Oct 29, 2012 - articles, books and authoritative statements from the European Commission, national governments .... Retrieved from: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/48/15/1960663.pdf. The study reviews ...... ECERS-E rating scale. Box 136.
European Commission Directorate – General for Education and Culture
Literature Review Appendix I to the Final Report of the study
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) in promoting educational attainment including social development of children from disadvantaged backgrounds and in fostering social inclusion Commissioned by the European Commission Submitted on 29 October 2012
Appendix I : Literature Review _____________________________________
Literature Review of the Participation of Disadvantaged Children and Families in ECEC Services in Europe
This Literature Review has been prepared by:
Dr. Arianna Lazzari SOFRECO ECEC Researcher Department of Education Science, Bologna University
Prof. Michel Vandenbroeck SOFRECO Senior ECEC Researcher Department of Social Welfare Studies, Ghent University
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Table of Contents Part A - Barriers and good practices Introduction
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A 1 - Studies dealing with barriers to participation
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A 2 - Studies describing good practices
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Conclusions
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References
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Annex A: Summary table of research on barriers and good practices
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Part B - Literature review of ECEC outcomes Introduction and limitations of the present review
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B 1. Studies exploring the relationship between ECEC and children’s cognitive outcomes
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B 2. Studies exploring the relationship between ECEC and children’s non-cognitive outcomes
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B 3. Studies investigating the links between ECEC and successful transition into school
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B 4. Studies investigating the contribution of ECEC to social inclusion
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B 5. Studies focusing on pedagogical approaches and educational processes
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B 6. Studies focussing on European research on policy for young children
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Conclusions
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References
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Annex B: Summary tables of research on themes B1, B2, B3 and B4
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Part A - Barriers and good practices A literature review of existing studies from the EU Member States on barriers of, and best practice in, engaging disadvantaged children and families in ECEC services to enhance their social inclusion.
Introduction This literature study explores the role of early childhood education and care in addressing and promoting social inclusion. Complementing the review of evidence on the effects of ECEC on children’s cognitive and socio-behavioural outcomes (Part B), this section (Part A) focuses specifically on the analysis of the contribution of ECEC to the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups. In recent times the EU has shown an increasing concern for poverty and social exclusion (European Commission, 2008a) with policy priority being given to the reduction of child poverty. Survey data indicates that that the risk of poverty among children is, in general, higher than among the population as a whole in most of the Member 1 States : The European Council asks the Member States to take necessary measures to rapidly and significantly reduce child poverty, giving all children equal opportunities, regardless of their social background. (Council of European Union, 2006, p. 24). In recent years, the EU commitment toward the reduction of child poverty rates across Member States has been accompanied by a growing recognition of the important role that ECEC has to play in tackling disadvantage from an early stage, under the condition that quality provision is made available: Member States should invest more in pre-primary education as an effective means to establish the basis for further learning, preventing school drop-out, increasing equity of outcomes and overall skill levels. (EC Communication on Efficiency and Equity in European Education and Training Systems, 2006, p. 5) The type of early childhood provision and the pedagogy to be used should be considered carefully. Programmes focusing on learning as well as personal and social competences tend to produce better outcomes and, consequently, greater knock-on effects throughout life. Parental engagement is essential to the success of pre-primary education and, in the case of the disadvantaged, this can be encouraged through dedicated parental education and outreach programmes. (EC Communication on Efficiency and Equity in European Education and Training Systems, 2006, p. 5) Along the same lines, the Communication ‘An updated strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training’ argued that priority should be given to the promotion of ‘generalised equitable access to pre-primary education and the reinforcement of quality provision and teacher support’ (European Commission, 2008b, p.10). In this framework, the European Commission funded a number of cross-national research studies on ECEC services, focusing specifically on the issue of childcare provision (Plantenga & Remery, 2009), quality (NESSE, 2009), social inclusion (EACEA, 2009; CIS, 2011) and staff professionalization (Urban, Vandenbroeck et al., 2011; CIS, 2011). These developments led to the adoption of the Council Conclusions on ECEC, which advocate for the provision of generalised equitable access to high quality ECEC in order to reduce early school
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Survey data show that more than 1 in 6 households with a child under six years is ‘at risk of poverty’ with the highest levels in Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and the UK.
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leaving and counter the risk of poverty and social exclusion (Council of the European Union, 2011). In this regard the communication stresses that: Providing high quality ECEC is just as important as ensuring its availability and affordability, and attention needs to be devoted to issues such as environment and infrastructure, staffing, the curriculum, governance and quality assurance (Council of the European Union, 2011, p.5). The Communication therefore advocates for a more systemic and integrated approach to ECEC services at local, regional and national level, for the involvement of all relevant stakeholders –in particular, families – and for closer cross-sectoral collaboration between different policy domains such as education, culture, social affairs, employment, health and justice. The contribution made by ECEC to the improvement of educational and life chances of young children has been further stressed in the recent European study commissioned from the TARKI-Applica consortium (TARKI-Applica, 2010), which identified the provision of childcare and pre-primary education as indicators of child well-being that should be monitored and taken into account in developing policies addressing poverty and social exclusion. In this sense, identifying barriers and keysuccess factors for engaging with disadvantaged children and families within ECEC services in Europe becomes crucial for the elaboration of a coherent, crossnational lifelong learning strategy committed to the social and cultural promotion of groups living in poverty within the EU area. This commitment has been further reinforced by the European Commission Communication ‘An EU agenda for the Rights of the Child’ that endorses children’s participation in high quality ECEC provision as a way to overcome the threats posed by educational segregation and social exclusion: Giving all children access to early childhood education and care is the foundation for successful lifelong learning, social integration, personal development and later employability (European Commission, 2011, p.9) The literature review provides substantive accounts of both quantitative and qualitative aspects associated with inclusive ECEC provision. Specifically, this part analyses European research concerning the existing barriers and good practices in engaging disadvantaged children and families in ECEC services with the aim of identifying key success factors promoting equal educational opportunities and social inclusion. For the purpose of this study, disadvantaged children are defined as belonging to Category C of the OECD classification of special educational needs (REF): Category C refers to the educational needs of students that are considered to arise primarily from socio-economic, cultural and/or linguistic factors. There is present some form of background, generally considered to be a disadvantage, for which education seeks to compensate. The definition encompasses children living in poverty; children living in areas where services are less accessible (e.g. rural areas); children from low-income families; children with a migrant background; and children belonging to disadvantaged group, such as Roma. This is a large group in many countries ranging from 15% to 30% in many European countries. Two other categories are included in the OECD definition, viz. the educational needs of children with special needs, that is, needs arising from organic disorders related to sensory, motor or neurological defects (e.g. blind and partially sighted, deaf and partially hearing, severe and profound mental handicap, multiple handicaps); and the educational needs of children with learning disabilities caused possibly by a dysfunction of the nervous system that affects receiving, processing, or communicating information (e.g. children with ADHD, dyslexia…). The present study does not examine literature or services for these children. The studies relevant for the analysis were identified through a process that consisted of three stages:
A literature search through research databases, research portals and books,
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A careful selection of the studies carried out according to the eligibility criteria presented below, and
An analysis of the empirical findings of the studies selected.
The tool used for the analysis and categorization of research findings is reported in the annex (Table A). The findings from the studies that have been reviewed for this part of the literature study have been categorised under two themes, focusing namely on the barriers to (theme A1) and good practices (theme A2) concerning the participation of disadvantaged children and families in ECEC programs. For the purpose of the analysis both primary studies and literature reviews were taken into account, under the condition that they were carried out in EU member states and published within the last ten years. A particular effort was directed toward the maximum representation of EU countries in the studies selected, with particular reference to different social welfare regimes (Esping-Andersen, 2002) and to the different situations from which disadvantage might stem (e.g. living in poor neighbourhoods, coming from a migrant background, living in contexts of ethnic division, belonging to segregated groups such as Roma). Only peer-reviewed articles, books and authoritative statements from the European Commission, national governments, universities/research centres and NGOs were taken into account in the analysis. Given the aim of this literature review, preference has been given to studies, which provided a thick description of outstanding programs, received research validation, were informed by a relevant theoretical background and included a punctual account of the context in which practices took shape and developed. It should be noted that there is not a unanimous definition of disadvantaged children within the legislation of European member states (EACEA, 2009) and, as a consequence, policy and research approaches to social inclusion vary greatly according to each country’s historical, cultural and political traditions. For example in countries like Italy, where the compensatory model has always been rejected as stigmatizing (Mantovani, 2007), considering disadvantaged children as a separate category is not considered appropriate. By acknowledging the different understandings underpinning educational policies directed toward the social inclusion of disadvantages children – which in turn generate a multitude of educational approaches - the term “best practices” should be used with caution. For this reason we decided to adopt in this literature review the term “good practices”, as it calls for a careful reflection on the wider social, cultural and political context in which successful educational practices have been generated, emphasising the aspect of re-invention over that of replication (Moss & Urban, 2010). It should also be noted that the findings of the country studies listed below are generalisable beyond national boundaries only with precaution as the history, traditions, organization and practices of early childhood services can differ widely from one country to another.
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A 1 - Studies dealing with barriers to participation Boisson, M. 2008. La note de veille 107. Droit d’accueil du jeune enfant. Une double exigence qualitative et quantitative. Paris: Centre d’analyse stratégique. Brabant-Delannoy, L. & Sylvain Lemoine, S. 2009. La note de veille 157. Accueil de la petite enfance: comment continuer à assurer son développement dans le contexte actuel des finances sociales? Paris: Centre d’analyse stratégique. 2
The statistical overviews, provided by governmental agencies in France do not provide figures that are disaggregated along ethnic lines. Ethnicity is, in France, not registered. However, policy documents do state:
“Ce sont les parents peu diplômés, pauvres, migrants, qui accèdent/recourent le moins aux services d’accueil collectifs pour leurs enfants.” [Parents with low levels of education, parents living in poverty and ethnic minority parents have less access or make less use of child care for their children.]
91 % des enfants de moins de 3 ans relevant de familles du premier quintile sont gardés principalement par leurs parents en 2007, contre 63 % pour l’ensemble de la population et 31 % pour les familles du cinquième quintile. [91% of children under the age of 3, living in families of the first income quartile are mainly cared for by their parents in 2008. In contrast, this is 63% for the entire population and only 31% for families belonging to the fifth income quartile.] Büchel, F. & Spiess, C. K. 2002. Form der Kinderbetreuung und Arbeitsmarktverhal-ten von Müttern in West- und Ostdeutschland. Schriftenreihe des Bundesministe-riums für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend. Band 220. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer. This study discusses the low participation of immigrant children in early childhood provision in Germany. Del Boca, D. 2010. Child poverty and child well-being in the European Union: policy overview and policy impact analysis. A case study: Italy. Budapest & Brussels: TARKI-Applica. This study is part of a wider project carried out by a consortium formed by TARKI Social Research Institute (Budapest) and Applica (Brussels) and commissioned by the DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities of the European Commission (www.tarki.hu/en/reserach/childpoverty/index.htlm). The case study highlights that, in spite of a reputation for high quality, childcare opportunities (0-3 services) in Italy are limited in terms of availability and costs. Specifically it is noted that such opportunities are even more limited for low income families: while 27% of parents with income above the poverty line use services for children under 3, only 17% of the family below the poverty line do so. The authors suggest this is a question of availability and costs, meaning that publicly subsidised childcare facilities are less available where the poverty risk is relatively high. Furthermore both public and private childcare in Italy was found to be more expensive than in
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Boyer, D. (2011) (ed). L’accueil du jeune enfant en 2010. Données statistiques. Paris: Observatoire Nationale de la petite enfance – CNAF.
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other European countries (Del Boca, Locatelli & Vura, 2005) , in a context in which social expenditure for children and households is the lowest in the EU-15 (only 4.4% of total social expenditure which is 1.1 of GDP). A mismatch between childcare arrangements and mothers’ participation in the labour market was also noted, with public childcare system providing care for a limited number of hours 4 that only part-time working mother find useful (Del Boca & Vuri, 2007) . To summarise, the main obstacles to the participation of families ‘at risk’ of poverty in ECEC services (0-3) are identified as follow: a)
limited number of publicly subsidised services in disadvantaged areas (availability and cost)
b)
lack of flexibility in opening hours
c)
insufficient public investment at macro-economic level.
Driessen, G. E. J. M. 2004. A large scale longitudinal study of the utilization and effects of early childhood education and care in The Netherlands. Early Child Development and Care, 174 (7–8), 667–689. This large scale longitudinal study aims to investigate the association between parents’ background and children’s participation in ECEC services. Specifically it was examined whether a relation exists between the utilisation of ECEC services (day-care centres, pre-school and parent-child programmes) and a number of background characteristics of the child and the family (e.g. parental education, ethnic origin...). The study draws on the data (1996-2000) of the cohort study PRIMA carried out on a national scale in The Netherlands. Figures on a total of 33,418 children from approx. 600 schools were available. Data were analysed using statistical methods. The use of ECEC was found to relate to the following background variables:
parental level of education (children of higher educated parents are attending day-care centre relatively more often whereas children from lower educated parents using none of the services relatively more often)
paid employment (with children of working mothers making a greater use of day-care centre)
parental ethnic origin (with immigrant mothers making relatively less use of pre-school) in combination with duration of residence, home language and Dutch language mastery.
Overall it can be concluded that children from low-income and ethnic minority families tend to be less present in ECEC services in relation to the background factors presented above. Felfe, C. and Lalive, R. 2011. How Does Early Childcare Affect Child Development? Learning from the Children of German Unification. CESifo Area Conference on Economics of Education: Center for Economics Studies. Drawing on data set from national surveys (GSOEP and GCP) the study discusses the incidence of expanding high quality care provision in German society. The research is carried out in a context of funded provision that controls for costs (fees depend on family income and do not vary strongly between German regions) and quality (tightly controlled), in which children and slots are matched through waiting lists. In centres’ waiting lists priority is usually given to children with working
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Del Boca, D., Locatelli, M. & Vuri D. 2005. ‘Childcare choices of Italian households.’ Review of Economics of the households, 3, 453-77. 4 Del Boca, D. & Vuri D. 2007. ‘The mismatch between employment and childcare.’ Journal of Population Economics, 20 (4), page number not specified.
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parents, to single mothers and to children whose siblings are already enrolled in the childcare centre. The analysis specifically related to determinants of children’s attendance to formal care point out that parental education is one of the most important factors: in comparison to a mother with no educational degree, a mother possessing a secondary school degree is 20% more likely to use childcare while a mother with university degree is even 29% more likely to use childcare. These findings strengthen the claim that rationing favours children from more advantaged backgrounds: this could be partly explained by the excess demand of childcare that require parents to register very early on the waiting lists. The findings also highlight that following the expansion of provision a positive trend in childcare attendance has been noted. The authors conclude that empirical evidence from the study indicates that universally accessible formal childcare can contribute to decreasing inequalities across children from different socio-economic backgrounds. To summarise, the main obstacles to the participation of low SES families in ECEC services (2 to compulsory school age) are identified as follows:
availability of provision (rationed rather than universal)
criteria adopted for distributing the places available that are decided by centre managers and that in most cases give priority to the parents who are already working and that subscribed early on waiting lists (‘first come first served’).
Ghysels, J. & Van Lanker, W. 2011. The unequal benefits of activation: an analysis of the social distribution of family policies among families with young children. Journal of European Social Policies, 21, 472-85. The study examines the impact of family policies on vertical redistribution in European countries’ welfare states. This issue is addressed by focusing on the interaction of three measures of family policies – namely child benefits, childcare and parental leave – and on their overall (horizontal and vertical) distributional effects in Europe, with the Belgian region of Flanders as the case in focus. The study comprises a broad overview on the impact of family policies on social distribution in a large number of European countries and an in-depth analysis of the case of Flanders. In regard to this specific case, the distributional effect of family policies is assessed through the collection of detailed data on governmental spending (including tax deduction) for these policies along with its allocation among households. Concerning specifically the childcare measure (provision of childcare for children aged 0-2) the research findings highlight that overall patterns of care use are socially stratified, meaning that in almost all countries (the only exceptions are Denmark and Sweden where childcare provision is universal) higher income households make far more use of formal care compared to lower income households. The magnitude of this phenomenon is particular striking in Belgium where, despite the overall high coverage of childcare, 60% of the households in the highest income quintile make use of formal care compared to 15% of the households in the lowest income quintile. Similar patterns – high coverage rates but unequally distributed – are found in France, England (see studies presented above) and Ireland. By examining in more details the social distribution operated by childcare measures in Flanders, it emerges that families in the highest quintile profit more than twice as much from public support for childcare (public subsidies to childcare providers, income-related enrolment fees, income tax deduction) than families from the lowest income quintile. According to the authors, this points to a problem of childcare support biased against lower income, which confirms the
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findings of previous research showing that low income mothers have problems 5 attaining childcare slots . Leseman, P. 2002. Early childhood education and care for children from lowincome and minority backgrounds. Paper presented to OECD, Oslo, June 2002. Retrieved from: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/48/15/1960663.pdf The study reviews research evidences related to the function of ECEC for lowincome and minority families with a specific focus on their social integration. This paper, presented within a thematic workshop at the Oslo OECD meeting in June 2002 with the aim of complementing the report Starting Strong (OECD, 2001), draws both on European research carried out in Sweden, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and on US studies. The main findings suggest that socio-economic class and ethnic cultural differences in the use of ECEC can be explained by at least four factors:
family-related socio-economic factors (family income, number of children, mother’s employment and hourly wages, in relation to the enrolling fee required by the provisions and subsidies provided to the family)
cultural and religious child rearing belief
degree of social and cultural integration along with the number of years of residence in the host country, and, more specifically trust in professional education and care provision
consideration of convenience in relation to location and opening hours (availability of informal care by relatives in the neighbourhood plays an important role in this regards).
In order to overcome these obstacles the author suggests:
policy measures directed toward the implementation of largely publicly funded and organised systems that integrate education and care, and that are attractive and affordable to all families regardless of their social class and minority status
organising ECEC provision that match more closely the families’ goals and values including support for bilingual development (for example by recruiting staff from ethnic minority or by involving parents and their socio-linguistic communities)
providing flexible ECEC services that are supportive of the diversified needs of families .
Noailly, J., Visser, S., & Grout, P. 2007. The impact of market forces on the provision of childcare: insights from the 2005 Childcare Act in the Netherlands. Den Haag: Centraal Planbureau. The study investigates the impact of the introduction of market forces on the provision of childcare in The Netherlands. The Childcare Act, introduced in 2005, replaced the former funding systems that had elements of both supply- and demand-financing (public funding was partly distributed to suppliers in the form of subsidies granted by local municipalities) with a fully demand-financing system (now public funding is distributed exclusively to parents that are free to choose their childcare providers). The analysis presented in the study is carried out by comparing the childcare provision under the old regime (over the period 1999-
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Market Analysis and Synthesis. 2007. Analyse van het zoekproces van ouders naar een voorschoolse kinderopvangplaats [Analysis of Parents’ Search Process for a Preschool Childcare Slot]. Leuven: Market Analysis and Synthesis.
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2001) to the childcare provision after the introduction of the reform. To investigate changing patterns in childcare provision data from the General Firm Registry (on the location of facilities) and from the Chamber of Commerce (on the profit status 6 of childcare facilities ) were analysed. The results highlight the following trends:
the overall childcare provision (total number of facilities) increased by 10%
both the number and share of not-for-profit facilities declined (from 80% in 1999-2001 to 50% in 2006) while the share of for-profit facilities increased
growth of childcare provision has spread unevenly over different locations: the availability of for-profit facilities has increased predominantly in the areas with above average population, income and urbanisation while areas with lower than average income, population and urbanisation have witnessed a decline in the number of not-for-profit facilities that in many cases constituted the only provision in such locations.
To conclude the study showed that the marketisation of childcare has led to more availability in more affluent urban areas and to a decrease of availability in poorer and more rural areas. In this sense it could be said that marketisation of childcare provision is a macro-systemic condition that might prevent the participation of disadvantaged families and children in ECEC, even when it is compensated with vouchers for low-income families. OSCE. 2010. Mapping of participation of Roma and Sinti children in early education processes within the OSCE region. Retrieved from: http://www.osce.org/odihr/73874 The study was jointly conducted by OSCE and ODIHR within the framework of the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision ‘Enhancing OSCE Efforts to Implement the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area’ (MC.DEC/8/09). The aim of the study was to map the access of Roma and Sinti children to early education within the 56 OSCE participating countries. A questionnaire aiming to identify main obstacles, challenges and existing good practices in relation to the participation of Roma ad Sinti children in ECEC was sent out to all OSCE member states. In addition, the same questionnaire was circulated to civil society actors and organizations active in the field of Roma. The data analysed consist of the responses to the questionnaire that were received from 26 7 8 participating states and 15 NGOs . As most of the replies provided fragmentary or
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The Netherlands stands out from other European countries as a state without public provision of childcare. Only private providers operate in the Dutch childcare market: for-profit facilities accounting for 60% of total provision; and not-for-profit private facilities accounting for the remaining 40% (van der Kemp and Kloosterman, 2005). Van der Kemp, S. & M. Kloosterman. 2005. Het aanbod van kinderopvang per eind 2004 – Eindrapport. Research voor Beleid. 7 Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey. 8 UNICEF Belgrade, Centre for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance "Amalipe" (Bulgaria), CeIS - Centro Italiano di Solidarietà di Roma – (Italy), CIP - Center for Interactive Pedagogy (Serbia), Central Council of German Sinti and Roma (Germany),Community Cohesion and Traveller Education (Bolton, UK), Cultural Center O Del Amenca (Romania),Education Leeds Gypsy Roma Traveller Achievement Service (UK), Fundación Secretariado Gitano (Spain), ICE - Instituto das Comunidades Educativas (Portugal), Pedagogical Centre of Montenegro (Montenegro), Pedagoški Inštitut (Slovenia), Roma Yag (Ukraine), Savez NVO
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insufficient data, the study did not allow an accurate mapping of the situation: in this regard one of the main findings pointed to the lack of data on the issue of Roma and Sinti ECEC participation in many countries, that is currently jeopardising the development of effective, tailor-made policies for enhancing the access of Roma and Sinti children to early education processes. Despite these shortcomings, the main obstacles identified by both states and NGO representative were related to:
adverse economic conditions at the family level (parental unemployment, poor economic conditions making it difficult for Roma families to enrol and ensure regular attendance of their children in ECEC services, deprived community environments such as illegal settlements without infrastructures)
lack of trust of Roma families toward authorities and public services accompanied by lack of awareness in regard to the importance of early education
discrimination and hostility encountered in the educational environment (restrictive administrative procedures coupled with a shortage of places in early education services).
