Ages

Human Capital Policy http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~uctppca/HCP.pdf

“The quality and capacity of our future population

depends on what we do now to support early child development.”

Dr. Fraser Mustard

Council for Early Child Development…

Calls for the implementation of quality, universal, accessible,

affordable and optional early child development programs that strive to meet the diverse and

changing needs of children and parents.

Early Years Study 2: Putting Science into Action for Children …

1. Existing neighbourhood schools - the natural location in every community

Council for Early Child Development…Early Child Development Centres


2. Integrated governance model and universal application




3. The parent-child relationship paramount





4. Skilled, responsive and fairly compensated early childhood workforce essential






5. Sensitivity to the diversity of families and communities






5. Sensitivity to the diversity of families and communities

6. Community early child development tools

measure and assess progress


• Assesses children’s kindergarten development and provides school districts and communities with information about preschool population

• Evaluates the effectiveness of early childhood interventions and helps predict how children will do in elementary school

The Early Development Instrument (EDI)…

While interest in early childhood development

has produced more public spending on programs,

there is little accountability for the funding…

little progress has been made in pulling the service strands

together into a coherent system.

From Public Spending…

Preschools

Child care

Parenting centres

Children’s mental health centres

Kindergartens

Local school

authorities

Public health

Munici-palities

Community services

Parks & recreation

Early interventionHealth Social

servicesEducation Family

support

…to CHAOS

Canada has fallen behind other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries that

are taking steps to support early child development.

Policy Challenges are not an Excuse for Inaction…

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

Canada

Australia

Italy

Germany

Netherlands

United States

United Kingdom

Austria

Hungary

France

Finland

Norway

Sweden

Denmark

Public Expenditures on Early Childhood Programs Selected OECD Countries (%), 2004

“A four year Swedish study found that children entering daycare at an early age did a number of important learning and social tasks significantly better than children who were older when they

started daycare.”

“Money spent on Head Start early education

programs in the United States has decreased the need for spending on special education, welfare,

teen pregnancy, delinquency and crime.”

From Voices for Children…voicesforchildren.ca

Well-funded, integrated child development and parenting programs improve the cognitive and

social functioning of all children.

High-quality early child education produces “long-term positive outcomes and cost-savings

that include improved school performance, reduced special education placement, lower school dropout rates, and increased lifelong

earning potential…”

Business Roundtable of leading US Companies (2003)

Evidence is Compelling…

How will innovative early child development centres

impact K-12 – students, teachers, administrators, parents,

communities and stakeholders?

Reality Check…

• Understand that effective early child development centres set the stage for greater student success in K-12

• Consider the opportunity that schools are the natural infrastructure for ECD centres

• Be ready for change

• Lead the way

Influence Public Policy and Change in Schools and Districts…

“A new Early Childhood Learning Agency

will be established. It will assess the feasibility and costs of full school day kindergarten for five-year-olds. It will also undertake a feasibility study of providing parents with the choice of day-long kindergarten for four-year-

olds by 2010, and for three-year-olds by 2012.”

Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable Steven L. Point

Full School Day Kindergarten on the Horizon…

Children First Initiatives

Greater Nanaimo Early Years PartnershipSuccess By 6 Initiatives in Nelson

Early Childhood Development Programs Transferable

Early Child Development: A Powerful Equalizer Lori G. Irwin, Arjumand Siddiqi and Clyde Hertzman

World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health

Council for Early Child Development Community Fellows

Reflection on Conference Messages

Learning Steps in your Communities…

• Early learning – shared goals of stakeholders

• Intrinsic link between early education and economic prosperity too significant to ignore

• Substantial and sustained investments in growing up right – in early child development will be necessary to improve the competence, health, and well-being of populations in Canada and throughout the world.

• Urgency to act

Leadership in Action

Growing Up Right: Investing in Early Child Development

growing up right: investing in early child development interactive innovations iii conference...

Documents