Sylva, K., Stein, A. Leach, P., Barnes, J. Malmberg, L.E. & the FCCC-team. 2004. ‘Family and child factors related to the use of non-maternal infant care: An English study.’ Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22 (1), 118-136. The study aimed at exploring factors related to the use, amount and type of nonmaternal child care infants experience in their first year, reporting on a prospective longitudinal study of 1201 families recruited from two different regions in England. The study is underpinned by a socio-ecological model (Pungello & Kurtz-Costes, 9 1999; Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2008) . Therefore the selection and timing of nonmaternal childcare is investigated by taking into account child and family background characteristics (including family structure, ethnic background and SES) as well as maternal psychological factors. Data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews taking place during home visits when children were 3 and 10 months old. The data collected (measures of families’ demographic characteristic, child characteristics, maternal psychological characteristics and dominant forms of childcare) were analysed through statistical multiple regression models. The findings reveal that family socio-demographic background (education, occupation and income level) was the most consistent predictor of the amount and nature of non-maternal care infants received. Families who availed of non-maternal (familial) child care before children were 3 months of age, were more likely to come from relatively disadvantaged families; in contrast with the mothers of infants starting in child care between 4 and 10 months, who were more advantaged. Disadvantaged families were more likely to use familial care, while more advantaged families were likely to use purchased child care. Children who began non-maternal care later (3–10 months) and spent more hours in care were more likely to be from ethnic minorities (Asian) and have mothers who believed that maternal employment had more benefits and fewer risks for their child. First-born children were also more likely to experience non-maternal care after the age of 3 months. Infants rated by their mothers at 3 months as less
Roma RS (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Roma NGO “Romski Krug” (Montenegro), AVSI – Associazione Volontari per il Servizio Internazionale (Italy). 9 Pungello, E. P., & Kurtz-Costes, B. 1999. ‘Why and how working women choose child care: A review with a focus on infancy’. Developmental Review, 19, 31–96. Bronfenbrenner, U.& Morris, P. A. 1998. ‘The ecology of developmental processes’. InW. Damon (Series Ed.)&R.M. Lerner (Vol. Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 1. Theoretical models of human development (pp. 993–1028). New York: Wiley.
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‘adaptable’ in temperament and at 10 months as more ‘fussy’ spent more hours in child care. Comparable with the results of US large scale National Institute of Child 10 Health and Human Development studies (NICHD, 1997 - 2001) , this research found that factors related to socio-economic disadvantage are strongly related to the type of child care used, with more advantaged families using more often nonfamilial care and lower-income families relaying more often on unpaid childcare arrangements provided by relatives. The authors conclude that although in recent years considerable efforts have been made toward increasing availability of registered childcare for disadvantage families in England, both financial issues and families’ beliefs about childrearing might have hindered the use of non-familial care among disadvantage families. Vandenbroeck, M., De Visscher S., van Nuffel, K. & Ferla J. 2008. ‘Mothers’ search for infant child care: the dynamic relationship between availability and desirability in a continental European welfare state’. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 23 (2), 245-58. The study investigates the relationship between availability and accessibility of childcare by looking at access policies of 83 funded providers and by examining the search processes of 100 mothers in Brussels. The study was carried out in a context that controlled for costs and structural quality (funded provision) that might be assumed as typical of ECEC provision in a continental European welfare state. Data on availability were obtained by the local authority responsible for quality control and funding (Kind en Gezin), data on accessibility were obtained through a survey with childcare centres directors, data on the total population of childcare users (including families’ and background factors) were obtained through interview with managers, data on parents’ search processes were obtained through a questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out using statistical procedures (ANOVA and GLM). The findings highlight that, despite a context of structural availability of funded high quality provision, non-intentional exclusion of parents with low levels of education, ethnic minority and – to a less clear extent – single-parents families exists. The main obstacles identified to participation of low SES, ethnic minority families in ECEC provision are:
unequal availability of provision (poor families have less access to childcare in their neighbourhood)
criteria adopted for distributing the places available that are quite autonomously decided by centre managers and that in most cases give priority to the parents who are already working and that subscribed early on waiting lists (‘first come first served’).
The study findings point out that parent’s attitudes and preferences in their search for childcare are fundamentally shaped by availability: low SES and ethnic minority parents, given the lack of choice, rank both practical (distance and opening hours) and child-specific criteria (staff qualifications, trust, infrastructure and playmaterials) lower more often than better off parents do. These findings are in line 11 with previous studies in Flanders (Vanpée et al., 2000) .
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National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network. 1997. Familial factors associated with the characteristics of non-maternal care for infants. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 59, 389–408. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network. (2001). Non-maternal care and family factors in early development: An overview of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 22, 457–492. 11 Vanpée, K., Sannen, L., & Hedebouw, G. 2000. Kinderopvang in Vlaanderen. Gebruik. keuze van de opvangvorm en evaluatie door de ouders. Leuven: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven—HIVA.
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Wall, K. & Josè S. J. 2004. ‘Managing work and care: a difficult task for immigrant families.’ Social Policy administration, 38 (6), 591-621. [Project web-site: http://www.uta.fi/laitokset/sostut/soccare/index.htm] The study reports the findings of a European Project (SOCCARE) investigating the strategies used by immigrant families to reconcile work and care for young children in Finland, France, Italy and Portugal. The study draws upon 63 interviews – carried out in each of the countries mentioned above – with dual or single parents having children aged under 10. From the study, it emerged that different migration patterns (in terms of migration projects and trajectories, family structure and work/life strategies) correspond to different needs, difficulties and resources to cope with managing work and care responsibilities. Among the categories identified, those of unskilled worker migrant families and lone parents were identified as the most vulnerable. The findings highlight that weak regulatory functions of different welfare state systems fail to meet the needs of these families who are often employed in low-paid atypical jobs with long working hours. The difficulties encountered by these groups consist specifically in the absence of close kin networks to support childcare (informal networks within labour migrant communities might exist but they fail to provide support for childcare), strong pressure to work and from work (long working hours, atypical timetables, working leave rarely available) and various integration problems such as social isolation, lack of information on services and problems with housing. The main obstacles identified in relation to the participation of these children and families to ECEC services are: lack of availability of public or publicly subsidised childcare and inflexibility of childcare facilities in relation to opening hours. In order to support the successful inclusion of these most vulnerable immigrant families the authors suggest the implementation of integrated welfare state policies that address coherently all the difficulties encountered by these groups. Specifically, in relation to childcare, the authors stress the importance of providing low-cost responsive services that take into account family income as well as their atypical working arrangements.
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A 2 - Studies describing good practices Children in Scotland. 2011. Working for inclusion: how early childhood education and care and its workforce can help Europe’s youngest citizens. Retrieved from: http://www.childreninscotland.org.uk/wfi/ The Working for Inclusion (WFI) study has been funded by the European Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity with the support of 12 the Scottish Government and associated partners in nine countries . The research programme aimed at strengthening understanding of how the early years workforce can support social inclusion and address poverty. The study combined literature overviews, country profiles and research insights. The main findings of the research carried out within the WFI programme (Bennett and Moss, 2011) are as follows:
Countries with the lowest levels of child poverty and inequalities offer publicly-funded universal provision in which care and education are integrated
Split services, that are found in countries which pay less attention to child poverty and do not fully fund early childhood provision, often result in less effective (in terms of structural and pedagogical quality) and less equitable (in terms of outreach to parents and community) provisions
Workforce plays a crucial role in the provision of effective ECEC services that contribute to better long-term outcomes for children and to the well-being of children, families and communities: therefore appropriate resources should be invested in the development of a valued, well qualified and appropriately remunerated workforce
Change toward more inclusive and equitable ECEC services – balancing quality with equality of access – can be realised even in challenging economic times: in this sense, political will and leadership (at national, regional or local level) can make an important contribution toward the provision of accessible integrated services
ECEC services can make an important contribution in increasing social inclusion across Europe only if they are embedded in equitable welfare systems:
‘without strong income redistribution policies and supportive, universal welfare system, the work of the best early years workforce will not be enough to eradicate child poverty and achieve social inclusion.’ (Summary of the WFI Final Report, p. 8) Connolly, P. 2009. Developing programmes to promote ethnic diversity in early childhood: lessons from Northern Ireland. The Hague: Bernard Van Leer. Retrieved from:http://www.bernardvanleer.org/Developing_programmes_to_promote_et hnic_diversity_in_early_childhood_Lessons_from_Northern_Ireland
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Children in Scotland (Scotland and UK), La bottega di Geppetto (Italy), Nordland Research Institute (Norway), Comenious Foundation for Child Development (Poland). Other partner countries were Denmark (BUPL), France (Le Furet), Portugal (Association of Early Education Professionals), Slovenia (Ministry of Education and Sport), Hungary (National Institute for Families and Social Policies) and Sweden.
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The study explores the issues connected with the development of early childhood programs aimed to promote racial and ethnic diversity in context characterised by deep division and conflict. The research draws on the case study of Northern Ireland– which has been affected by 30 years of armed conflict – to investigate the effects of ethnic division on young children and how these can be mitigated through ECEC programs aiming at encouraging young children to understand and respect diversity. The study adopts an ecological model and is grounded on ethnographic research investigating children’s perceptions (preferences and dispositions) of 13 ethnic division in the specific context of NI (Connolly et al., 2002 ; Connolly & 14 Healy, 2004 ). In this way, an in-depth understanding of how ethnic division affects children’s experiences and social constructions is gained. Insights on how ECEC programs fostering respect for ethnic diversity can be set up and implemented in practices are gained through the analysing of the Media Initiative for Children Respecting Differences Program (http://www.early-years.org/mifc/) jointly developed by the organisation for young children Early Years (NI) and the Peace Initiative Institute (USA). The lessons learnt through the evaluation of the program are:
focusing educational initiatives on widening children’s experiences and awareness of a range of cultural events and symbols associated with a variety of communities vs partisan cultural awareness (e.g. Protestant or Catholic)
providing professional development opportunities that encouraged ECEC staff (practitioners and leaders) to reflect upon their attitudes and believes
providing training that supports ECEC staff (practitioners and leaders) in using program resources and increases their confidence in building support for the program among parents and within local communities.
Building on the assumption that the lesson learnt from NI case study can have a much wider relevance, the author identifies five key-elements that need to be taken into account when developing ECEC programs aimed to promoting respect for 15 diversity in other contexts :
adopting a children’s right-based approach (UNCRC, 1989) design, delivery and evaluation of EC programs,
developing appropriate research methodologies to understand the effects of ethnic division on children’s experiences,
learning from other existing research and programs,
develop robust methods for evaluating program effectiveness,
ensuring government support and buy-in for the programs.
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to the
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Connolly, P., Smith, A. & Kelly, B. 2002. Too Young to Notice? The Cultural and Political Awareness of 3–6 Year Olds in Northern Ireland. Belfast, UK: Community Relations Council. 14
Connolly, P. & Healy, J. 2004. Children and the Conflict in Northern Ireland: The Experiences and Perspec- tives of 3–11 Year Olds. Belfast, UK: Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. 15 The experience developed in Northern Ireland inspired the model designed by the Joint Learning Initiative on Children and Ethinc Diversity (JLICED), a global network of early childhood researchers, practitioners and policy makers committed to building socially inclusive communities through the promotion of effective early childhood programs (http://www.jliced.org/en). 16 UNCRC. 1989. United Nation Convention on the Right of the Child.
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DECET. 2007. Making sense of good practices. Brussels. Retrieved from: http://www.decet.org/fileadmin/decet-media/publications/Diversity-and-SocialInclusion.pdf ISSA. 2010. Competent Educators of the 21st Century: ISSA Principles of Quality Pedagogy. Amsterdam. Retrieved from: http://tandis.odihr.pl/documents/hrecompendium/rus/CD%20SECT%205%20EVAL/V_97_2_ENG.pdf DECET & ISSA. 2011. Diversity and social inclusion: exploring competences for professional practices. Brussels and Budapest. Retrieved from: http://www.decet.org/fileadmin/decet-media/good-practice/Making-Sense-of-goodPractice_english.pdf These publications are the results of a process of consultation taking place within two well-known expert networks operating in the field of early childhood education and diversity: DECET (Diversity in Early Childhood Education and Training Network) and ISSA (International Step by Step Association). In particular, the DECET network advocates for the inclusion of diversity within ECEC services and local communities according to a participatory anti-bias approach, while the ISSA network supports professional communities to develop a strong civil society that influences decision makers in providing high quality care and educational services for all children from birth through primary school (birth -10 years old), with a focus on the poorest and most disadvantaged. The good practices for engaging disadvantaged children and families in ECEC services that are outlined in these documents are framed by concerns shared by both educators and policy-makers: concerns regarding ECEC quality (understood as contextualised and value laden), regarding citizenship (expressed by civic engagement within local communities) and concerns about social inclusion (understood as a co-constructed process that involve children, families and practitioners in democratic decision-making). The good practices identified through the researches carried out by these networks in collaboration with children, parents and practitioners living in contexts of diversity are:
ensuring equality of access to ECEC services through clear policies and procedures
promoting a perceptible ethos in each centre, grounded in a commitment to social justice and respect of diversity
active involvement of diverse staff in issues that concern community members (analysing and addressing responsively the changing needs of local communities through active engagement in local consultation/policy-making processes)
practitioners’ competence is sustained through continuous professional development that supports them in answering to the changing needs of children, families, communities and society
creating democratic decision-making structures within the centre that encourage all stakeholders to express divergent views and to negotiate values and believes: involve parents as equal partners in pedagogical decision-making
educational practices are co-constructed by practitioners in dialogue with children and parents through documentation and reflection: high quality care and education is co-constructed through purposeful reciprocal interaction rather than merely implemented
children’s needs, interests and experiences are assumed to be the focal point of educational initiatives: child-centred pedagogy that promotes holistic development through children-initiated activities
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practitioners support the development of children’s individual and group identities by nurturing their feeling of belonging in a positive climate that welcome diversity
staff composition, organisation of the setting and pedagogical processes reflect societal diversity
special attention is given to outreaching to families belonging to less visible groups that might not be present in ECEC centres.
De Graaff, F. & Van Kuelen, A. 2008. Making the road as we go. Parents and professionals as partners managing diversity in early childhood education. The Hague: Bernard Van Leer. Retrieved from: http://www.bernardvanleer.org/Making_the_road_as_we_go The study reports the findings of the research associated with the Parent and 17 Diversity project that was run by the Bureau MUTANT between 2003 and 2005 in The Netherlands. The aims of the project were twofold:
building partnerships between childcare providers and their children’s parents
supporting childcare providers in meeting the differing needs of the increasingly diverse population of parents and their children in order to improve the quality of ECEC in the context of the new social and 18 legislative development recently occurring in The Netherland .
The program supported childcare providers in elaborating parental policies aimed at developing partnerships with parents by acknowledging and respecting their diversity. Partnership was defined within a conceptual model unfolding several dimensions within which reciprocal relationships develops within community: ‘living together’, ‘working together’, ‘thinking together’ and ‘making decisions together’. In addition, six diversity objectives taken from the DECET principles (see pag.13) framed the pedagogical approach to respect of diversity in the project: ‘fostering feelings of belonging’, ‘empowering the formation of diverse identities’, ‘sustaining mutual learning’, ‘promoting civic participation and citizenship’, ‘challenging discrimination and institutional prejudices’, ‘actively promote anti-bias policies’. On the basis of these principles and theoretical underpinnings, the project encouraged childcare professionals to experiment with the innovative practices that were proposed in the project and provided them support in the process of implementing these practices. The good practices that emerged from this experimental process that involved parents and ECEC professionals were:
participation of immigrant parents needs to be reconsidered within a reciprocal dialogue that leaves space for questioning traditional taken-for-granted assumptions about child rearing: rather than providing one-side information to parents, it is necessary to engage in a reciprocal dialogue to find out what their diversified needs are and how they can be better addressed
co-constructing tools to reflect systematically on parents’ participation in relation to diversity objectives (self-assessment aimed at the improvement of practices)
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The Bureau MUTANT is a training and consultancy agency committed to the respect of diversity in early childhood education and care practices: http://www.mutant.nl/en/home.htm 18 In particular references are made to the recent law (Dutch Childcare Act, 2005) that gives parents advisory power over the provision of childcare and that define childcare quality as a joint responsibility of the government, providers and parents.
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rethinking parents’ meetings as a regular way of sharing information rather than as a way to discuss a child’s problem only
explaining and exploring childcare centre’s policies and practices with parents
recognising parents as equal partners and being able to challenge educational practices in the light of their insights (by welcoming and reflecting on parents’ views) rather than assuming an expert role that creates power hierarchies and reinforces parents’ exclusion
sustaining a mutual collaboration between coordinators, researchers, centres’ managers and practitioners for the elaboration and implementation of innovative policies raising quality of ECEC at local level and dissemination at national/international level for policy advocacy.
EACEA. 2009. Tackling social and cultural inequalities through early childhood education and care in Europe. Brussels: EACEA Eurydice. The study, commissioned by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission, explores the available cross-national data and national policies on ECEC in Europe. In particular the study aims to address the issue of efficiency and equity of ECEC system by placing emphasis on policy geared specifically for at risk children (OECD category C /Disadvantages). The study covers 30 member countries of Eurydice Network and analyses data concerning only accredited and subsidised centre-based provision (pubic and semi-private provision). The main research findings point out that the countries, which are more successful in achieving high participation rates of at risk children in ECEC provision, are the countries that have adopted a unitary model as:
the entitlement to a place has been recognised as a right for all children
opening hours are generally extended to meet the flexible working hours of parents
a coherent pedagogical approach that attributes the same importance to education, socialisation and care has been developed.
Furthermore, the research findings also point at good practices for engaging with children and families at risk, namely:
increasing both availability and accessibility of ECEC provision especially for children under three is a necessary condition to increase participation among children and families at risk
the impact of informal obstacles on the participation of at risk children in pre-school provision (3-6 services) deserve policy attention
centre-based ECEC (‘intensive, early starting, child-focused’) should be combined with the provision of parental support (‘strong parent involvement, parent education, programmed educational home activities and measures of family support’) in order to produce longterm benefits for children and parents
improving the quality of ECEC provision through initial training and continuous professional development of staff is crucial for the effectiveness of ECEC intervention (accompanied by favourable child/adult ratio)
undertaking an universal approach rather than targeting ECEC intervention to disadvantaged groups.
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Favaro, G., Mantovani, S. & Musatti T. 2006. Nello stesso nido: famiglie e bambini stranieri nei servizi educativi. [In the same nido: migrant families and children in early years educational services.] Milano: Franco Angeli. The study reports the findings of a research carried out in three Italian cities (Roma, Milano, Perugia) and jointly conducted by the CNR (National Centre of Cognitive Sciences) and two Universities (Milano-Bicocca and Perugia). The research aimed at investigating the perceptions of educators and immigrant parents sharing daily experiences in multicultural nidi (ECEC services attended by children under 3). The study is carried out within the framework of intercultural pedagogy, in which the encounter with cultural diversity is seen as a dialogue that involves both partners in reciprocal exchange creating new meanings. By focusing specifically on how the pedagogical identity of early childhood educational services – that is rooted in a long standing tradition in Northern and Central Italy – can be re-defined in the light of the increasing diversified needs of children and parents in contemporary society, the study adopts at ethnographic approach to the investigation of practitioners’ and parents’ perceptions. The findings point out that a meaningful participation of immigrant parents and children in ECEC services can be achieved through:
valuing children’s and parents’ cultural backgrounds
welcoming cultural diversity through inclusive educational practices. Welcoming diversity necessarily implies a reflective stance of ECEC educators, who need to be aware of pedagogical orientations underpinning their practices in order to be able to challenge them, negotiate them and enrich them in dialogue with ‘the other’
acknowledging the differences in childrearing practices across cultures: in this sense creating the conditions for an open confrontation with parents becomes crucial (encouraging them to express their views and explain the meanings underpinning educational practices in the services rather than just setting out rules)
engaging parents and professionals in common projects that activate reflectivity on values, meanings and understandings (regarding, for example, parental styles, childrearing practices and civic engagement in local communities) creating a common ground for re-thinking and re-constructing educational practices together.
Within this framework, good practices were identified in the ECEC services that were studied:
communicating with parents through a multiplicity of languages (e.g. documentation of daily activities through pictures, notice board with messages written in different languages, use of cultural mediators at crucial moments),
providing educational materials that reflect the diversity in the centre so that each child can see his culture recognised through familiar objects (e.g. illustrated books, story-telling tapes, music...),
promoting exchanges among families through informal meeting opportunities (rather than formal report meetings),
encouraging the recruitment of staff from minority backgrounds,
providing integrated services on the ECEC site (e.g. parents and children centres – tempo per le famiglie – adult education courses, social services).
OSI, REF & UNICEF. 2012. The Roma Early Childhood Inclusion Overview Report. UNICEF, Geneva.
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The RECI Overview Report synthesizes information gathered in four national studies conducted in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries: the Czech Republic, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Romania. In the national studies, Roma researchers and other experts built a detailed picture of early childhood policy and provision frameworks in each country, highlighting the barriers and opportunities for improving the access of Roma children to appropriate, high-quality early childhood services. Recommendations for making early childhood services more comprehensive, intercultural and socially inclusive are drawn from the findings and provide a clear agenda for action by governments. The key messages are:
Roma children are valuable: Europe cannot afford to neglect their future.
In addition to legislation, governments need to invest in communication and education to renew majority notions of citizenship and democracy.
The major responsibility for early childhood policies remains with national governments. Their efforts will be more effective if closely linked with EU Roma initiatives.
In contexts of extreme poverty and exclusion, developmental readiness for school requires a multi-dimensional concept of early childhood programming that places a strong emphasis on early intervention and women’s education.
In the early childhood sector, effective governance and consolidated policies are critical.
Effective kindergartens and schools for excluded children need clear goals, high quality, expanded services, and outreach to parents and communities.
Evidence-based policy in favour of Roma children is urgently needed.
Peeters, J. 2010 ‘The role of ECEC services and professionals in addressing poverty and promoting social inclusion in Early Childhood education and care services in the European Union Countries’. Proceedings of the ChildONE Europe Seminar and Review. Retrieved from: http://www.childoneurope.org/issues/publications/ECEC_Report_rev.pdf Drawing on the EUROSTAT figures showing the alarming extent of child poverty in some European countries, Peeters asks:
Is the wider social and economic context supportive? Or are early childhood services being asked to row upstream against powerful currents of child poverty, and family-unfriendly policies in economy and the workplace?
What systems can make high quality services available to all and ensure that disadvantaged and at-risk children are included?
He concludes that although ECEC institutions alone cannot resolves issues of child 19 poverty (OECD, 2006) , they can play an important role as part of a coherent policy to combat poverty. Longitudinal studies are showing that there is a strong evidence that high quality ECE and more specific centres, with staff that have a high level of training, can make the difference for children from disadvantaged
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OECD. 2006. Starting Strong II.
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groups (Sylva et al., 2004 ; Fukkink & Lont, 2007 ). Some conditions for this to 22 take place are contained tin the Children in Europe Goals to strive for 2020 , in particular:
A universal entitlement for all children to free or affordable early childhood services from the end of parental leave;
A holistic and multi-purpose pedagogical approach in early childhood services. This is more likely to occur in unitary systems, that is, systems in which care and education are integrated
Participation as a dialogue: an essential value. The right of participation of parents is not a reinforcement of the power of the educator but must be seen as a dialogue: educators and parents must look together for solutions to questions and concrete problems that they are facing and together must construct new pedagogical knowledge
Acceptance of diversity: a pitfall in the discussion on fighting poverty is that we see poor children as a separate category. An approach towards children living in poverty is part of a wider democratic condition that is based on recognition, respect and valuing of the diversity of language, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation and disability, and challenge stereotypes and discrimination.
Democratic, participatory and transparent evaluation. The evaluation or the quality control of the organisation has to be open to all children and adults, providing the opportunity for everyone to discuss real, concrete things
A strong and equal partnership with the school: childcare services must make the link with kindergarten or primary school and they must work together to better help the poor families.
OSI (2006) Roma Educational Initiative. Final report prepared for the Education Support Program of the Open Society Institute. OSI Budapest. The Roma Education Initiative (REI) began in 2002 as a joint initiative of the Open Society Institute’s Education Support Program in Budapest and Children and Youth Programs in New York. REI made efforts to collaborate with Roma NGOs, parents and local communities, other institutions and governments, as well as with other OSI network programs. REI funded seven national level projects in Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. 20,000+ children and youth (aged 0 to 18) were affected by REI activities each year (20032004 & 2004-2005), of whom 5,000+ per year were Roma children and youth. 1,000+ teachers and 120 Roma teaching assistants were involved each year in the projects funded by REI. REI worked towards desegregation through the empowerment of Roma NGOs to work with communities and schools and through the support of good pedagogical practices. These elements ensured that Roma children have access to integrated, high quality educational settings. The key-factors of REI success were:
Provision of early childhood learning opportunities facilitating children’s transitions and academic success in compulsory school
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Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B. 2004. The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project. Effective Pre-School Education. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. 21 Fukkink, R.G. & Lont, A. 2007. Does training matter? A meta-analysis and review of caregiver training studies. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22, 294-311. 22 Retrieved from: http://www.childrenineurope.org/docs/PolicyDocument_000.pdf
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(strong partnerships between pre-school programs and school, emphasis on language acquisition and on pre-literacy/numeracy skills, support of community-based learning opportunities provided by Roma NGO’s)
Adoption of an interactive child-centred pedagogical approach (implementation of Step by Step methodology)
Connections to Roma communities (Roma NGO’s have taken on a strong role particularly in helping to address school attendance problems by visiting parents who were not sending their children to school and encouraging them to do so, as well as by providing out of school support to school-aged children through homework assistance, extra-curricular activities, and encouragement for children to attend and achieve in school. REI teams have also responded to their local contexts by implementing additional programs and services in cooperation with the Roma community – e.g. adult literacy programs).
Teacher training (Roma partner NGO’s were involved in training, 23 including training of Roma teaching assistants who were frequently affiliated with Roma NGO’s and who were a key component of REI classrooms and schools. They assisted in classrooms, acted as role models for children, integrated Roma language, culture, and history into the curriculum, and served as a liaison between the family and the school).
Skolverket (2007) Five years with the maximum fee National Agency for Education, Stockholm. Retrieved from:http://www.skolverket.se/2.3894/in_english/publications The study, carried out by the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket), aims at evaluating the effects of the childcare reform that was carried out in Sweden between 2001 and 2003. This reform entailed:
a regulation of childcare fees: a maximum fee that municipalities could charge parents was set (less than 100$ a month). These schemes, designed to be voluntarily applied by municipalities, entitled those municipalities that joined it to a special central government grant to compensate their loss of income.
an obligation for municipalities to offer pre-school activities to certain groups of children (whose parents are unemployed or on parental leave for younger siblings) for at least 15 hours per week
universal pre-school provision for all 4-and-5 years old (municipalities were obliged to offer at least 3 hours a day free preschool activities).
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The findings of the reform evaluation study show that the extended entitlement to pre-school activities and the free period of attendance increased significantly overall ECEC participation and reduced inequalities in participation rates:
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Tankersley D. 2002. ‘Transforming the role of teaching assistants in Slovakia.’ Classroom practices, 3: 25-28. Vonta, T., Balič, F., Jager, J. & Rutar, S. 2011. Inter-professional collaboration in pre-school and primary school contexts in Slovenia. Case study report compiled for the CoRe project. (http://ec.europa.eu/education/more-information/doc/2011/coreannex_en.pdf) 24 Since 1990 the responsibility for ECEC services has been transferred to Municipality.
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Before the reform (1998) a gap of 20% in ECEC attendance rates existed between rural and urban areas (50% vs 70%), after the reform (2004) this gap reduced by half (70% vs 80%)
Before the reform (1998) a significant difference in ECEC participation rates was noted between children of well-educated parents and other children, after the reform (2004) this difference among social categories has almost disappeared.
A similar reduction has been noted in the impact of background factors – such as parental occupation and immigrant background on children participation in ECEC services.
Vandenbroeck, M. & Geens, N. (2011). Cartografie van de Brusselse Nederlandstalige kinderopvang. Evoluties 2005-2010. Gent: UGent. The study analyses the relationships between policy and practices regarding ECEC availability, accessibility and enrolment rates of very young children (0-3) in a context of European continental welfare state that controls for quality and cost (city of Brussels). Specifically this study compares the findings of a previous study carried out in 2005 – that documented the non-intentional exclusion of loweducated, ethnic minority and single parents (Vandenbroeck et al., 2008; see table 1) – with the results produced by the analysis of current data (2010) that were collected after policy changes were introduced to overcome such unintentional exclusion. These changes consisted both of policy measures and practice intervention:
at least 20% of childcare places in funded facilities has to be reserved for children of families belonging to the excluded groups (see above)
funding priority is given to ECEC centres that developed equal access policies
a comprehensive support program for centre directors was provided 25 by VBJK on issues regarding accessibility (participation on voluntary basis that made them eligible for priority funding, see point above).
This follow up study – aiming to evaluate the impact of such policy measures and intervention program – collects data from the same funded ECEC centres as 2005 through the same questionnaire and from 150 mothers of children aged 3 recruited through 16 kindergarten located in geographically representative regions of Brussels. Data analysis was carried out using correlation analysis. Finally two focus groups (semi-structured interviews) of centres directors were organised and the results were interpreted through qualitative data analysis. The findings highlight that:
changes in funding priority did not influence geographical inequalities in the availability of childcare: on the contrary policies that expand existing provision tend to widen the gap between richer and poorer areas
the presence of children from excluded groups (low-income, ethnic minority and single parents) nearly doubled suggesting that policy measures combined with support can lead centre directors to develop more equal access policies (priority given to ‘social criteria’ rather than ‘practical criteria’- see previous study).
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Flemish Research and Resource Centre for Early Childhood Care and Education (www.vbjk.be)
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The authors conclude with the implications for policy-makers that suggest good practices in enhancing ECEC participation of disadvantaged children and families:
considering accessibility as structural quality criteria that encourage centre managers to rethink access policies
concentrating funding to expand ECEC supply in a more targeted way (advantaging poorer areas)
providing centres managers with support in this process through peer groups for exchanging good practices.
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Whalley M. and the Pen Green Centre Team. 2007. Involving parents in their children’s learning. London: Sage. Broadhead, P., Meleady, C. & Delgato M.A. 2008. Children, families and communities. Creating and sustaining integrated services. Maidenhead: Open University Press. These contributions describe – in the form of case studies – the good practices developed by ECEC integrated centres in England for engaging with children and families living in deprived communities. In this sense, the two studies provide a reliable description of outstanding ECEC programmes that over the years have gained international research recognition: the Pen Green Centre located in Corby and the Sheffield Children’s Centre. In both cases the cultural identity of ECEC services was forged by experience of resistance, civic engagement and social solidarity that arose out of local communities:
When the Penn Green Centre was first established by local authorities, it encountered the hostility of the strongest voluntary group in the local community: a parent action group that refused the vision of a day-care centre for vulnerable families and deplored the lack of consultation between those who set up the centre and those who were expected to use it. Out of this conflict the vision and principles underpinning educational work at the centre were negotiated.
The work at Sheffield’s Children Centre grew out of resistance to culturally inappropriate practices aimed at vulnerable children and families from which a project identity emerged and took the form of a community cooperative that fostered democratic practices and promoted social change within the local community
In both cases, the educational practices developed within the ECEC centres have proved to be very successful in engaging with children and families from the most diverse background (including those so called ‘hard to reach’) and in providing answers to changing demands of local communities. The good practices that can be identified through the analysis of these two cases are:
the provision of integrated services that combine: a) care and education, b) early years provision and family support services (included adult community education), c) special needs and mainstream provision through inter-agency work
ethical and political commitment to diversity (mixed workforce in term of gender, ethnicity, language...) and social justice
democratic and inclusive pedagogical approaches that are coconstructed with children and families (promotion of children-initiated activities, responsive interactions that take into account diversified needs, engagement with parents based on reciprocity and mutual recognition) within local communities
enhancing parents’ sense of agency, involving them in decisionmaking and practice-based research (participatory research projects involving parents and practitioners ) as a resource for staff professionalisation (reflective practices)
providing ongoing support to staff through supervision, professional development and opportunities for collective reflection on educational practices
staff should be committed to work with children and parents for community regeneration (ECEC as a community project) in cooperation with local voluntary organisations
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developing policy-making capacity that catalyse social change within local communities and beyond (networking).
Zylicz, P. O. 2010. ‘Where There Are No Pre-schools (WTANP): an educational program fostering self-efficacy in Polish rural areas.’ In Tuna, A. & Hayden J. Early Childhood programs as the doorway to social cohesion. Cambridge Scholars Publishing: ISSA. This study builds upon the evaluation of a pre-school program (attended by children aged 3 to 5) developed by the Comenius Foundation for Child Development, a Polish NGO that aims at equalising life opportunities for children aged 0 to 10 living in rural areas. In fact in Poland, as in many other PostCommunist countries in the Eastern European region, low-income household are predominant in rural areas where early educational opportunities for young children 26 are particularly scarce . The WTANP program draws on child-centred approaches to early childhood education through the promotion of learning through exploration, play and creating activities (experiential learning), through a specific focus placed upon adult-child responsive interactions and through the promotion of families and community involvement. The findings of the WTANP program evaluation identify the following as good practices in promoting the participation of children and families from disadvantaged areas in ECEC programs:
tailoring the program on the needs of local rural communities
providing training and on-going professional development opportunities, along with educational supervision and advice, to preschool teachers involved in the program in order to sustain reflective practices (building educational curriculum in relation to the needs of children, families and local communities)
designing ECEC programs based on clear pedagogical assumptions
designing and disseminating educational materials for teachers and parents
involving parents in classroom activities and fostering their awareness of how child development could be sustained through adult-child interaction and engagement in shared activities
encouraging parents to take up a proactive role in sustaining children’s services within local communities
advocate for ECEC policy-making at local level with LA (rural municipalities) and engaging in political consultation at national level by building a broad coalition of supporters (e.g. coalition of nongovernmental organisations, academics, local municipalities representatives).
The findings of the study also highlight the need for an improved cooperation between the WTANP ECEC centres and state-run primary schools whose teaching approaches are still relying on traditional methods. In this sense, a closer exchange between more traditional educational institutions and more experimental ones might contribute to ease children’s transition between the two systems.
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Official statistics (FRD, 2009) show that in 2006 pre-school attendance was lower among children living in disadvantaged areas (rural communities) than among children living in more socio-economically advantaged areas (urban communities): in both cases preschool attendance rates are extremely low (16 % in rural areas vs 34% in urban areas).
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Conclusions Nearly all studies among those analysed highlight that overall children with a disadvantaged background tend to be under-represented in ECEC services and particularly in childcare services (0-3) where availability is generally lower and rationing tend to be higher. The background factors that are more frequently associated with low participation in ECEC provision are the following:
low socio-economic status including low level of parental education, low family income or parental unemployment (Ghysels & Van Lanker, 2011; Felfe & Lalive, 2011; Del Boca, 2010; OSCE, 2010; Boisson, 2008; Vandenbroeck, 2008; Driessen, 2004; Sylva et al., 2004; Wall & Josè, 2004; Leseman, 2002)
ethnic minority background (Boisson, 2008; Vandenbroeck, 2008; Wall & Josè, 2004), in combination with length of time parents have been residing in the host country (Driessen, 2004; Leseman, 2002) and with their ability to master the host country language (Driessen, 2004)
living in poor neighbourhoods/rural areas/marginalised settlements (OSCE, 2010; Vandenbroeck, 2008; Noally at al. 2007).
Against this background research findings attest that in social-democratic welfare states, enrolment rates are generally high for the overall population (Ghysels & Van Lanker, 2011) while levels of child poverty and inequalities are lower than in other European countries (CIS, 2011). This leads us to consider that universal entitlements to publicly funded ECEC provision within integrated systems that combine care and education – along with a flexible allocation of funds that target additional resources toward children and families experiencing disadvantage – may contribute to overcome the social stratification in the use of early childhood services with most benefit for disadvantaged groups (EACEA, 2009; UnicefInnocenti, 2008; Leseman, 2002). Comprehensive ECEC policies will succeed in tackling inequalities only if they are supported by a broader welfare system that links policies across many sectors – labour, health and social services – that is, a cultural and political commitment to democracy, rights, solidarity and equality (Unicef-Innocenti, 2008; OECD, 2006). The analysis of the articles listed under the first theme ‘Barriers to engaging disadvantaged children and families in ECEC services’ reported in the annex (table A1) identifies five main factors hindering ECEC participation: availability, affordability, accessibility, usefulness and comprehensibility. This categorisation draws on the conceptual framework elaborated by Parmentier (1998) and Roose & De Bie (2003) for describing the legal nature of social services. Such a conceptual framework is built upon an inter-subjective notion of the welfare state that stresses the importance of differentiating service supply in order to provide all individuals with the opportunity to develop their full potential according to their diverse needs, in a diversity of situations (Roose & De Bie, 2003).
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Factors hindering ECEC participation Availability of ECEC services in local areas From the studies analysed, it emerges that services in the childcare sector - for children under-three - are generally less widely available and more unevenly distributed than those in the education sector (Del Boca, 2010), as has been previously attested by many international reviews (OECD, 2006; CIS, 2011). It has also been noted that in contexts where the ECEC sector is largely marketised, overall provision (0-6 services) tends to concentrate in affluent urban neighbourhoods and to be less available in rural areas or in poor neighbourhoods (Noally et al., 2007), widening the gap between more advantaged and less advantaged families in regard to ECEC access. The same dynamic occurs in contexts where laisser-faire policies invest in expanding already existing provision rather than targeting funding toward more disadvantaged areas (Vandenbroeck et al., 2010). Affordability In systems where entitlement to a place is not grounded on the fulfilment of children’s rights (universal provision), the access to publicly subsidised ECEC provision – when available in the local area – is restricted. In cases in which publicly subsidised provision is not available in the local area, childcare services are fee-paying and it is more difficult for disadvantage families to access them for reason of costs (Del Boca, 2010). In cases in which publicly subsidised provision is available but the access is restricted, families may encounter other ‘costs’ such as giving up one’s privacy or the negative social and psychological consequences of an intervention, e.g. being labelled as “in need” (Roose & De Bie, 2003). For these reasons universal provision that are free of cost or where fees are linked to familyincome tend to be more efficient and have higher equalising potential than systems in which entitlement is rationed or targeted to the poor (CIS, 2011; Moss, 2009). All the studies reviewed on the issue converged to say that rationed access tends to favour advantaged families (Felfe & Lalive, 2011; Del Boca, 2010; Havnes & Mogstad, 2009). Accessibility Accessibility refers to problems concerning access to services for diverse parents, caused by explicit or implicit barriers, such as inadequate knowledge of parents concerning the existence and the functioning of services, bureaucratic enrolment procedures, waiting lists, language barriers etc. In this regard the studies analysed revealed that – even in cases of high ECEC coverage – places are unequally distributed due to priority enrolment criteria set by service management: for example giving priority to working parents or to those who enrol first might unintentionally prevent disadvantaged parents from attaining a slot for their child (Vandenbroeck et al. 2008). ECEC accessibility policies might also be considered in the broader context of income-related enrolment fees and income tax deduction that, in some cases, might involuntarily produce higher benefits for more advantaged families and fail to operate as a redistributive measure (Ghysels & Van Lanker, 2011). Usefulness Usefulness refers to the extent to which families experience ECEC as supportive and attuned to their demands. The main concern highlighted by the research findings – many of which draw on parents’ interviews or questionnaire – was the lack of flexibility of ECEC services in regard to opening hours and attendance requirements (Del Boca, 2010; Wall & Josè, 2004; Leseman, 2002) and enrolment bureaucracy (OSCE, 2010). In particular, the inflexibility of opening hours often fails to meet the needs of families who are obliged to face precarious living and working conditions (employed in low-skill, low-paid, atypical jobs). This is more often the case in immigrant families
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Desirability by excluded groups Desirability refers to the extent to which parents are aware why ECEC is important and share a positive understanding of the practices and approaches adopted within the service. In this regards the research findings highlight that the values, goals and childrearing beliefs of ethnic minority families are sometime very distant from the values, goals and childrearing believes traditionally adopted by mainstream ECEC provision. In this sense a mono-cultural organisation of the service that does not recognise or practise diversity generally fails to gain the trust of ethnic minority groups (Driessen, 2004; Sylva et al., 2004; Leseman, 2002) while, in the worse cases, it generates segregation and reinforces discrimination (RECI, 2012). Many studies – included those analysed in this literature study – suggest that such obstacles might be overcome by involving parents and local migrant communities in democratic decision-making processes regarding the management of ECEC services and by recruiting personnel from ethnic minority groups (CIS, 2011). In this way, the basis for a dialogic process that deculturalises social inclusion and reculturalises outcomes could be set:
Any framework based on social inclusion and diversity should acknowledge that the two are inextricably linked and avoid the pitfall of making structural discriminations into issues of cultural diversity. The concept can be understood as a plea for de-culturalising social inclusion. Conversely, when focusing on evidence-based policies, researchers should be careful to include the views of the target families. This includes taking account of what they consider to be desirable outcomes and their motivation for participation or nonparticipation. This may be understood as a reculturalisation of outcomes. (Vandenbroeck, 2007) It is the combination of usefulness and comprehensibility – which Vandenbroeck (forthcoming) defines in terms of ECEC desirability – that lays the ground for processes of negotiation of meanings, values and purposes from which truly inclusive practice can be elaborated in a co-constructive way. In order to provide a substantial contribution to the educational opportunities and life chances of disadvantaged children – and therefore to social inclusion – ECEC needs not only to be available, affordable and accessible but also desirable. The analysis reported in the next section provides insights on how to translate this process into everyday practices within ECEC institutions.
A framework for successful inclusive practice The analysis of the studies reviewed in this literature study indicates that successful inclusive practices for engaging disadvantaged children and families in ECEC services need to be framed by certain structural conditions. As indicated by the case studies analysed, actions toward the implementation of such structural conditions can be undertaken at several levels: through legislative support of national governments or within the framework of regional and local administrations, as well as in the wider context of international cooperation. In this sense, a very important role can be played by the European Commission in providing a strategic policy framework for action, in supporting international cooperation among member states through the Open Method of Coordination and in encouraging the experimentation of innovative approaches through EU Structural Funds. There is a consensus among researchers and policy-makers that the structural conditions promoting successful inclusive practices encompass:
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universal entitlement to publicly funded ECEC provision from the end of parental leave
integration of ECEC systems (regulation, administration and funding) that promote a more equitable access and a more unitary approach to 0-6 provision (‘educare’)
flexible organisation of ECEC services (enrolment bureaucracy, attendance requirements, opening hours arrangements)
combination of high quality ECEC centre-based provision and parent support programs (adult education, counselling,...)
a valued, well qualified and adequately supported workforce
inter-agency cooperation between ECEC centres, health and social services, local authorities
strong and equal partnership between ECEC and compulsory school education
political commitment toward democracy, equality and civil rights.
Within this framework, the research studies analysed above show that good practice for engaging with disadvantaged children and parents are rooted as follows. Good practices in engaging disadvantaged children and families in ECEC services to enhance their social inclusion A commitment to social justice and a positive emotional climate Inclusive practices are grounded on an ethical commitment to social justice and respect of diversity that become concrete expression of values such as citizenship, democracy and social solidarity. The child, as a citizen subject of rights, needs to be placed at the core of any educational initiative. Children’s identities need to be nurtured by feelings of belonging that are developed through meaningful relationships with adults and peers and through the interaction with a welcoming environment that values their languages and cultural backgrounds (Brooker & Woodhead, 2008). In this senses elaborating welcoming practices – together with children’s families – for smoothing transition from the home environment to the ECEC settings becomes a priority. In ECEC settings children’s learning needs to be sustained through responsive relationships with educators who are able to take into account both the needs of each individual child and the needs of the group of children as whole. Therefore the creation of a positive emotional climate in which group interactions are actively sustained and exploration of the environment is actively encouraged become an essential precondition for promoting children development. In this sense research findings concur to say that an holistic approach – combining care and education – grounded in inter-cultural awareness can successfully promote children’s development across different domains (cognitive and socio-emotional) and according to their diversified needs. Responsiveness to children and parents In order to be responsive, educational practices need to be co-constructed with children and their families. Co-constructing practices with children might mean to create an educational environment that encourages play-based learning, that promotes children self-initiated activities and that enriches them through project work and teacher-initiated activities: observation and documentation become essential components of this process as they allow educators to reflect and improve their practices in the light of children’s needs. Co-constructing practices with parents might mean to engage them in decision-making about the education of their children, to encourage them to express their views on childrearing and to take into account their perceptions as valuable knowledge (Vandenbroeck, 2009). The studies analysed have highlighted that such co-constructive processes are better
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fostered in the context of informal meetings, practitioners-parents workshops, and participatory research projects rather than in the context of formal report meetings. Another interesting possibility is to engage parents in voluntary activities within the ECEC settings. All the initiatives mentioned above should aim primarily at increasing parents’ sense of agency and participation within ECEC services. Furthermore research findings suggest that continuity of pedagogical approaches and exchange of educational practices should be promoted between ECEC services and primary school with the aim of supporting children and parents during transitions. The provision of extended school day programmes in primary school (such as leisure time or after school care facilities) should also be considered as a more integrated approach to education as this seems to extend the benefits of ECEC during the compulsory school years and to better address the needs of disadvantaged families. Parent involvement and outreach One of the main findings emerging from the studies analysed in this literature study is the under-representation of disadvantaged children and families in ECEC services. Therefore the issue of parents’ involvement underpins another issue that is, outreach to families who are not attending ECEC services and whose presence tend to be less visible in the local community. Outreaching activities are the first step toward building bridges of trust between marginalised groups and ECEC services: for this reason linking outreach activities to the work of locally established voluntary organisations that might have already developed trustful relationship with such marginalised groups turns out to be more effective (as in the case of Roma communities for example). The second step is to set the basis for the development of an equal partnership between parents and ECEC providers: partnerships within which reciprocal dialogue can be facilitated and responsive practices can be fostered. From the research findings it emerges that two essential conditions for establishing mutual relationships between parents and professional are: a) the presence of democratic decision-making structures (e.g. parental committee) for the management of ECEC services and, b) an open-minded disposition of the staff toward challenging traditional practices. The fact that parents might present differing needs has to be taken into account as well. For this reason, ECEC services should be committed to constantly negotiating practices and values in ever changing contexts where contrasting values and beliefs might emerge. A third way in which parental partnership can evolve, if appropriately sustained, is the creation of networks of solidarity at local level. In this sense, the commitment of ECEC services toward parental involvement should not be limited to their participation within the setting, but rather should be extended to the creation of solidarity networks that foster civic engagement and catalyse social change from within local communities (Dahlberg & Moss, 2005). Staff competence All studies analysed highlight the crucial role played by a valued, well qualified and adequately supported early years workforce in shaping competent practices for engaging with children and parents in ECEC services. Many studies also highlight the importance of a mixed workforce that reflects the social and cultural diversity present in local communities (e.g. ethnic minority, Roma assistant). Most interestingly, the studies also discuss the salient elements that characterise the professional competence of educators working with children and families in contexts of diversity. It seems that traditional conceptualisations of the ECEC profession – focused on the work with children within early childhood settings – needs to be redefined in order to encompass more broadly the work with parents and local communities (Urban, Vandenbroeck et al., 2011). Competent educators in this sense need to be aware of the broader socio-cultural and political contexts in which ECEC services are operating, committing themselves to work cooperatively
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with children and families for community regeneration. Competent educators are reflective practitioners that constantly question their practices in dialogue with children and families, in a responsive and proactive way. From the studies analysed it emerges that educators need to be supported in fulfilling such demanding tasks through on-going pedagogical guidance (supervision, counselling...) and professional development that encourages them to reflect critically on their attitudes and beliefs and – at the same time – provide them with new insights into educational practices. In this regard, some very interesting examples were offered by the case studies reported in section B.1, where professional development opportunities were organised to research local needs that ECEC services had to address within their community (e.g. ethnic division in Northern Ireland, lack of infrastructure in rural Poland, outreaching Roma communities in Eastern Europe) or from participatory research projects (engaging parents, professional and researchers). Research Successful inclusive ECEC programs are grounded in practice-based research that explores needs and potentialities of local contexts within an ecological framework. In this sense ethnographic research methodologies – that allow a culturally-situated investigation of children and parents’ perspectives – have made a substantial contribution to this field (Tobin, Mantovani & Bove, 2010). The studies analysed also highlight the importance of involving parents and professionals in participatory research projects in which meanings and values are negotiated and new pedagogical knowledge is co-constructed. Collective participatory research projects encourage educational experimentation and sustain innovation within ECEC settings (Whalley et al., 2007). Policy advocacy ECEC providers should be actively involved in local policy-making consultation processes and engaged in issues that concern the civic life of their communities. By developing policy-making capacity and by linking their initiatives to those of other public agencies or NGOs, ECEC centres have the potential to catalyse cultural and political change in regard to social policies at local level. Through the activation of inter-agency cooperation and the promotion of solidarity networks ECEC services can make a substantial contribution to social cohesion: however only within a shared vision of ECEC as a public good this can be concretely realised. In summary, the findings of this literature review indicate that ECEC services can substantially contribute to foster social inclusion across Europe only if they are embedded in a system of public governance that addresses poverty and inequality as multidimensional phenomena. In fact without a supportive universal welfare system, ECEC services of the highest quality will not be sufficient to eradicate child poverty and achieve social inclusion. As stressed by the Council Conclusions ‘Tackling child poverty and promoting child well-being’, child poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon that can be faced only through a comprehensive approach that combines employment for parents, income support and access to social services, including early childhood education and care, as well as health care services and education: as such it involves adequate human and financial resources (Council of the European Union, 2011b).
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Roose, R. & De Bie, M. 2003. From participative research to participative practices. A study in youth care. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 13: 475-485. TÁRKI-Applica Report. 2010. Child well-being in the European Union: better monitoring instruments for better policies. Budapest: TÁRKI Social Research Institute. Tobin J. J., Mantovani S. & Bove, C. 2010. Methodological Issues in Video-Based research on Immigrant Children and Parents in ECEC. In Tarozzi M., Mortari L., (Ed.), Phenomenology and Human Science Research Today. Bucarest: Zeta Books. Unicef – Innocenti Research Centre. 2008. Early Childhood Services in OECD Countries. Review of the literature and Current Policies in the Early Childhood Field. Retrieved from: http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/502 Urban, M., Vandenbroeck, M., Peeters, J., Lazzari, A. & Van Laere, K. 2011. Competence requirements for early childhood care and education. London - Ghent: UEL - UGent. Retrieved from: http://ec.europa.eu/education/more-information/doc/2011/core_en.pdf Vandenbroeck, M. 2007. De-culturalising social inclusion and re-culturalising outcomes. In Promoting social inclusion and respect for diversity in the early years. Bernard Van Leer Fundantion. Retrieved from: www.bernardvanleer.org/Promoting_social_inclusion_and_respect_for_diversity_in_the_earl y_years Vandenbroeck, M. 2009. Let us disagree. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 17, n. 2: 165 – 170. Vandenbroeck, M. Forthcoming. Ethnic diversity and social inclusion in ECCE in Europe. In UNICEF. Forthcoming. Early Childhood Care and Education: Building the Wealth of Nations. Vandenbroeck, M/ & Geens, N. (2011). Cartografie van de Brusselse Nederlandstalige kinderopvang. Evoluties 2005-2010. Gent: UGent
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Annex A: Summary table of research on barriers and good practices
Studies carried out in countries characterised by a RESIDUAL WELFARE REGIME (English-speaking countries)
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Studies carried out in countries characterised by a SOCIAL INSURANCE WELFARE REGIME (continental European countries) Studies carried out in countries characterised by a UNIVERSAL WELFARE REGIME (Nordic countries) International reviews Box 1 Study reference
Box 2 AvailabilBox 3 ity
Box 9 Sylva, K., Stein, A.Box 11 Leach, P., Barnes, J. Malmberg, L.E. & the FCCC-team. 2004. Family and child factors related to the use of non-maternal infant care*: An English study. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22 (1), 118-136. Box 10*during the first year of life of the child
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Box 12
Accessibility Box 4 AffordabiliBox 5 Usefulness ty Box 13
Box 14
Box 6 Desirability Box 7 Macro-structural Box 8 Note on welfare factors system Box 15families’ Box 16Despite the factBox 17 beliefs about that in recent years childrearing considerable efforts have been made in England toward increasing availability of registered childcare for disadvantaged families its use remain scarce.
This categorisation draws on the explicatory model of social welfare organisation elaborated by Gosta Esping-Andersen (2002).
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Box 18Driessen, G.. 2004. A large scale longitudinal study of the utilization and effects of early childhood educationBox 19To be quoted only in relation to the background factors that are and care in The Netherlands. Early Child Development and Care, 174 (7–8), 667–689. associated with low attendance of ECEC services (daycare centres, preschool and parent-child programmes) Box 20Vandenbroeck, M., DeBox 21unequal Box 22despite highBox 23 Visscher S., van Nuffel, K. & availability: coverage rates, Ferla J. 2008. ‘Mothers’ services are the criteria for search for infant child care: less available distributing the the dynamic relationship in poor places available between availability and neighborood give priority to desirability in a continental working parents European welfare state’. and to those that Early childhood Research enrol first Quarterly, 23 (2), 245-58. excluding disadvantaged families
Box 24
Box 25
Box 26
Box 27Continental European welfare state that controls ECEC cost and quality, providing structural availability of funded high quality services
Box 28Boisson, M. 2008. La note de veille 107. Droit d’accueil du jeune enfant. UneBox 31To be quoted only in relation to the background factors that are associated with low double exigence qualitative et quantitative. Paris: Centre d’analyse stratégique childcare attendance (0-3). In addition make relation to WFI report to 0-3 pre-school attendance: ‘immigrant families are more likely to accept services that are free of charge Box 29 and educational: […] in France they are among the first to enrol their children in early Box 30Brabant-Delannoy, L. & Sylvain Lemoine, S. 2009. La note de veille 157. Accueil education services from the age of 2.5 or 3 years’. (CIS, p.47) de la petite enfance: comment continuer à assurer son développement dans le Box 32high coverage rate but unequally distributed (Ghysels & Van Lanker, 2011) contexte actuel des finances sociales? Paris: Centre d’analyse stratégique. Box 33 Del Boca, D.Box 34Limited Box 35 2010. Child poverty and number of child well-being in the publicly European Union: policy subsidised overview and policy impact services in analysis. A case study: Italy. disadvantag Budapest & Brussels: ed areas TARKI-Applica.
Box 41Felfe, C. and Lalive, R.Box 42 2011. How Does EarlyBox 43
Box 36Both publicBox 37Lack ofBox 38 and private flexibility in childcare is opening hours more excluding expensive especially lowthan in other skilled parents EU countries with low-paid atypical job arrangements
Box 44Rationing Box 45 criteria give priority
Box 46
Box 47
Box 39Insufficient Box 40 public investment at macro level: social expenditure for children and household is the lowest in the EU-15 (only 4.4% of total social expenditure which is 1.1 of GDP) Box 48
Box 49Residual state:
welfare
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Childcare Affect Child Development? Learning from the Children of German Unification. CESifo Area Conference on Economics of Education: Center for Economics Studies.
to working parents and to those that enrol first: expansion of provision has increased ECEC participation of disadvantaged children
Box 50> relatively high family/child social expenditure 3.3 GPD Box 51> high participation rate in 3-6 ECEC services (meeting the Barcellona target) but relatively unequally distributed Box 52
Box 53Büchel, F. & Spiess, C. K. 2002 > discussing the low participation of immigrantBox 54To be quoted only in relation to the background factors that are associated with low children in early childhood provision in Germany. ECEC childcare attendance. Box 55Noailly, J., Visser, S., &Box 56ECEC Box 57 Grout, P. (2007). The provision impact of market forces on has become the provision of childcare: less insights from the 2005 available in Childcare Act in the disadvantag Netherlands. Den Haag: ed areas as Centraal Planbureau. consequenc e of marketisatio n Box 64Ghysels, J. & VanBox 65 Lanker, W. 2011. ‘The unequal benefits of activation: an analysis of the social distribution of family policies among families with young children. Journal of European Social Policies, 21, 472-85
Box 58
Box 59
Box 60
Box 61
Box 62- Childcare Act in 2005 introduced marketisation of childcare: fully demand financing system (public funding distributed exclusively to parents) Box 63- highly fragmented ECEC system (administrative responsibility and type of provision)
Box 66Despite highBox 67 coverage rates, the criteria for distributing the places available give priority to working parents and to those that enrol first excluding disadvantaged families
Box 68
Box 69
Box 70The system ofBox 71 public subsidies to childcare providers, income-related enrolment fees and income tax deduction produce highest benefit for high-income families then lowincome families
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Box 72Leseman, P. (2002)Box 73 Early childhood education and care for children from low-income and minority backgrounds. Paper presented to OECD, Oslo, June 2002.
Box 74
Box 75
Box 76Lack ofBox 78ECEC Box 79 flexibility in provision often opening hours / do not match families goals Box 77attendance and values (lack requirements of trust)
Box 80
Box 81OSCE. 2010. MappingBox 82 of participation of Roma and Sinti children in early education processes within the OSCE region.
Box 83
Box 84
Box 85lack ofBox 86Lack of trust;Box 87 flexibility in regard discrimination to enrolment and hostility bureaucracy encountered in the educational environment
Box 88
Box 89Wall, K. & Josè S. J.Box 90 2004. ‘Mangaging work andBox 91X care: a difficult task for immigrant families.’ Social Policy administration, 38 (6), 591-621.
Box 92 Box 93
Box 94 Box 95X
Box 96Inflexibility inBox 97 opening hours/ attendance excluding parents with atypical jobs
Box 99
Box 98
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Part B - Literature review of ECEC outcomes A literature review of existing studies on children’s acquisition of cognitive and noncognitive (including social skills) through participation in ECEC services and their importance to social development, successful transition to school and social inclusion
Introduction and limitations of the present review Early childhood education and care has gained, since the Council Recommendations on Childcare in 1992 (92/241/EEC), an increasingly prominent position on European policy agendas. The increasing attention of the European Commission toward ECEC has been driven by a series of policy concerns that changed over time. Initially the main rationale for investing in ECEC was mostly driven by socio-economic concerns about employment, competitiveness and gender equality (enabling mothers to participate in the labour market): in this sense greater attention was focused on increasing the quantity of childcare places as a measure to allow the reconciliation between employment and family responsibilities for women as attested by the Barcelona Council Conclusion.
Member States should remove disincentives to female labour force participation and strive, taking into account the demand for childcare facilities and in line with national patterns of provision, to provide childcare by 2010 to at least 90% of children between3 years old and the mandatory school age and at least 33% of children under 3 years of age (Council of the European Union, 2002). In more recent times, a growing awareness toward the issues of children rights (Commission of the European Communities, 2006a; European Commission, 2011a), accompanied by a concern for equality of educational opportunities and social inclusion (Commission of the European Communities, 2006b; Council of the European Union, 2010) has contributed to shape an innovative approach to EU policies in ECEC. Not only the role of ECEC in promoting social inclusion has been increasingly recognised within European policy initiatives (Council of the European Union, 2011a) but also its educational role has been drawing the attention of policy-makers as attested by the recent communication of the European Commission:
Europe's future will be based on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Improving the quality and effectiveness of education systems across the EU is essential to all three growth dimensions. In this context, Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is the essential foundation for successful lifelong learning, social integration, personal development and later employability. Complementing the central role of the family, ECEC has a profound and long lasting impact, which measures taken at a later stage cannot achieve. (European Commission, 2011b) Such policy approach moves beyond the quantitative benchmark of ECEC provision to encompass at its core the issue of quality of ECEC services as a necessary condition for the promotion of children’s learning, personal fulfilment and social development which stand at the basis of educational achievement and social cohesion. There is a consensus, among European policy-makers, that a generalised equitable access to high quality ECEC services can make a substantial contribution to the success of the EU 2020 strategy (European Commission, 2010) with particular reference to the achievement of the EU headline targets concerning the reduction of early school leaving and of the number of people living at risk of poverty and social exclusion (Council of the European Union, 2011b). This consensus is grounded on research evidence from studies carried out in the U.S., suggesting that investing in high quality pre-primary education is expected to bring
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about the highest rates of returns over the whole lifelong learning cycle, especially to those children who are the most disadvantaged (Heckman & Masterov, 2007). However, in more recent times many experts carrying out research either in the field of education or economy (Penn, 2011; Havnes & Mogstad, 2011; Vandenbroeck et al., forthcoming) have criticised the way in which U.S. studies have been generalised to European contexts. They argued that in the U.S. context ECEC is provided in the form of early intervention programmes targeted to particularly disadvantaged children and that generalisations are highly contestable as results from U.S. research might tell us little about the effects of ECEC programs carried out in a European context, where publicly funded large scale provision is more generally available. Furthermore it has been noted that policy discourses supporting an increased investment in ECEC underpin a variety of overlapping rationales, which emphasise largely economic, social and educational advantages (for a detailed discussion see NESSE, 2009; p. 23). However, not all the aspects that justify an increased investment in ECEC – economic competitiveness, educational achievement and social cohesion – are equally covered by existing research. Research evidence produced in this field is increasingly affected by economic rationales driven by human capital theories. As a result of these rationales, certain aspects – such as children’s academic attainment – are more present in evidence-based research while others aspects – such as children’s right to participation – tend to be overlooked. These considerations call for a careful contextualization of research findings discussed within this literature review but they also demand for rigorous analytical procedures (EPPI-Centre, 2004). Acknowledging that systematic reviews and evidence-based conclusions are increasingly important for policy decision making (Burger, 2010), the methodological approach adopted in the present analysis draws on the procedures elaborated by Helen Penn and colleagues at the EPPI Centre for carrying out systematic review for evidence based policy-making in the field of early childhood education (Penn & Lloyd, 2007). The present literature review covers European research concerning the effects of ECEC on children’s cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes by focusing in particular on the issues of school transition and social inclusion. The analysis presented in this review attempts to draw on both a qualitative approach and statistical findings within a well defined conceptual framework that makes the interpretation transparent to the reader. The framework for the review consisted of: a) a literature search through research databases, research portals and books; b) a careful selection of the studies carried out according the eligibility criteria presented below; c) a summary of evidence that draws on the categorisation of the empirical findings of the studies selected. The tool used for the analysis and categorisation of research findings is reported in the annex (table B). The findings of the studies that have been reviewed for this literature have been categorised across four themes:
Research exploring possible relations between ECEC acquisition of cognitive skills and competences (table B1);
and
Research exploring possible relations between ECEC acquisition of non-cognitive skills and competences (table B2)
and
Research investigating the links between ECEC and successful transition into school (table B3)
Research investigating the contribution made by ECEC to social inclusion (table B4).
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The inclusion criteria for the review were the following:
Only primary studies were analysed, literature reviews were excluded
Only studies carried out in EU member states published in the last 20 years. A particular effort was directed toward the maximum representation of EU countries in the studies selected, with particular attention to the different social regimes in which such studies were taking places (Esping-Andersen, 2002)
Only peer-reviewed / books / authoritative statements from EC, national governments, universities/research centres, and NGOs were taken into account.
Preference has been accorded to longitudinal studies and studies using a quasi experimental design although it needs to be acknowledged that this type of research is relative scarce in Europe. In fact countries where the education and care of young children has been traditionally supported by consistent public investments – both in financial and cultural terms – research has tended to focus more on educational processes fostering children’s participation (Pramling & Pramling Samuelsson, 2011; Bae, 2009; Mantovani, 2007; Einarsdottir & Wagner, 2006; Rinaldi, 2005) rather than on the evaluation of children’s outcomes.
Considering the above limitations, a sample of qualitative studies and policy reports has been included. Although this necessarily limited sample cannot represent the totality of the European research and policy in the ECEC field, it is illustrative of the way in which qualitative studies might shed light on
The reasons why ECEC might have beneficial effects on children (the pedagogical process)
The debates on what are expected outcomes or what is the meaning of ECEC in society
The social and political contexts in which these debates takes place
The necessity to broaden the human capital paradigm.
A re-thinking of the human capital paradigm seem important, as this particular paradigm predominates government-sponsored studies carried out in the last ten years in the liberal economies. This paradigm looks at ECEC from the perspective of investments to be made in early childhood in order to enhance human capital later in life, which is rooted in ECEC policy agendas typical of English-speaking countries with a liberal welfare state. However, much of the educational research generated within European countries where ECEC has been conceived as a public good within a right-based framework focused on pedagogical approaches and participatory processes rather than on the evaluation of children’s outcomes. Limitations of the present review The present literature review discussed the findings of existing studies from EU member states on children’s acquisition of cognitive and non-cognitive competences through participation in ECEC services, focusing in particular on the contribution made by such services to successful school transition and social inclusion. The research analysed in this review originated from a variety of disciplinary fields – education, psychology, economy, and sociology. Quantitative longitudinal studies tend to rely predominantly on the paradigm of human capital. Such paradigm is rooted in ECEC policy agendas typical of Englishspeaking countries with a liberal welfare state and so are the research perspectives explored by these studies presented in this review. The majority of educational research generated in other European countries has a more qualitative framework,
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focusing on processes, rather than outcomes. It is to deplore that only very few studies combine both perspectives, and therefore the literature risks to be dominated by too narrow paradigms. One of the many consequences of this lack of more comprehensive multi-paradigmatic approaches is the omission of political contexts. Yet, the findings of this literature review suggest that the children living in countries where ECEC is part of a more comprehensive social policy with a strong focus on public responsibilities towards ECEC, gain the most from participating in ECEC programs due to their high quality grounded in participatory pedagogical approaches. The dominance of the human capital paradigm and the lack of multi-paradigmatic studies risks constructing children in instrumentalist terms as profitable assets (Lister, 2007), rather than considering them as citizens subjects of rights (UNCRC, 1989). Social inclusion studies are more concerned with considering children as members of society and showing commitment toward their participation in democratic decision-making processes (Dalhberg & Moss, 2005; Moss, 2007; Vandenbroeck & Bouverne De Bie, 2006). Therefore the risk of using human capital arguments underpinning economic rationales for investing in ECEC is to dismiss important elements that are essential conditions for ECEC quality in many European countries – such as early childhood pedagogical approaches and children’s democratic participation. This might in turn induce counter-productive effects such as, for example, the schoolification of ECEC (Pramling Samuelsson & Sheridan, 2010; Jensen, Brostrom & Hensen, 2010) and the marginalisation of those children and families that are most at risk of social exclusion (Hübenthal & Ifland, 2011). As a recent study from Norway highlights:
‘A central question to be addressed is whether an emphasis on children as coming adults and human becoming is irreconcilable with a recognition of children as competent human beings ‘here and now’. [As the different chapters in this book reveal], the solution between these two different discourses seems to go in one direction, representing a threat to the recognition of children as competent human beings here and now and early childhood as a period for play, care and learning connected to social processes and a child-centred curriculum.’ (Kjørholt and Qvortrup, 2012) Another pitfall of human capital approaches is to consider that ECEC might be, on its own, a solution to the poverty that stands at the basis of children’s disadvantage. As showed by many studies, ECEC has an important role to play in these regards, but only if it is embedded in strong welfare state policies across many sectors and if it is accompanied by a wider cultural and political commitment to democracy, children’s rights, solidarity and equality (OECD, 2006). Finally, it should be noted that, like other literature reviews, this review may also be subject to publication bias, often referred to as the as the file-drawer problem (Rosenthal, 1979). This refers to the fact that studies yielding positive effects find publication more easily while studies in which no effects are shown tend more often to remain in the drawers of researchers. Despite these shortcomings and limitations, it is clear that several European studies yield robust evidence, showing that ECEC matters for cognitive and social development, and has potentially long lasting effects on children’s school careers, but only when ECEC is of the highest quality.
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B 1. Studies exploring the relationship between ECEC and children’s cognitive outcomes Note: The findings of the country studies listed below can be generalised beyond national boundaries only with precaution as the history, traditions, organization and practices of early childhood services differ widely from one country to another. Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B. 2004. The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project. Effective Pre-School Education. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) project is a British longitudinal study of a regional sample (England) of young children’s development (intellectual and social/behavioural) between the ages of 3 and 7 years. Funded by DfES with the purpose of producing research evidences for policy-making, the EPPE study involved 3,000 children recruited at age 3+ and studied longitudinally until the end of Key-Stage 1. A sample of home children was recruited at school entry for comparison with the pre-school group. Data were collected in relation to: a) children’s cognitive attainment at 3, 4/5, 6 and 7 years of age, b) the background characteristic of the parents, c) home learning environment, d) quality of preschool settings. The data were analysed using a statistical multilevel model to explore the value added by pre-school after taking account of child, parents, and home background factors The main findings highlight that:
Pre-school attendance, compared to none, enhances children’s all round development
Duration of attendance (months) and quality of pre-school settings matters: an earlier start (under 3) and higher quality are related to better intellectual development that has long-lasting effects in primary school: better academic attainment in KS1. Duration has more impact than the number of hours per week (full time versus half time).
High quality is associated with staff qualification, warm responsive interaction to children’s individual needs and effective pedagogy which includes a balanced curriculum (promoting education and social development as complementary) and a good mix of teacherinitiated and child-initiated activities sustaining shared thinking.
Centres integrating education and care, combining flexible hours for childcare along with substantial health and family supports services have the highest scores on pre-school quality.
There is a strong relationship between family background characteristics and children’s intellectual development, however the quality of home learning environment is more important than SES
The centres that encouraged high levels of parents engagement in their children’s learning and involved them in decision-making about children’s learning program lead to better intellectual gains for children.
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Grabbe, Y. and Barreau, S. 2007. The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11). Influences on Children’s Attainment and Progress in Key Stage 2: Cognitive Outcomes in Year 5. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.
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This study is the follow up of the EPPE project and investigates the on-going effects of pre-school attendance on children’s cognitive development throughout Key Stage 2 of primary education (attended by children aged 7 to 10). 2,500 children of the original sample were studied longitudinally until the end of KS2. A sample of home children was recruited for comparison with the pre-school group. Data were collected in relation to children’s cognitive outcomes at age 10 and in relation to background characteristics of the parents and home learning environment (HLE). Statistical analyses based on a contextualised multi-level model were used to analyse the combined effects of pre-school and primary school effectiveness on children cognitive attainment (controlling background characteristics). The main findings highlight that pre-school quality and effectiveness still matters for children’s social / behavioural developmental outcomes at age 10. In particular, attending higher quality or more effective preschool has a continuing positive effect on children’s outcomes in Reading and Mathematics at age 10. By contrast, attending low quality pre-school no longer showed cognitive benefits at the end of KS2 (pre-school children’s cognitive outcomes in that case do not significantly differ from those of home children). Furthermore, findings indicated that no single factor – quality of pre-school, HLE or school effectiveness – was key in shaping children’s cognitive outcomes throughout KS2. Rather, it is the combination of experiences over time that matters. Melhuish, E., Quinn, L., Hanna, K., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B. 2006. The Effective Pre-School Provision in Northern Ireland (EPPNI) Project. Summary report. Belfast: Department of Education, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and Social Steering Group. The Effective Provision of Pre-school in Northern Ireland (EPPNI) project is a longitudinal study of a regional sample (Northern Ireland) of young children’s development (intellectual and social/behavioural) between the ages of 3 and 7 years. Funded by DE, DHSSPS and SSG with the purpose of producing research evidence for policy-making, the study involved 800 children recruited at age 3+ and studied longitudinally until the end of Key-Stage 1. A sample of home children was recruited at school entry for comparison with pre-school group. Data were collected in relation to: a) children intellectual attainment at 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 years of age, b) background characteristic of the parents, c) home learning environment and d) quality of pre-school settings. Data were analysed using a statistical multilevel model to explore the value added by pre-school after taking account of child, parents, home background factors. The main findings highlight that:
Pre-school attendance enhances all round (cognitive and social) development of all children
Attendance of high quality pre-school is related to better intellectual outcomes
High quality is associated with staff qualification and professional development, strong leadership and strong philosophy for the setting shared by all staff, ethos and emotional climate of the setting (warm and responsive interaction with the children, parental partnership, pedagogy that provides opportunities to extend children learning through play and self-directed activities
Nursery schools/classes have the highest scores on pre-school quality
For all children the quality of the home learning environment is more important for children’s intellectual and social development than parental occupation, education and income therefore fostering active parental engagement with children are likely to benefit children cognitive development and attainment at school
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Vulnerable children who attend pre-school tend to be less ‘at risk’ of developing SEN even after taking into account background factors.
Driessen, G. E. J. M. 2004. A large scale longitudinal study of the utilization and effects of early childhood education and care in The Netherlands. Early Child Development and Care, 174 (7–8), 667–689. This is a longitudinal study drawing on a data set from a national survey (PRIMA) aiming at investigating the effects of ECEC participation on children’s cognitive competencies in The Netherland. Drawing on the cohort data from 1996 to 2000, a national sample of children was studied longitudinally until the end of Grade 2. A sample of home children was recruited at school entry for comparison with preschool group. Data were collected in relation to: a) children cognitive attainment (language and mathematics skills) assessed in Kindergarten, Grade 2 and Grade 4 of primary school, b) background characteristic of the parents, c) type of ECEC service /program attended by the children. The methodology used for data analysis consisted of both cross-sectional and longitudinal statistical analyses. Only weak relations were found between ECEC participation and children’s cognitive competencies. Moreover, when relevant child and families characteristic are taken into account no difference could be noted between children who participated to ECEC and ‘home’ children in relation to their cognitive attainment in primary school: these findings hold for different ECEC types of provision considered both separately and in combination. Note: the findings of this study might not be generalized beyond The Netherlands where ECEC provision tends to be very diverse and highly fragmented (type of provision, availability and accessibility, administrative responsibility for regulation and funding, care/educational purposes). In the context studied not all services are designed to promote cognitive, linguistic or social-emotional development of children (eg. day care centres are intended to provide only childcare in connection to parents’ participation in the workforce) and not all services / programs meet the necessary quality standard (deterioration in the quality of day-care centres has 28 been observed in previous studies ). In this regards, the author calls for a careful contextualisation of these research findings that cannot be generalised to other contexts in which ECEC present different characteristics. 29
Felfe, C. and Lalive, R. 2011. How Does Early Childcare Affect Child Development? Learning from the Children of German Unification. CESifo Area Conference on Economics of Education: Center for Economics Studies. Retrieved from: http://www.sole-jole.org/11122.pdf This is a longitudinal study, drawing on a data set from national surveys (GSOEP and GCP) of West and East Germany. The examines the impact of ECEC on children’s short and medium run development in relation to cognitive outcomes in order to discuss the incidence of expanding high quality ECEC in society. Drawing on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) and the German Child Panel (GCP), the study evaluates the impact of increased accessibility of centrebased childcare (triggered by German Unification) on children’s later development. Data on children’s cognitive development were drawn from large national datasets. The sample consisted of 800+ children who were studied longitudinally from age 2 to 10. Statistical analysis of survey data covering a broad range of indicators on
28
Gevers Deynoot-Schaub, M. & Riksen-Walraven, M. 2002. Kwaliteit onder druk: de kwaliteit van opvang in Nederlandse kinderdagverblijven in 1995 en 2001. Pedagogiek, 22, 109–124. This study has been conducted in 2002, before the marketization of child care in The Netherlands: later studies have documented that the quality of provisions has gone down since then (de Kruif et al, 2009). This might imply that the remark on the limited impact of ECEC in The Netherlands due to irregularity of quality may be even truer today. 29 Although the term childcare is used in the title, the content of the article actually refer to kindergarten provision.
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child development and background characteristics was used as research methodology. The main findings highlight that children enrolled in ECEC centres have a clear advantage in all developmental dimensions, in relation to both cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. It was also found that the positive impact of ECEC attendance was greater for children who started to attend formal care only after supply increased, who are children from low socio-economic background: children who entered ECEC only once it became more accessible seem to benefit substantially from it even several years later (better results in school and better social skills in the medium term). Along with the previous study, these findings indicate that ECEC attendance marginally promotes the cognitive development of ‘average children’ while it has a strong impact on cognitive development of disadvantaged children on the long term. Brilli, Y., Del Boca, D., Pronzato, C. 2011. Exploring the Impacts of Public Childcare on Mothers and Children in Italy: Does Rationing Play a Role? Bonn: IZA (Institute for the Study of Labour). Retrieved from: http://ftp.iza.org/dp5918.pdf The study investigates the effects of public childcare (0-3 services) coverage on children scholastic achievements in the Italian context where childcare opportunities are limited both in terms of availability (which varies greatly among regions) and costs. The study draws on the datasets of INVALSI (Italian Institute for Evaluation of the Education System) and of Cittadinanza Attiva (data on public child care coverage at the provincial level). A national sample of children assessed nd at age 7 (2 grade of primary school) for cognitive outcomes was studied using statistical regression analysis of survey data covering a broad range of indicators on child, family and environmental characteristics. The data (children’s school outcomes, family and environmental characteristics, child care coverage in the area) were analysed through statistical estimations within an econometric model. The findings indicated that childcare rationing plays a role in children’s school outcomes but given the lack of information on eligibility criteria (eg. priority given to children with working mothers or to disadvantaged children) the effects of rationing cannot be disentangled. Furthermore the findings point out that the impact of childcare availability on children’s cognitive development is higher for children with low educated mothers living in low-income areas: this stresses the importance of rationing childcare according to family SES criteria and to increase childcare availability especially in disadvantaged areas. The results of this study are consistent with the findings of previous studies showing that public childcare may enhance educational opportunities of children from a disadvantage background. Andersson, B. E. 1992. Effects of day care on cognitive and socio-emotional competence in thirteen-year-old Swedish school children. Child Development, 63, 20–36. The study looked at the long-term effects of day care on children’s cognitive development in Sweden. A sample of 128 children and their families living in 8 lowand middle-resource neighborhoods in Stockholm and Goteborg were studied longitudinally from 16 months – when they were not attending out-of-home care yet – up to age 13. Data were collected on a) children’s cognitive outcomes, b) family background, c) day care attendance and analyzed through hierarchical regression analysis. The main findings highlighted that children entering day care at an early stage (before age1) performed significantly better on cognitive tests and received more positive ratings from their teachers in terms of school achievement at age13 (at age 13 school performance is rated lowest among children without out-of-home care) indicating that an early start matters. In fact, age of entry in daycare seemed to have significant direct effects on children’s cognitive competences even when background variables were controlled. Centre-based care was associated with better cognitive development (although effects were less clear and extensive), suggesting that the overall high quality of Swedish day-care centers, the training of its personnel and the availability of paid parental leave during the first 6/7 months might account for the repetitive differences in the effects of day care crossnationally. As in this study positive and long lasting effects of childcare on
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children’s cognitive development were found, it can be hypothesized that attending high quality settings might allow children to enter a positive trajectory that promote their cognitive development over the years. Broberg, A. G., Wessels, H., Lamb, M. E. and Hwang, C.P. 1997. Effects of day care on the development of cognitive abilities in eight-year-olds: a longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 33, 62-69. The study, carried out in Sweden, investigates the long-term effects of day care on nd children’s cognitive development (attainment at age 8 in 2 grade of primary school). A sample of 146 children and their families living in low- and middleresource neighborhoods in Goteborg were followed longitudinally from 16 months – when they were not attending out-of-home care yet – up to age 8. Before 20 months of age, 54 children entered center care, 33 entered family day care while 59 did not attend any form of out-of-home care (home care group). Data were collected in regard to a) children cognitive outcomes (measured at age 28, 40, 80 and 101 months), child background characteristics, b) family background characteristic, c) quality of home environment, d) quality out-of-home care environment. The main findings highlighted that:
An early start matters: tested ability was related to the number of months children had spent in centre-based day care before 3.5 years of age
Child care quality predicted cognitive abilities among children who had spent at least 36 months in out-of-home care during their preschool years: children who attended centre-based care consistently performed better than other children on cognitive abilities tests (once controlled for background variables)
Dynamic measures of quality (adult-child interaction) predicted verbal abilities while structural measures (child-staff ratio, group size and age range) predicted mathematical abilities
Quality of home environment predicted verbal abilities only in earlier nd phases and was no longer predictive when children were in 2 grade
Family SES (maternal and paternal occupation) did not predict nd children’s performance of cognitive abilities in 2 grade.
The study concluded that high quality out-of-home care had positive and lost lasting effects on children’s cognitive development Havnes, T., and Mogstad, M. 2009. No Child Left Behind: Universal Child Care and Children's Long-Run Outcomes. Bonn: IZA (Institute for the Study of Labour). Retrieved from: http://www.econstor.eu/dspace/bitstream/10419/36326/1/616201729.pdf The aim of this study was to analyze the introduction of subsidized, universally accessible childcare in Norway addressing its impact on children’s long-term outcomes (educational attainment). To elicit causal relationship between childcare and children’s long-term educational attainment a difference-in-difference model that exploited a childcare reform from 1975 in Norway was used for carrying out the estimations. Drawing on a national sample of children distributed across 3 cohorts (pre-reform, phase-in, post-reform), adults’ outcomes – in terms of years spent in education – were examined at age 30-33 by using a statistical regression model for data analysis. Research findings indicated that childcare attendance substantially improved children’s educational attainment in the long term (in aggregated terms additional 17.500 childcare places produced 6.200 years of education) and raised their chances to complete high school and attend college. Subsample analysis indicated the greatest effects on education stemmed from children with low educated mothers. Overall, the findings of the estimates indicated that universal
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access to subsidised childcare intergenerational mobility.
levels
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B 2. Studies exploring the relationship between ECEC and children’s non-cognitive outcomes Worldwide, research on social and emotional outcomes of ECEC is scarcer than on cognitive development or school readiness. Moreover, most studies in this field are located in English language countries in general and in the U.S. in particular. These studies have consistently showed beneficial effects on children’s social and emotional development, including negative associations with externalising and internalising behaviour and positive associations with pro-social behaviour. As Heckman puts it in his famous overview: “non-cognitive skills such as motivation, perseverance, and tenacity are also important for success in life”. Some landmark publications and overviews that highly influenced the public thoughts about cognitive as well as non-cognitive beneficial effects of early child care and education include:
Shonkoff, J.P. & Phillips, D. (2000). From Neurons to Neighbourhoods: The Science of Early Child Development. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
Schweinhart L.J. et al. (2005). Lifetime Effects: The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 40. Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope.
Heckman, J. J. (2006). Skill formation and the economics of investing in disadvantaged children. Science, 312(5782), 19001902.
Masse, L.N. & Barnett, W.S. (2002). A Benefit Cost Analysis of the Abecedarian Early Childhood Intervention. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University National Institute for Early Education Research.
Besides the general agreement on the beneficial effects of ECEC on non cognitive outcomes, the literature in this vein also caused some debates, as the NICHD study revealed that children enrolled in non maternal care (before one year) for several years seem to manifest slightly more non-compliant behaviour, independent of the quality of the care. This discussion is to be found in: Belsky, J. (2001). Developmental risks (still) associated with early child care. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 42, 845-860. As several authors have discussed (e.g. de Kruif et al, 2009), these and other results from US studies cannot be generalized in Europe. At the same time, the paucity of studies that explore the effects of early childhood services in Europe on non-cognitive aspects of development is to be deplored. Some scarce studies, as listed below, have in part taken up this challenge. Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B. 2004. The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project. Effective Pre-School Education. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) project is a British longitudinal study of a regional sample (England) of young children’s development (intellectual and social/behavioural) between the ages of 3 and 7 years. In relation to non-cognitive outcomes the main findings of the study highlight that:
Quality of pre-school settings matters: higher quality is related to better social/behavioural development and effects are lasting throughout KS1 (social behavioural development at age 6).
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High quality is associated with staff qualification, warm and responsive interaction to children’s individual needs and effective pedagogy, including a balanced curriculum (promoting education and social development as complementary), a good mix of teacherinitiated and child-initiated activities and behaviour policies in which staff support children in rationalising their conflicts.
There is a strong relationship between families’ background characteristics and children’s social/behavioural development. However, the quality of the home learning environment (HLE) is more important than SES: when ECEC centres encouraged high levels of parents engagement in their children learning and involved them in decision-making about children learning, better gains for children were achieved.
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Barreau, S. and Grabbe, Y. 2007. The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11). Influences on Children’s Development and Progress in Key Stage 2: Social/ behavioural outcomes in Year 5. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. The findings of the follow up of the EPPE project aiming to investigate the continuing effects of pre-school attendance on children’s social-behavioural development throughout Key Stage 2 of primary education (attended by children aged 7 to 10) indicate that pre-school quality and effectiveness still matter for children’s social / behavioural developmental outcomes at age 10. In particular, attending pre-school still has a positive effect on children’s ‘pro-social behaviour’. By contrast, attending a low quality pre-school does not lead to longer term benefits on children’s social / behavioural development. Furthermore, findings emphasise that no single factor – quality of pre-school, HLE or school effectiveness – is the key in enhancing social / behavioural outcomes throughout KS2. Rather, it is the combination of experiences over time that matters. Melhuish, E., Quinn, L., Hanna, K., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B. 2006. The Effective Pre-School Provision in Northern Ireland (EPPNI) Project. Summary report. Belfast: Department of Education, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and Social Steering Group. The Effective Provision of Pre-school in Northern Ireland (EPPNI) project is a longitudinal study of a regional sample (Northern Ireland) of young children’s development (intellectual and social/behavioural) between the ages of 3 and 7 years (until the end of Key-Stage 1). In relation to children’s non-cognitive outcomes the study findings suggest that attendance of high quality pre-school enhances children’s social/behavioural competencies on the long term. In the study, high quality pre-school is associated with staff qualification and professional development; strong leadership and strong philosophy for the setting shared by all staff; ethos and emotional climate of the setting (warm and responsive interaction with the children); parental partnership; and a pedagogy that provides opportunities to extend children learning through play and self-directed activities. Moreover, research findings emphasise that the quality of the home learning environment is more important for children’s social/behavioural development than parental occupation, education and income, suggesting that fostering active parental engagement through pre-school is likely to benefit children attainment on the long term. Veen, A., Roeleveld, J. en Leseman, P. (2000). Evaluatie van Kaleidoscoop en Piramide. Eindrapportage. Amsterdam: SCO-Kohnstamm Instituut. Kaleidoscoop and Piramide are both programs, designed to stimulate the development of children aged 3 to 6 years, implemented in The Netherlands in 1996 / 1997. Kaleidoscoop is an adaptation of the High/Scope program, developed by Averoès. Piramide is a similar program developed by CITO. While both
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programs have a broad educational curriculum aiming at cognitive as well as social and emotional development, they differ in regard to implementation strategies and monitoring. Piramide has a more explicit curriculum (more detailed list of what children should learn) and is more teacher-centred, while Kaleidoscoop stresses the more informal learning and the emergent curriculum. Piramide uses formal testing to evaluate children’s learning (and to remediate if necessary), Kaleidoscoop makes use of informal daily observations in natural situations. The effectiveness study consisted of 2 experimental groups (108 children in the Kaleidoscoop group and 115 in Piramide), one comparable control group (n = 104) at the start of the project and a second control group (n = 80) at the end of the three years experiment. The first control group attended ECEC without any specific program; the second control group consisted of children who did not attend ECEC. Cognitive and non-cognitive development (extraversion, working attitude, emotional stability, prosocial behaviour and externalising behaviour) was measured at the end of each year (1997, 1998 and 1999). Data analysis consisted of both crosssectional and longitudinal statistical analyses, using multiple regression analyses. Cognitive development of children in both experimental groups progressed more than in the control groups (language results are better in Kaleidoscoop than in Piramide, while ordering skills are slightly – albeit not significantly – better in Piramide), but effects are modest and not always significant. Regarding noncognitive outcomes, results are inconsistent and no significant differences could be noted, with one small exception: Kaleidoscoop children progressed slightly better in emotional stability. The researchers note that while individual children were comparable across groups, school populations were not: children in the experimental groups attended schools with higher percentages of ethnic minority children than children in the control groups and this might have mediated the effects. Veen, A., Derriks, M. & Roeleveld, J. (2002). Een jaar later. Vervolgonderzoek evaluatie van Kaleidoscoop en Piramide. Amsterdam: SCO-Kohnstamm Instituut. It is a follow-up study of the effect studies on Kaleidoscoop and Piramide in The Netherlands, one year later, through an additional measurement in 2000. In general, all results, and in particular the results of non-cognitive development are inconsistent and the modest effects that were reported one year earlier are not sustained. Driessen, G. E. J. M. 2004. A large scale longitudinal study of the utilization and effects of early childhood education and care in The Netherlands. Early Child Development and Care, 174 (7–8), 667–689. This longitudinal study, drawing on a data set from a national survey (PRIMA), investigates the effects of ECEC participation on children’s non-cognitive competencies in The Netherland. Drawing on the cohort data from 1996 to 2000, a national sample of children was studied longitudinally until the end of Grade 2. A sample of home children was recruited at school entry for comparison with preschool group. Data were collected in relation to: a) children’s non-cognitive attainment (social behaviour, self-confidence, work attitude, well being) assessed in Kindergarten, Grade 2 and Grade 4 of primary school, b) background characteristic of the parents, c) type of ECEC service / program attended by children. The methodology used for data analysis consisted of both cross-sectional and longitudinal statistical analyses. Only weak relations were found between ECEC participation and children’s non-cognitive competencies. When relevant child and families characteristic were taken into account, no difference could be noted between children who participated to ECEC and ‘home’ children in relation to their cognitive attainment in primary school. These findings hold for different ECEC types of provision considered both separately and in combination. However, the author draws attention to the very diverse and highly fragmented nature of Dutch childcare, where not all services / programs meet the necessary quality standard. In this regards the author calls for a careful contextualisation of these research findings.
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Felfe, C. and Lalive, R. 2011. How Does Early Childcare30 Affect Child Development? Learning from the Children of German Unification. CESifo Area Conference on Economics of Education: Center for Economics Studies. Retrieved from: http://www.sole-jole.org/11122.pdf This is a longitudinal study drawing on data set from national surveys (GSOEP and GCP) of West and East Germany. The study examines the impact of ECEC on children’s short and medium run development in relation to non-cognitive outcomes in order to discuss the incidence of expanding high quality ECEC on society. Drawing on the data of the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) and German Child Panel (GCP), the study evaluated the impact of increased accessibility of centre-based childcare (triggered by German Unification) on children’s later development. Data on children’s non-cognitive development were drawn from large national datasets. The sample consisted of 800+ children who were studied longitudinally from age 2 to 10. Statistical analysis of survey data covering a broad range of indicators on child development and background characteristics was used as research methodology. The main findings highlight that children enrolled in ECEC centres had a clear advantage in all developmental dimensions, in relation to both cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. It was also found that the positive impact of ECEC attendance was greater for children who started to attend formal care only after supply increased, and these were children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. These children who entered ECEC after it became more accessible, seem to have gained better social skills in the medium-long term. Along with the previous study, these findings indicate that ECEC attendance marginally promotes the development of ‘average children’ while it has a strong impact on social/behavioural development of disadvantaged children on the long term. Del Boca, D. & Pasqua, S. 2010. Esiti scolastici e comportamentali, famiglia e servizi per l’infanzia. (Cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes, family and childcare services)Torino: Fondazione Giovanni Agnelli. The study looked at the effects of childcare attendance (0-3 services) on children’s non-cognitive outcomes, using statistical estimations within an econometric model. The study used the dataset elaborated by the Psychology Department of Turin University (2008-2009). A sample of over 1,000 primary school children living in the st th Turin area were assessed for non-cognitive outcomes in primary school (1 to 4 grade). In addition, data on children’s characteristics, family characteristics (parents’ working status and education) and children’s childcare attendance (0-3 services) were also collected. Statistical regressions were used for data analysis. The research findings indicated that attendance of formal childcare had a positive and significant impact on all non-cognitive indicators considered in the study. The findings confirmed the importance of early socialising experiences for the noncognitive development of children. Andersson, B. E. 1992. Effects of day care on cognitive and socio-emotional competence in thirteen-year-old Swedish school children. Child Development, 63, 20–36. The study investigated the long-term effects of day care on children’s socioemotional development in Sweden. A sample of 128 children and their families living in 8 low- and middle-resource neighborhoods in Stockholm and Goteborg were studied longitudinally from 16 months – when they were not attending out-ofhome care yet – up to age 13. Data were collected on a) children’s non-cognitive outcomes, b) family background, c) day care attendance and analysed through hierarchical regression analysis. The main findings indicated that children entering day care at an early stage (before age 1) received more positive ratings from their
30
Although the term childcare is used in the title, the content of the article actually refer to kindergarten provision.
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teachers in terms of their socio-emotional development at age 13, compared to those entering day-care at a later age or those in home-care. The study suggested that the age of entry in day care has a significant effect on children’s social competences even when background variables were controlled. No adverse effects of early entry into day-care on children’s socio-emotional development were found. Given these findings it can be hypothesized that negative effects of early day-care may occur only when day-care begins before 6 months and when it is of poor quality. The overall high quality of Swedish day-care centers, staff qualifications, training for family day-care providers and the availability of paid parental leave during the first 6/7 months might account for the repetitive differences of positive effects of day care cross-nationally. Datta Gupta, N. and Simonsen, M. 2007. Non-cognitive Child Outcomes and Universal High Quality Child Care. Bonn: IZA (Institute for the Study of Labour). Retrieved from: http://ftp.iza.org/dp3188.pdf The study looked at the effects on children’s non-cognitive outcomes of enrolment in universal publicly subsidized high quality center-based child care and family day care for three-year-olds in Denmark vis-à-vis home care. The study was carried out through a statistical estimation exploiting a large scale dataset on children’s outcomes (Danish Longitudinal Survey of Children) merged with administrative records along with pseudo-experimentally generated variation in pre-school take up across Danish municipalities. The sample consisted of 6.000 children born between Sep-Oct 1995 whose outcomes were surveyed at age 6 months, 3.5 and st 7.5 years old (1 grade primary school). Data were collected in relation to a) children’s non-cognitive outcomes, b) child background characteristics, c) childcare enrolment, d) mode of care and number of hours in care, e) parental background. Research findings indicated that, on average, pre-school attendance at 3 years, compared to home care, does not lead to significant differences in children’s noncognitive outcomes at age 7. In contrast with previous studies, no negative effects of centre-based care on children social and behavioral outcomes were found. This might be explained by the fact that Danish pre-school are less teacher-directed and more oriented toward socialization than pre-K programs in the US, were these negative effects were found. Research findings furthermore highlighted that family day care seemed to deteriorate behavioral outcomes for boys whose mothers have a lower level of education, suggesting that centre-based ECEC outperforms family day care for the overall population. Finally it was also found that longer hours in care – over 40-50 hours per week – lead to poorer children’s outcomes.
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B 3. Studies investigating the links between ECEC and successful transition into school Caille, J.-P. 2001. Scolarisation à 2 ans et réussite de la carrière scolaire au début de l'école élémentaire [School enrolment at 2 years and school success at the beginning of elementary school]. Éducation & formations, 60, 7-18. This is a longitudinal study focusing on the effects of pre-school provision on children’s later school career in France. Based on a panel study from 1997, a sample cohort of 8.661 children born in 1991 who entered in primary school at age 6 – 31% of whom entered preschool at age 2 – was examined. The research methodology consisted of logistic regression controlling for the characteristics of the child, of the family and of the neighbourhood. The main research findings highlighted that:
Early attendance positively influenced school career at CE2 (second year of primary school), meaning that the number of children who have doubled one year diminished significantly when children enrolled at a younger age in preschool
Immigrant children benefited more from early enrolment than majority children although they tended to be underrepresented in preschool at age 2
Once controlled for child and background characteristics early enrolment in preschool (at age 2, rather than age 3) did hardly influence the inequalities in school career, suggesting that differences in school carrier were explained by family and neighborhood characteristics, rather than by preschool attendance at an earlier age.
Therefore the author concludes that social inequalities in school career (in the first two years of primary school) are not (or almost not) moulded by early entry in preschool. In this sense, the study confirms earlier studies of the 1990’s in France, showing that early entry in the French preschool (at age 2) is associated with better school career, but this association is entirely mediated by family characteristics, as suggested by:
Jarousse J.P., Mingat A., Richard M. (1992), «La scolarisation maternelle à 2 ans: effets pédagogiques et sociaux». Education et formations, n° 31, avri-juin 1992 pp. 3-9.
Duru-Bellat M, Moreau J, Etre gardé ou non par la mère, quelles incidences scolaires chez les enfants de grande section ? Revue de Psychologie de l’Education, 1, 1997
Florin. A, Modes d’accueil et développement du jeune enfant, Laboratoire cognition et communication, Université de Nantes, rapport de recherche pour la CNAF, février 1999.
Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Elliot, K. 2003. The Early Years Transition & Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. This study builds on the data collected as part of the EPPI project (3-7). Children of the EPPI original sample identified as ‘at risk’ of special educational needs – for both cognitive and social/behavioural development – were studied longitudinally until the end of Year 1 in primary school. A sample of home children was recruited for comparison with the pre-school group. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of pre-school attendance on ‘at risk’ children’s outcomes at entry in
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primary school. The research findings indicated that pre-school attendance – especially in high quality settings – provided all young children with a better start to primary school (more independence and reduced anti-social / worried behaviour) but particularly those ‘at risk’ of developing special educational needs. In this regard, attendance of high quality pre-school helped to promote both cognitive development and peers sociability especially for vulnerable children, easing their transition to school. Research findings also highlighted that the positive effects of pre-school attendance on ‘at risk’ children’s cognitive and non-cognitive development was still evident at the end of Year 1 of primary school. The authors concluded that high quality pre-school centres may be seen as an effective intervention for providing more vulnerable children with a better start to primary school. Note: this study was carried out in a context in which the perspectives on school readiness and early intervention are still dominant in the debates on ECEC. In such context, the education of young children is mostly seen as preparatory for school within a compensatory paradigm. These positions do not necessary reflect the understandings of many Continental and Scandinavian European countries where public investment in the education of young children has been driven by a rightsbased approach and ECEC services conceptualised as a value for local communities. Lanfranchi, A. 2002. Schulerfolg von Migrationskindern. Die Bedeutung familienergänzender Betreuung im Vorschulalter. Opladen: Leske + Budrich. Lanfranchi, A., Gruber, J. & Gay, D. 2003. Schulerfolg von Migrationskindern dank transitorischer Räume im Vorschulbereich. In H.-R. Wicker, R. Fibbi & W. Haug (Hrsg.) Migration und die Schweiz. Ergebnisse des Nationalen Forschungsprogramms "Migration und interkulturelle Beziehungen" (S. 481506). Zürich: Seismo. Within the framework of a national research programme carried out in the field of migration, the research team of Lanfranchi et al. investigated the supportive measures implemented in aid of four- and six- year old children in three Swiss towns. A preliminary survey consisting of a spot check of 876 Swiss, Albanian, Turkish, Portuguese and Italian children took place in Winterthur, Neuchâtel and Locarno in 1998. One year later – the younger children were in kindergarten and the older ones in the primary school – the teachers were questioned about the performance of the children in question. Their results were compared to those of children who did not attend kindergarten (children staying at home with their mothers, relatives, neighbors or childminders). The main findings of the study indicated that children who attended ECEC were significantly better assessed by their kindergarten and primary school teachers in first class in terms of their linguistic, cognitive and special skills than children who grew up exclusively in the circle of their own family: in particular it emerged that children from migrant families managed the transition to school significantly better.
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B 4. Studies investigating the contribution of ECEC to social inclusion Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B. 2004. The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project. Effective Pre-School Education. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Elliot, K. 2003. The Early Years Transition & Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) study found that disadvantaged children benefitted significantly from good quality pre-school experiences, especially when conditions of social mix (mixture of children from different social backgrounds) were provided within the setting. The Early Years Transition & Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) study found that the vulnerable children who attend pre-school tended to be less ‘at risk’ of developing special educational needs even after taking into account background factors. The study therefore concluded that pre-school could be viewed as an effective early intervention. Research findings from both studies indicate that specialized support in pre-school provided in relation to the different needs of different groups of children can buffer the effects of social disadvantage and provide children with a better start to school. Therefore investing in high quality pre-school provision can be seen as an effective means to achieve social inclusion and breaking cycles of disadvantage. In this regard the best results were attained by ECEC centres that integrate education and care, that combine flexible hours for childcare along with substantial health and family supports services and that encourage high levels of parents engagement in their children learning by involving them in educational decision-making. Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Grabbe, Y. and Barreau, S. 2007. The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11). Influences on Children’s Attainment and Progress in Key Stage 2: Cognitive Outcomes in Year 5. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Barreau, S. and Grabbe, Y. 2007. The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11). Influences on Children’s Development and Progress in Key Stage 2: Social/ behavioural outcomes in Year 5. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. The findings of the follow-up of the EPPE project indicated that pre-school quality and effectiveness were especially relevant for sustaining better social and cognitive developmental outcomes of children throughout primary school. However, it is the combination of experiences over time that matters, rather than one single variable. In fact, research findings suggested that the social inclusion of disadvantaged children can successfully be achieved only if actions to improve their home learning environment, pre-school and primary school experiences are undertaken in concert: the improvement of any of this component in isolation would be insufficient to close the cognitive and social /behavioural attainment gap. In this sense, targeting additional resources to pre-school and schools that serve disadvantaged areas could substantially contribute to achieve such important goal. Melhuish, E., Quinn, L., Hanna, K., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B. 2006. The Effective Pre-School Provision in Northern Ireland (EPPNI) Project. Summary report. Belfast: Department of Education, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and Social Steering Group.
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Along with previous studies, the EPPNI study carried out in Northern Ireland found that disadvantaged children benefit even more from high quality ECEC when they were attending settings with a mixture of children from different backgrounds. The study identifies the following elements as qualifying features of ECEC settings working with disadvantage children: a) recruitment of well educated staff and ongoing provision of professional development opportunities, b) strong leadership and strong philosophy for the setting shared by all staff, c) ethos and emotional climate of the setting (warm and responsive interaction with the children, d) strong partnership with parents, e) implementation of a pedagogy that provide children with opportunities to extend their learning through play and self-directed activities. Research findings also highlighted that vulnerable children who attended preschool tended to be less ‘at risk’ of developing SEN even after taking into account background factors. Therefore pre-school can be viewed as an effective early intervention. In this sense, increasing the take up of pre-school places by parents who would not usually send their children would provide vulnerable children with a better start to school and reduce their risk to develop special educational needs: targeting additional resources to pre-school and schools that serve disadvantaged areas could definitely help to achieve this goal. Melhuish, E., Belsky, J., Layland, A. H, Barnes, J. and the National Evaluation of Sure Start Research Team. 2008. Effects of fully established SSLPs on 3year-old children and their families living in England: a quasi-experimental observational study. Lancet, 372: 1641-47 The study investigated the effects of Sure Start Local Programmes (SSLPs) in England. SSLPs are area-based interventions aiming to improve services for young children and their families in deprived communities in order to promote health and development for reducing inequalities. A sample of over 5880 3-years-old children and their families from 93 disadvantaged SSLPs areas were compared with 1870 3-years-old children and their families from 72 similarly deprived areas in England who did not take part to the intervention. Multilevel statistical analysis adjusted for background characteristic of the child, family and area were used for data analysis. The main findings of the study indicates that the SSLPs had positive effects on children’s socio-emotional development (SSLPs children showed more positive social behaviour and more independence), parenting patterns (families in SSLPs showed less negative parenting and provided a better home-learning environment) and community regeneration (families in SSLPs used more services for supporting child and family development). Therefore the authors concluded that early intervention through SSLPs could improve life and educational chances of children living in disadvantaged areas. The contrast with the findings of previous evaluation of SSLPs (partly negative) might indicate that over time the program has evolved in more clearly focused services (children’s centres), with more emphasis on children’s development and a greater attention to the most vulnerable children and families (out-reaching and inter-agency work). After 7 years, the program might have improved because acquired knowledge & experience and - partly in response to the findings of the previous evaluation - might have reduced shortages in staff and skills. Veen, A., Roeleveld, J. en Leseman, P. (2000). Evaluatie van Kaleidoscoop en Piramide. Eindrapportage. Amsterdam: SCO-Kohnstamm Instituut. Veen, A., Derriks, M. & Roeleveld, J. (2002). Een jaar later. Vervolgonderzoek evaluatie van Kaleidoscoop en Piramide. Amsterdam: SCO-Kohnstamm Instituut. The studies, carried out in The Netherlands, aimed at investigating the effects of preschool implementing the Kaleidoscoop and Piramide programs on children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development. Kaleidoscoop is an ECEC curriculum for children aged 3 to 6, based on active learning (a Dutch adaptation of High/Scope). Piramide is a similar program, though more “learning” oriented and teacher centered. Both programs aim at cognitive, social and language development for children “at risk” (with a special focus on ethnic minority children). The studies compared children who received the curriculum, to children who
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attended preschool “as usual” and to children who were not enrolled in preschool at ages 3 to 6. The follow-up study did not find consistent beneficial effects for the experimental groups after one year of primary school. Groups were comparable on the individual level, but not on the school level. Children in the experimental groups were enrolled in schools with higher percentages of ethnic minority children. The researchers suggest that preschools that are more mixed, offer more advantages to children from ethnic minorities. Goede,D. de & Reezigt, G.J. (2001). Implementatie en effecten van de Voorschool in Amsterdam. Groningen: GION. The study, carried out in The Netherland, aimed at investigating the effects of preschool implementing the Kaleidoscoop program on children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development. Kaleidoscoop is an ECEC curriculum for preschool children, implemented in playgroups for 2,5 to 6 year olds, based on active learning (a Dutch adaptation of High/Scope). It aimed at cognitive, social and language development for children “at risk” (a special focus on ethnic minority children). The study was carried out according to a quasi-experimental design in which data were analyzed through multilevel analyses. The sample consisted of 90 children who attended playgroups and 97 in the control group, aged 3 and 4 in 1999 and followed longitudinally until 2001. The research findings showed that effects on children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development were inconsistent (some negative effects, some non significant) and where they exist, most were small to (seldom) moderate. van Tuijl, C., & Leseman, P. P. M. 2007. Increases in the verbal and fluid cognitive abilities of disadvantaged children attending preschool in the Netherlands. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22 (2), 188–203. This was a longitudinal within-subject study aiming at determining the development of verbal and fluid intelligence of 4-6-years-old Turkish and Moroccan immigrant children in Dutch public pre-school system. The sample consisted of 300+ children, recruited at age 4 and studied longitudinally over a 2,5 years period in public preschools. The research was designed as a short-term longitudinal study with a preand post- test holding an interval of 30 months. The main findings indicated that intelligence of children from disadvantaged communities increased relative to agenorms over the 2,5 years they spent in pre-school: in the long term the gains in verbal and fluid intelligence predicted emergent school skills such as vocabulary and pre-mathematical skills. Such findings attest the attendance of pre-school programs with a developmental orientation could be considered as substantially enhancing language and cognitive development in low-income, ethnic-minority children – even within a large pre-school system of moderate quality. Despite the research limitations – lack of randomly assigned control group – the results of this study suggest that pre-school attendance has a positive impact on disadvantaged children’s cognitive ability. Spiess, C. K., Buchel, F., Wagner, G. G. 2003. Children’s school placement in Germany. Does Kindergarten attendance matter? Bonn: IZA (Institute for the Study of Labour). Retrieved from: http://www.econstor.eu/dspace/bitstream/10419/20484/1/dp722.pdf Drawing on a data set from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) the study investigated longitudinal effects of ECEC attendance in West Germany. Specifically the relationship between kindergarten attendance (in the year preceding enrolment in primary school) and enrolment in more (Realshule and Gymnasium) or less th (Hauptshule) academically demanding schools in 7 grade was examined by comparing the children of German citizens to those of immigrants. A sample of 316 children (110 foreigner and 206 German) was studied. The study methodology consisted of statistical analysis (binary probit technique) where the dependent variable (0/1) is indicating children placement in vocational school (Hauptshule) and the independent variable of main interest was children’s attendance to kindergarten. The main findings indicated that, in West Germany, kindergarten attendance significantly raised the probability of immigrant children to be placed
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into a higher educational level school. However, given the relatively low 31 participation rate of immigrant children in German ECEC (Buchel & Spiess, 2002 ) policy attention should be drawn on how to increase it with the aim of improving school outcomes for immigrant children who are more often at risk of educational failure. By contrast no significant relationship between Kindergarten attendance and later school placement could be found for German children after controlling for parental SES variables. Becker, R. & Tremel, P. 2006. Auswirkungen vorschulischer Kinderbetreuung auf die Bildungschancen von Migrantenkindern. Sozial Welt, 57, 397-418. The study used the longitudinal data from the German Socioeconomic Panel to examine whether preschool education could improve the educational chances of migrants’ children who tend to be disadvantaged in the German school system. The results about the effects of kindergarten for the period between 1984 and 2003 indicated that ECEC education could improve the educational chances of migrants’ children although their educational chances became similar to the native children’s educational attainment without any preschool experience. Felfe, C. and Lalive, R. 2011. How Does Early Childcare32 Affect Child Development? Learning from the Children of German Unification. CESifo Area Conference on Economics of Education: Center for Economics Studies. Retrieved from: http://www.sole-jole.org/11122.pdf This was a longitudinal study drawing on a data set from national surveys (GSOEP and GCP) of West and East Germany. The study examined the impact of ECEC on children’s short and medium run development in relation to non-cognitive outcomes in order to discuss the incidence of expanding high quality ECEC in German society. Drawing on the data of the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) and German Child Panel (GCP) the study evaluated the impact of increased accessibility of centre-based childcare (triggered by German Unification) on children’s later development. Data on children’s non-cognitive development were drawn from a large national datasets. The sample consisted of 800+ children who were studied longitudinally from age 2 to 10. Statistical analysis of survey data covering a broad range of indicators on child development and background characteristics was used as research methodology. Along with the previous study (Spiess, Buchel & Wagner, 2003) the results of this research indicated that ECEC attendance marginally promoted the development of ‘average children’ while it had a strong impact on cognitive and non-cognitive development of disadvantaged children in the long term. Therefore the findings suggest that universally accessible high quality ECEC can contribute to decrease inequalities and to weaken intergenerational transmission of SES. Brilli, Y., Del Boca, D., Pronzato, C. 2011. Exploring the Impacts of Public Childcare on Mothers and Children in Italy: Does Rationing Play a Role? Bonn: IZA (Institute for the Study of Labour). Retrieved from: http://ftp.iza.org/dp5918.pdf The study investigated the effects of public childcare (0-3 services) coverage on children’s school achievements in the Italian context where childcare opportunities are limited both in terms of availability (varying greatly among regions) and costs. The study draws on the datasets of INVALSI (Italian Institute for Evaluation of the Education System) and of Cittadinanza Attiva (data on public childcare coverage at
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Büchel, F. & Spiess, C. K. 2002. Form der Kinderbetreuung und Arbeitsmarktverhalten von Müttern in West- und Ostdeutschland. Schriftenreihe des Bundesministeriums für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend. Band 220. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer. 32 Although the term childcare is used in the title, the content of the article actually refer to kindergarten provision.
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nd
the provincial level). A national sample of children assessed at age 7 (2 grade of primary school) for cognitive outcomes was studied using statistical regression analysis of survey data covering a broad range of indicators on child, family and environmental characteristics. The data (children school outcomes, family and environmental characteristics, childcare coverage in the area) were analysed through statistical estimations within an econometric model. The findings point out that the impact of childcare availability on children’s cognitive development is higher for children with low educated mothers living in low-income areas: this stresses the importance of rationing childcare according to family SES criteria and to increase childcare availability especially in disadvantaged areas. Havnes, T., and Mogstad, M. 2009. No Child Left Behind: Universal Child Care and Children's Long-Run Outcomes. Bonn: IZA (Institute for the Study of Labour). Retrieved from: http://www.econstor.eu/dspace/bitstream/10419/36326/1/616201729.pdf The aim of this study was to analyze the introduction of subsidized, universally accessible childcare in Norway addressing its impact on children’s long-term outcomes (educational attainment). To elicit causal relationships between childcare and children’s long-term educational attainment, the authors used a difference-indifference model, exploiting a childcare reform from 1975 in Norway, for carrying out the estimation. Drawing on a national sample of children distributed across 3 cohorts (pre-reform, phase-in, post-reform) adults’ outcomes – in terms of years spent in education – were examined at age 30-33 by using a statistical regression model for data analysis. Research findings indicated that childcare attendance substantially improved children’s educational attainment in the long term (in aggregate terms an additional 17.500 childcare places produced 6.200 years of education) and raised their chances to complete high school and attend college. Subsample analysis indicated that the greatest effects on education stemmed from children with low educated mothers. Overall, the findings suggest that universal access to subsidized childcare levels the playing field by increasing intergenerational mobility.
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B 5. Studies focusing on pedagogical approaches and educational processes Hübenthal, M. and Ifland A. M. (2011) Risks for children? Recent 33 developments in early childcare policy in Germany. Childhood 18(1) 114– 127. The study discussed the effects of a ‘human capital investment strategy’ – that has become progressively influential in the German welfare state – on early childhood education with particular reference to the ‘risks for children’. As a consequence of the human capital investment turn within the policy for children and families, ECEC policies have become increasingly important on the basis of the rationale that investing in early childhood services will produce pay-offs for the society’s economy, as well as for the individual child in the future. However, the analysis of recent child-oriented critiques of the human capital investment approach carried out in this study highlights that such strategies may lead to major risks for children:
While the human capital investment reorientation of the German welfare state – that took place at the beginning of 2000 – highlights the crucial role of high quality ECEC in improving children’s educational and life chances, many studies have pointed out that this policy field and its occupational area were neglected for decades. As a result, low staff educational levels, low wages and little societal recognition, high workloads and poor standards (e.g. staff–child ratio) were, and still are, dominant features of the German ECEC system. Against this background the authors questioned to what extent the human capital investment policy aim of expanding a system of high-quality ECEC could actually be realized in the near future and fear that ECEC system will instead be overburdened by complex societal expectations while framing conditions will be likely to remain unchanged.
Whereas empirical studies concerning children between the ages of 3 and 6 years demonstrated that children with a migration background – a group of children affected more than average by poverty and whose families are characterized more than average by low socioeconomic status – are underrepresented in early childcare facilities, the abolition of ECEC fees – independent of the occupational status of their parents – is currently not at issue within the governmental ECEC social-investment strategies. Beyond that, further analysis and societal debates would be required for investigating how the culture-specific needs of children and families with migration backgrounds could be better considered in ECEC policies. If such issues are not addressed, poverty and social exclusion of disadvantaged groups could hardly be tackled by ECEC.
Whereas – within federal government and public debates – demands for increased efficiency, aggregation and speeding up of ECEC are primarily driven by the argument of preparing children for the functional needs of a globalized knowledge-based economy, alternative discourses are pointing out that these recent developments in ECEC might lead to neglect child-specific learning needs in favour of economic rationalization. In contrast to the efforts
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Although the term childcare is used in the title, the content of the article actually refer to kindergarten provision
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of the federal government to make ECEC more effective in the sense of ‘the more the better’ and ‘the faster the better’, research findings highlight that young children’s learning process is highly dependable on social environment, stable and trusting interaction with other children and adults, as well as free and unconditional space and time for play and free expression. Therefore a human capital investment strategy that emphasise early formalised learning over children’s developmental needs is inevitably going to have counter-productive effects. To conclude, the authors also identify the danger that human capital investment ECEC policies – by focusing primarily on the argument of creating ‘working citizens of the future’ – might neglect the democratic value of education in which children are seen as active citizen with the right to participate in decision-making processes that affect them (UNCRC, 1989). These considerations advocate for ECEC policies in which services are not only viewed as merely functional to the formation of human capital, but also as democratic forums for the creation a more inclusive and equal society. Jensen, J. J. 2011. Understandings of Danish pedagogical practices. In Cameron, C. & Moss, P. (eds.) Social Pedagogy and Working with Children and Young People, p. 141-157. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. The study was based on the findings of a research project investigating core understandings of pedagogical practices for working with young children in early childhood centres in Denmark and part of a larger European study on professions in care work. In the context of the Danish welfare state, pedagogy plays a crucial role, with pedagogues constituting an important part of the workforce in early childhood services. The study described the pedagogical understandings underpinning practices in ECEC, drawing on the investigation of pedagogues’ perceptions through multimedia research methods (SOPHOS). From the study emerged that the rationality generally underpinning practices in Danish ECEC services reflects an institutional logic of childhood that recognise children as experts in their own lives. According to this logic, children acquire experience in their own terms – through play and participation – and therefore interaction between children and adults should be respectful of children’s needs and based upon dialogic communication (‘appreciative relations’). In line with this logic, the atmosphere and pace of day-to-day life in ECEC centres are characterised by children’s deep-level involvement into activities, openness toward unpredictability and humour. In particular the study findings highlight that the logic of childhood underpinning pedagogical practices in Danish ECEC centres focuses on:
The value of children’s everyday life experiences. Togetherness in everyday life activities – such as eating, sleeping, going to the bathroom, going for a walk and welcoming and parting parents – is an essential component of early childhood pedagogy that allows children to become resourceful, independent and capable of living in society. In this sense play, learning in planned activities and everyday life experiences carry equal importance in Danish pedagogical practices. Everyday life activities take up much time and space and they are considered important for the life of children ‘here and now’ rather than for instrumental purposes linked to future outcomes.
Kropslighed (lit. ‘embodiment’). Children should be encouraged to express themselves with their body and to show their feelings. Therefore attention should be drawn to the creation of a physical environment and an emotional climate that support children’s natural expression through embodiment (running, jumping, laughing, crying, screaming out loud...).
Outdoor life is marked by informal interactions where children can play without interruption in a natural and physically challenging
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environment. The pedagogical value of outdoor life consists in favouring risk-taking activities that nurture children’s self-confidence and independence; in developing knowledge about nature; and in relating to the wider world outside the centre (eg. walk to the forest, to the beach, participation to public places in the area).
Child-child relations. Relationships among children are highly valued and friendship within ECEC centre are intentionally cultivated by the pedagogues as a way of creating a socially inclusive community.
Participating adults. The engagement of adults in children’s activities is seen as a way of building relationships of closeness to the children and to their experiences. By participating to children’s experiences and activities, pedagogues try to listen to their ideas, to understand their feelings and to see things from their perspective.
The author concludes that all these aspects connoting pedagogical approaches in working with young children in Denmark have been nurtured over the years by a context in which ample space was given to children’s and pedagogues’ initiatives in co-constructing everyday experiences within ECEC centres. There is a risk that the increased control, placed upon ECEC centres at local and national level since 2004, might hinder such practices undermining children’s voices in educational processes. ISSA. 2010. Competent educators of the 21st Century: ISSA’s principles of quality pedagogy. Amsterdam. Retrieved from: http://tandis.odihr.pl/documents/hrecompendium/rus/CD%20SECT%205%20EVAL/V_97_2_ENG.pdf The International Step by Step Association is established since 1994 as an initiative of the Open Society Institute and promoted innovation in pre-school, primary schools and communities of Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe and Central Asia. As an international organisation, ISSA is committed to the provision of equal access to education and care opportunities, to a child-centred, holistic and individualised approach to child development through developmentally appropriate practices, to a socio-constructivist vision of learning that unfolds in children’s interactions with peers, adults and the surrounding community environment. This document is the result of a long-standing process of consultation that involved ISSA experts in the effort of defining principles for quality pedagogy in ECEC settings according to the needs of the regions in which ISSA operates. The results of this consultation process among ISSA members identified seven areas across which quality pedagogy can be strived for:
Interactions. Interactions among children as well as between children and adults are crucial for promoting children’s’ physical, social, emotional and cognitive development through reciprocal exchanges of knowledge, experiences, feelings and opinions that allow children to develop a sense of the self, of being a member of the community and knowledge of the world. Good quality pedagogical practices therefore should sustain children’s learning through participation in co-constructive processes that foster their holistic development in caring ways (nurturing relationships as a way of leaning and living together).
Family and communities. Strong partnerships among educators, families and community members are essential for children’s development and meaningful learning. By being responsive to the diversity of families’ needs and by involving them in the life of the school, educators support a shared responsibility for the education of young children within local communities, which in turn promotes social cohesion on a larger scale.
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Inclusion, diversity and values of democracy. Good quality pedagogy promotes the right of every child and family to be included, respected and valued through participation in decisionmaking processes. Striving toward common goals that allow children – especially those who are more vulnerable – to achieve their full potential should stand at the core of everyday educational initiatives undertaken in ECEC settings: children should therefore be recognised as active participants in the educational process and acknowledged as equal members in their communities.
Assessment and planning. Systematically observing children’s needs (both at individual and group level), elaborating educational plans focusing on their interests and experiences and evaluating their progresses for promoting future achievements are essential aspects of good quality pedagogy. Children, families and relevant professionals should all be involved in the assessment and planning process in order to promote the full development of each child, according to their individualised needs in the framework of the wider social and cultural orientations (curricular guidelines).
Teaching strategies. The strategies that educators use to promote children’s learning should reflect democratic values, combine social and cognitive development and be open for diversity in order to promote children’s curiosity, critical thinking and cooperation. ‘A quality pedagogical process builds on the belief that care, learning and nurturing form a coherent whole and that every child well-being and engagement are prerequisites for learning’ (ISSA, 2010; p. 32)
Learning environment. By creating a physically and psychologically safe and stimulating environment that offers a variety of developmentally appropriate materials, tasks, and situations, the educator encourages children’s learning through independent and group exploration, play, access to diverse resources, and interaction with other children and adults.
Professional development. Active participation, critical reflection, mutual cooperation with colleagues and engagement in ongoing professional development are essential features that connote the work of educators committed to good quality pedagogy.
The authors conclude that these principles could set the basis for local innovation of pedagogical practices for working with young children, given that sufficient space is left to children’s participation, to educators’ experimentation and to the involvement of parents and communities in ECEC services.
Laevers, F. 2011. Experiential Education: making care and education more effective through well being and involvement. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development: Montreal, Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development. Retrieved from: http://www.childencyclopedia.com/documents/LaeversANGxp1.pdf The article identifies and discusses the pedagogical aspects that are essential for promoting early childhood development from the child’s perspective in the framework of Experiential Education (EXE). The educational model of Experiential Education was developed between the 1970’s and 1980’s from a series of observations of young children in ECEC settings in Flanders (Belgium) and progressively became one of the most influential models in the area. In the theoretical framework elaborated by EXE the most effective way of evaluating quality of ECEC services is in relation to children’s learning outcomes is to focus on two process dimensions:
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Emotional well-being, indicating that the basic needs of the child are satisfied (children feel at ease, act spontaneously, show vitality and self-confidence)
Level of involvement, referring to the extent to which children are concentrated and focused, operating at the very limits of their capabilities.
On the basis of these assumptions, methodological tools were elaborated (Leuven Scale) in order to facilitate practitioners’ reflection on pedagogical practices and to promote their improvement through interventions directed toward individual children, toward the general context or toward educational approaches adopted within the setting. Drawing on the wealth of these experiences Ten Action Points for promoting children well-being and involvement in educational environment were identified: Fig. 1.
Rearrange the classroom in appealing corners or areas
Fig. 2.
Check the content of the areas and make them more challenging
Fig. 3.
Introduce new and unconventional materials and activities
Fig. 4.
Identify children’s interests and offer activities that meet these
Fig. 5.
Support activities by stimulating inputs
Fig. 6.
Widen the possibilities for free initiative and support them with sound agreements
Fig. 7.
Improve the quality of the relations amongst children and between children and teacher(s)
Fig. 8.
Introduce activities that help children to explore the world of behaviour, feelings and values
Fig. 9.
Identify children with emotional problems and work out sustaining interventions
Fig. 10.
Identify children with developmental needs and work
out
interventions that engender involvement.
Fig. 11.
The author concludes that high levels of emotional well-being and involvement lead to high levels of child development by nurturing children’s exploratory drive that provide intrinsic motivation for learning. In this sense deep-level learning – instead of superficial learning, which is externally driven – is encouraged and longlasting effects can be obtained. By being engaged in deep-level learning experiences
within
ECEC
settings, children’s
are
supported in their all-round development through connectedness with each others, with adults with the material world around them and with broader society. Mantovani, S. 2007. Early Childhood Education in Italy. In Early Childhood Education. An International Encyclopedia, ed. New, R. S. and M. Cochran, 1110 – 5. Westport (CT): Praeger Publishers. The study discusses the fundamental features characterising early childhood pedagogy in Italy, starting from the assumption that pedagogy in such context is defined as the general framework within which educational processes are understood and reflected upon. The author defines pedagogy as a reflection about
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educational experiences that are characterised by values, goals, intentionality and that are considered as intrinsically relational processes situated in culture and time. In this sense, pedagogy is conceptualised at the same time as theory of education – being philosophical and political – and as a practical science – studying and interpreting educational events that take place in human interactions within evolving social and cultural contexts. Arguing that early childhood pedagogy in the Italian context builds upon broad perspectives and a variety of approaches rather than upon a specific curricular framework focused on teaching and learning activities, the author outlines its core principle as follows:
A broad and holistic approach to children’s development focused on children’s personal needs (bodily and emotional well-being; sense of identity and autonomy; links between family and ECEC environment; rhythm, pace and atmosphere of everyday life in the setting; spaces to play, rest and share pleasant moments)
Significance of interpersonal and social relationships that are seen as fundamental means for sustaining children’s autonomy, developing a positive identity and a strong sense of the self, eliciting curiosity and sustaining children’s involvement through dialogue, discussion, fun and stability in partnership
An image of the child as competent, active agent in his/her own learning that takes place within interactions with peers, adults and cultural artefacts
A conceptualisation of knowledge as the result of co-constructed meaning making processes
A complex vision of learning that avails of the integrated use of many symbolic languages through project work for making sense of reality (art, science, social interaction…)
The importance of the situations and environments in which learning takes place (e.g. physical environment, quality of the materials, significance of the organisation of space in the setting…); spaces and materials made available to children are considered ‘the third educator’ given their role in mediating children’s self-initiated learning experiences.
A vision of education as a participatory process, that unfolds socioemotional, community and political dimensions and it engages children, families, decision-makers and citizens in defining the identity of ECEC institutions (‘community character’ of ECEC institutions)
Sensitivity toward inclusion and attention to diversity focusing on the development of respectful and meaningful exchanges between individuals, groups and approaches
Value attached to continuity of relationships over time (children share ECEC experiences with the same group of children and the same teacher team for the length of time they attend such settings and primary school classes are formed by taking into account the strong links that have been developed between peers, their families and teachers over the pre-school years)
The importance of documenting children’s everyday experiences in ECEC services – through observation, listening, recording – for rereading and re-thinking educational experiences together with children and families and for sustaining a culture of childhood within the local community
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An awareness of the cultural nature of ideas and practices concerning children and education
A striving for universal access to educational and care services as an opportunity to experience diversity, to negotiate meanings and to develop a broader self.
Moss, P. 2011. Democracy as first practice in early childhood education and care. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development: Montreal, Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development. Retrieved from: http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/documents/MossANGxp1.pdf The article discusses the issues of democracy in early childhood education and care, drawing on the long-standing pedagogical traditions that over the years have shaped early childhood approaches in many services for young children across Europe. Democracy is considered as a multidimensional concept that encompasses people’s participation in decision-making processes on matters that affect them and therefore as a relational, ethical and political concept. In so doing, the author explores possibilities for the operation of democracy at several levels of the ECEC system. Bringing democratic values and practices in ECEC means reclaiming the space for collective choices aimed at the common good at each level of the system: national, local and institutional level. Practicing democracy in the ECEC field at national level implies envisaging ECEC services as a public good, providing an entitlement to services for all children as citizens (along with a funding system that enables children to exercise their entitlement) and elaborating a framework curriculum that defines broad values and goals while allowing , at the same time, local interpretations. Practicing democracy at local governmental level means developing and sustaining ‘local cultural projects of childhood’ which enable community members to take responsibility for the education of young children through civic engagement, political consultation processes and involvement in the management of ECEC institutions. In this way ECEC services become spaces for participatory democracy where children, parents, professionals and local administrators have the possibility to discuss their experiences, exchange their points of view and share common goals and aspirations on education as well as on civil society. Practicing democracy at the level of ECEC institutions means that both children and adults engage in the following activities:
Decision-making about the purposes, practices and management of ECEC services (for example by running nurseries as social cooperatives of parents and professionals or by electing parentsprofessional committees involved in both pedagogical and administrative issues). Children, parents and professionals should also be involved in the design of early childhood environments as well as in the educational planning of the centre.
Deepening the understanding of learning processes by encompassing children’s views, parents’ interpretations and practitioners’ observations. Early childhood pedagogies that are open to unpredictability rather than being oriented toward the achievement of pre-determined outcomes value children’s agency in learning processes and therefore sustain their achievements in the long term
Participatory evaluation of early childhood work through meaningmaking processes that involve all stakeholders, including children, and make educational practices visible, therefore subject to reflection, dialogue and change. In this sense evaluation has the potential to generate new pedagogical knowledge through participatory research processes, to nurture staff personal and professional development and to sustain the social and cultural growth of ECEC institutions
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contesting dominant discourses by asking critical questions, encouraging the discussion of divergent points of view and respecting diversity.
The author concludes by arguing that, in order to sustain democratic and inclusive societies, the values and purposes of ECEC services need to be constantly examined and re-defined in dialogue with children, parents and community. In this sense nurturing democratic practices in ECEC means to respect the natural learning strategies of young children and to value their agency in the process of generating new knowledge and understandings of childhood within society. Pramling Samuelsson, I. & Asplund Carlsson, M. 2008. The playing learning child: towards a pedagogy of early childhood. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 52:6, 623-641. The study elaborates on the findings of several years of research carried out in the context of Swedish pre- schools in relation to play and learning in order to propose a sustainable pedagogy for the future that does not separate these two element but rather draw upon similarities for promoting creative reasoning in future generations. Systematic research on learning, carried out by Goteborg University, highlights how both activities – play and learning – are intertwined in children’s everyday experiences and are characterised by an act (how children play and learn) and an object (what children play and learn). On a day-to-day basis children in pre-schools are engaged in certain experiences and activities within which they relate to signs and symbols in contexts of interaction with peers and adults. Within these processes, the role of the teachers has a great impact in enacting and sustaining children’s learning. The authors argue that high quality pre-school settings are those where ‘one can see in children’s play what they work with in their daily curriculum and also how the themes coming up in play are picked up by teachers in the curriculum work’. This implies that teachers’ and children’s contributions are equally important in shaping the content and methodologies of learning. In this sense, research findings from Sweden support the argument that early childhood pedagogy should be different in nature from the traditional school teaching and be elaborated by drawing upon the similarities between play and learning in children’s everyday interactions within ECEC settings. Therefore the effective promotion of learning processes in pre-school settings presuppose:
Teachers’ awareness of both the child’s perspective and her/his own
The engagement of child and teacher in the process
Teachers’ goal direction and sensitivity to child perspective operating simultaneously in order to expand children’s experiences
High levels of communication and interactions between children and teachers and among children themselves.
On the basis of these research findings, promoting children’s learning within ECEC settings means to adopt an approach that coherently link knowledge to social interaction and to the organisation of the environment for fostering meaning-making processes in children’s everyday experiences. In this sense, early childhood education should be organised to allow the greatest possible amount of interaction and communication among children and between children and teachers on a daily basis. Early childhood pedagogy therefore should be substantially different from traditional school teaching and draw on the similarities between play and learning for the elaboration of strategies that are respectful of children’s development. To conclude, the authors outline the key-features of a pedagogy of early childhood education, based on the similarities between play and learning which are:
Adopting children’s experiences as a point of departure for meaningmaking processes
Envisaging learning as a process that encompasses both interpersonal and intra-personal variation (acknowledging the variety of
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ways in which a child learns as well as the variety of ways in which a group of children think about the same phenomenon)
Focusing children’s attention on meta-cognitive aspects of learning, trying to develop children’s self-awareness and respect for different points of view.
Making use of the close connections between playing and learning for promoting children’s full development means that teachers should leave room for improvisation, interaction and listening to the children, encouraging children’s willingness to make sense of the surrounding world through the exploration of possibilities offered by everyday life within ECEC settings.
Vandenbroeck, M. 2011. Diversity in Early Childhood Services. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development: Montreal, Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development. Retrieved from: http://www.childencyclopedia.com/documents/VandenbroeckANGxp1.pdf The study discusses the issue of diversity and equity in ECEC that, in recent years, has received an increasing attention by policy-makers and researchers. Although at policy level a certain consensus exists in viewing ECEC as a central plank of inclusive policies, this consensus does not extend to the way diversity is perceived or treated in different contexts. As the discourse of diversity has become so pervasive in ECEC that it risk to become meaningless, the author calls for a reconceptualisation of the issue starting from the analysis of three dominant paradigms which are:
The economic perspective. Within this paradigm ECEC is perceived as an important tool for overcoming disadvantage: the return on investment is high, leading to better social and educational outcomes for children and later, better adjustment to the requirements of school, workplace and society. Although this perspective might be useful for identifying quantitative needs, it fails to address qualitative questions that are crucial for the design and provision of effective ECEC services within diverse local communities. Furthermore, by reducing children to the status of future adults, this approach might disregard their well-being and participation here and now, which is an essential condition for successful learning.
The educational approach to children from disadvantaged background. This paradigm builds on the principle that children from disadvantaged background needs services, which are tailored to their background and specific needs. As for many children the enrolment in ECEC services represents their first steps into society – reflecting how society looks at them – it becomes essential to construct educational environments that value their identity and that are responsive to their needs, as a positive self-image stands at the basis of children’s well-being and capacity to succeed. For this reason, the author argues that a child-centred curriculum needs to be a family-centred curriculum as well: in this regards reference is made to the guiding principles for the elaboration of curricula respectful of diversity identified by DECET (see literature A, p. 14)
The social perspective. Within this paradigm ECEC is seen as an integral part of the social welfare system that States have put into place for ensuring social justice, equal opportunities and the distribution of wealth. However, many scholars have demonstrated that children from ethnic minority or low-income families tend either to be under-represented in ECEC services or to attend services of lower quality compared to higher income families. In this sense, policy-makers and administrator should make more effort in
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ensuring that high quality ECEC services are available to all children either free or at an affordable cost. In the conclusions, the author advocates for a more comprehensive view on the issues of diversity and equity in ECEC, which integrates economic, educational and social perspectives rather than favouring one paradigm only. In particular the author identifies the risks associated with narrowing the focus on one paradigm only: a narrow economic focus may lead to disregard children’s and parents’ perspective in educational processes; a narrow educational perspective might lead to schoolification of ECEC services while a purely welfare concern may lead to poor quality, with weakly qualified staff who are unable to meet the educational needs of young children. In this sense it is suggested that in diversity situations public policies need to be complemented by analysis from different perspectives in order to better address the complex needs of children and families in contemporary society. If all these issues are not carefully taken into account within an integrated framework, ECEC might be viewed theoretically as plank of inclusive policies but in reality might actually contribute to widen the education gap.
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B 6. Studies focussing on European research on policy for young children EACEA. 2009. Tackling social and cultural inequalities through early childhood education and care in Europe. Brussels: EACEA Eurydice. The study, commissioned by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission, explores the available cross-national data and national policies on ECEC in Europe. In particular, the study addresses issues of efficiency and equity of ECEC systems by placing emphasis on policy geared specifically to at risk children (OECD category C /Disadvantages). The study covers 30 member countries of the Eurydice Network and analyses data concerning only accredited and subsidised centre-based provision (pubic and semi-private provision). The main research findings point out that the countries, which are more successful in achieving high participation rates of at risk children in ECEC provision, are the countries that have adopted a unitary model as:
The entitlement to a place has been recognised as a right for all children
Opening hours are generally extended to meet the flexible working hours of parents
A coherent pedagogical approach that attributes the same importance to education, socialisation and care has been developed.
On the basis of robust research findings, the study advocates for policies that increase both availability and accessibility of ECEC provision, especially for children under three as a necessary condition to incrementing participation among children and families at risk. Further policy attention should be also given to the impact of informal obstacles that hinder the participation of at risk children in preschool provision (3-6 services), in order to make ECEC more attractive to disadvantaged families by tailoring services on their diverse needs. In these regards, centre-based, intensive, early starting and child-focused ECEC programs that combine the provision of parental support (‘strong parent involvement, parent education, programmed educational home activities and measures of family support’) have proven to be successful in producing long-term benefits for disadvantaged children and parents. By contrast, targeted ECEC programs for disadvantaged children have proven to be scarcely effective, as they are found to reinforce social and ethnic segregation, which may transfer to the primary school system as well. In this sense, research evidence shows that ECEC services with a more mixed income population lead to better results for children and promote social inclusion. The authors conclude by arguing that one of the main policy challenges at the current time is to (re)build (current) ECEC systems that provide high quality care and education for all children, that are integrated, attractive and affordable to all families regardless social class or minority status, yet that are sensitive to differing educational needs and able to compensate early educational disadvantages. The ideal early education system is both integrated and differentiated, ensures both common developmental and educational goals, yet is adaptive to individual needs and preferences, and works in both a child- and family-centred way. The system joins up the different types of care, education and support that are provided through inter-service cooperation that ensure equivalent quality for all subsystems. NESSE. 2009. Early childhood education and care. Key lessons from research for policy makers. Retrieved from: http://ec.europa.eu/education/news/news1697_en.htm The study is a comprehensive review of international evidence on the social benefits of ECEC. By providing an analytical overview of the various rationales that
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drive the development of ECEC services, the study summarises existing research knowledge and highlight policy measures that may contribute to successful ECEC policy development and implementation. The most important findings highlight that:
There are many competing, intersecting and overlapping arguments that drive ECEC policy. Not all of them are compatible.
In economic terms investments in ECEC bring great returns, although it needs to be acknowledged that the size of the effects and its long-term impact may vary considerably according to the quality of services provided. Therefore claims about ECEC contribution to long-term economic well-being should be carefully contextualised rather than considered in isolation from other societal factors.
Quality ECEC provides a solid foundation for more effective future learning, achievements and children's social development, although theoretical conceptions of the processes involved may differ according to the broader socio-cultural and political contexts in which services operates (see the section on pedagogical approaches outlined above).
Targeting ECEC service to disadvantaged children is problematic for social inclusion as it tends to reinforce stigmatisation. Inclusive generalised provision should be considered a more suitable option.
Private for-profit services tend to offer the lowest quality provision in all countries investigated and consequently may contribute to exacerbate social stratification.
The wealth of educational approaches and experiences that build on young children's rights and participation leads to major changes in the ways in which ECEC services are conceptualised and delivered. A child rights approach focuses on and organizes effort on the experiences of children in the here and now and solicits their participation. Therefore, early intervention should not be considered as something that is done to young children for (re)shaping their future, but rather venture with them in collaborative ways.
Child poverty and vulnerability are multi-causal and impact severely on children's well-being and educational attainment. Redistributive measures to lessen child poverty have been cost-effective in many countries, and such measures could be extended to all countries. ECEC services, however good, can only marginally compensate for family poverty and socio-economic disadvantage.
ECEC services are a complex issue that cross many traditional administrative boundaries. A systematic and integrated approach to early education and care is necessary to develop and improve services at a systemic level – a co-ordinated policy framework, the appointment of a lead ministry, the coordination of central and decentralized levels, a consultative approach to reform, links across services and so on.
Despite some robust findings from individual child development studies, there are no unambiguous empirical data about young children that can inform ECEC policy development and implementation in Europe. Findings from the field of child development need to be carefully contextualized.
To conclude, the study suggests that any EU-level measure addressing ECEC services development should undertake a comprehensive approach that acknowledges the need for a range of inter-linked initiatives in order to promote
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children’s well-being, educational achievements and social participation in an increasingly complex and diverse society. European Commission (2011). Early Childhood Education and Care: Providing all our children with the best start for the world of tomorrow. Retrieved from: http://ec.europa.eu/education/schooleducation/doc/childhoodcom_en.pdf The Communication addresses fundamental issues with which Member States are confronted at the current time: to provide access to child care and education for all children, but also to raise the quality of provision through well integrated services that build on a joint vision of the role of ECEC, of the most effective curricular frameworks and of the staff competences and governance arrangements necessary to deliver it. The Communication recognises that ECEC plays an important role in reducing the incidence of early school leaving – which is strongly correlated with situations of socio-economic disadvantage – in overcoming the social segregation of marginalised groups (e.g. Roma) and in reducing the educational achievement gap of children with migrant backgrounds. For these reasons, the provision of universally available high-quality ECEC – supported by efficient and equitable funding strategies – is strongly encouraged. As research evidence indicates, returns on investment in early childhood education are the highest, especially for children from disadvantaged background, while educational investment at later stages tends to benefit mostly children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. In the Communication, the issue of ECEC quality is addressed through three key-aspects:
Curriculum: ECEC services should be designed and delivered to meet all children's full range of needs, cognitive, emotional, social and physical. Young children’s developmental needs and learning strategies are very different from those of school-age children. Appropriate practices that integrate care and education should be elaborated in order to promote children’s socio-emotional and cognitive development;
Staff: as competent educators are key to high quality ECEC services, attracting, educating, and retaining suitably qualified staff should be seen as a priority. Furthermore, given the highly complex and diverse context in which educators are operating, continuous reflection on pedagogical practices as well as systemic approaches to professionalization should be promoted within ECEC settings;
Governance: a systemic approach to the ECEC services that builds on a strong collaboration between the different policy sectors, such as education, employment, health, social policy allows governments to develop and implement policies more simply and to combine resources for children and their families more efficiently. This requires a coherent vision that is shared by all stakeholders, including parents, a common policy framework with consistent goals across the system, and clearly defined roles and responsibilities at central and local levels in order to better address local needs.
The Communication concludes by stressing the need to learn from good practice and experiences carried out in Member States for improving the quality of policy in ECEC across the EU. These activities could be organised under the Open Method of Coordination, by focusing on the identification and analysis of common challenges, good practice models and how to transfer successful approaches to other systems. Furthermore the Communication suggests that – given the important role that ECEC has to play in reducing early school leaving and overcoming educational disadvantage – key challenges as well as possible solutions in this field should be highlighted in Member States' National Reform Programmes to address the Europe 2020 priorities.
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Belgian Ministry for Social Integration and UNICEF. 2011. Preventing Social Exclusion through the Europe 2020 Strategy: early childhood development and the inclusion of Roma families. Brussels. This Discussion Paper was prepared on the behalf of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and it is the result of a consultation process that involved both Roma and Early Childhood Development experts (UNICEF & European Social Observatory). The aim of the paper was to provide directions on Early Childhood Development (ECD), one of the most promising strategies for the social inclusion of Roma children. The Discussion Paper explored the situation of Roma families in Europe and the problems with which they are confronted. It also outlined the policies implemented at national levels as well as the key legal instruments available at EU level and looked at experiences that are being developed by the NGO sector. The paper concludes with concrete recommendations addressed to the EU and to domestic policymakers:
A broad but coherent approach to ECD of Roma children is required as part of the Member States’ National Reform Programmes. In national strategies for the inclusion of Roma, ECD should be seen not only as the foundation of health and learning for young children, but also a source of employment for Roma women. At EU level such coherent strategy could be undertaken by linking the work on the recent Communication on the Rights of the Child (COMM2006-367) to the forthcoming Recommendations on Child Poverty and Wellbeing (July 2012);
The European Commission should identify priority areas for EU spending so that funding could be directed more effectively toward micro-regions and neighbourhoods whose population is hardest hit by poverty and social exclusion for addressing issues such as employment, health, housing, community renovation and ECD. A special ECD funding facility should be created in order to resource innovative early development programmes and scale up promising current initiatives over a long-term time frame, until such programs can be taken over by local government or national funding bodies.
Systematic data collection and research on Roma population and children should be carried out at national levels. Special efforts should be made to ensure that children from the most marginalised Roma communities have the opportunity to express their opinion and shape policies and practices that affects them.
Attention to Roma children in EU policies should be improved through the following initiatives:
Build on the work of the recent Communication on ECEC (COMM2011-66), advocating for the provision of comprehensive ECD services to all children with a particular focus on the most marginalised children such as Roma, for ensuring that the next steps toward the promotion of a more equitable and inclusive access to ECEC are followed through the implementation of coordinated and cross-sectorial policies intervening on behalf of young children (education, employment health and social policies)
Ensure that the implementation of the recently adopted Agenda for the Right of the Child (COMM2011-60/4) mainstreams attention to marginalised children and provides for specific follow up on the actions for Roma children identified in the Agenda
Ensure that Roma children and families receive due attention in the forthcoming Recommendations to fight child poverty and promote child well-being (July 2012)
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At national level, responsive policies addressing the ECD challenge for Roma children should be combined with context-specific initiatives that concretely promote the inclusion of Roma children in ECEC services by:
Ensuring that all children born in Europe are registered at birth
Expand and strengthen outreach services for young children and families from isolated and marginalised communities (especially health and community services that in many regions are the only formal system to have contact with Roma)
Make existing systems more responsive and flexible in order to make the broad range of services needed for young children more acceptable to Roma communities (for example by using health, education and cultural mediators). These services should focus especially on the education of Roma girls and women.
Support Roma families to promote the development of their young children at home through the provision of a safe and stimulating physical psycho-social environment by enhancing woman’s childrearing skills
Provide at least two years of inclusive, mandatory and affordable high quality pre-school education that provide comprehensive services (health, nutrition and parental support) and facilitate smooth transition of children from home to pre-school and from preschool to formal schooling. Children’s testing and placement in special schools should be removed, along with the perverse financial and social incentives that encourage Roma families to enrol their children in such special schools. Instead, both preschools and schools should be prepared to welcome Roma children by removing financial and bureaucratic barriers, by training teachers in anti-bias education and recruiting Roma assistant, by adapting curricula in order to acknowledge existing strengths of Roma children as a basis for equal treatment. Inclusion should be embraced as a core goal of education; therefore culturally sensitive and participatory practices that include Roma communities in decision-making should be seen as essential pre-requisites of high quality provision.
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Conclusions In this literature study we analysed several longitudinal studies on outcomes of ECEC in the European Union. In addition, some examples of influential qualitative studies and policy reports have been added. It needs to be noted that quantitative, longitudinal outcome studies in the EU are limited, in contrast to more qualitative studies that look at processes and pedagogies. Both type of studies are important and need to be considered as complementing each other. The longitudinal studies, presented here, may provide political arguments for investing in early childhood education and in promoting quality of provisions. On the other hand, they often lack a debate of what the outcomes should be, as overall the outcomes that are measured are quite similar across different countries. They also tend to look at pedagogies as instrumental to reach the predefined outcomes. The qualitative studies that we selected give more insights in pedagogical processes that may contribute to reaching desired outcomes. More importantly, they also show substantial debates on what these desired outcomes may be, by broadening the scope from individual achievements (e.g. school readiness) to more social oriented goals such as social cohesion, social inclusion, equity, respect for diversity and democracy. Given the considerable differences that characterised the research framework, design and content of the studied reviewed in this literature study, drawing evidence on the basis of comparison of research findings becomes quite problematic. First of all, the studies presented in the above section belong to different disciplinary fields and imply considerable differences in framing the research questions and in designing methodological tools for answering such questions. Also, within the range of longitudinal effect-oriented studies, different methodological frameworks are used (e.g. quasi experimental, mixed-methods designs and econometric estimations) and they draw on different samples (small scale, relatively large scale and large scale representative of the target population). The composition of samples also varies greatly according to the specific focus of each study (children from low income families, children with a migrant background, children from mixed backgrounds). Furthermore the studies reviewed investigate the impact of ECEC within an extreme variety in provision (childcare services, preschools, kindergarten, day care services, family day care, targeted programs) and arrangements (regulation, funding, accessibility). The purposes for which ECEC services are designed also change considerably according to the social, cultural and political context within which they originated (care and education of young children, preparation for formal schooling, compensatory intervention, assistance to working mothers). And, most of all, the diverse political contexts also yield important differences in the extent to which the provisions at study operate and are funded (e.g. adult-child ratios, staff qualifications, …). All these factors have an impact on the quality of ECEC provision that cannot be considered to be homogeneous across different contexts but also within the same context (Sylva et al., 2004). Although assumptions on overall ECEC quality were made in most of the studies analysed (Andersson, 1989-1992; Driessen, 2004; van Tuijl & Leseman, 2007; Datta Gupta & Simonsen, 2007; Felfe & Lalive, 2011; Brilli et al, 2011) only in the studies carried out in England, Northern Ireland and Sweden quality was directly taken into account (Broberg et al., 1997; Sammons et al., 2003; Sylva et al., 2004; Melhuish et al., 2006; Sammons et al. 2007). For all these reasons, the scope of a literature study, cannot go beyond contextualised summaries of results. As the literature overview in the more qualitative part shows, many important aspects of ECEC policy and practice cannot be concluded from the quantitative research. First: the very meaning of ECEC (and thus of what outcomes a society expects) should be the result of democratic participatory processes, rather than prescribed by science. Second, once a consensus on the meaning of ECEC has been reached through democratic participatory processes (what outcomes a society expects), it is not only important to see whether ECEC is fulfilling its purpose but
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also to investigate what processes (e.g. pedagogy, reflective practices focusing on children's needs, parent engagement, responsiveness to the social needs of local communities...) do and do not contribute to achieving the agreed goals and outcomes. Third, it is important to keep in mind that in all EU countries the potential public of the ECEC sector is increasingly diverse. The average child does not exist, and therefore, one looks not for a curriculum that serves everybody, but for differentiated approaches that serve each child. This may mean that within countries and regions, a broad curriculum framework is needed that allows discretionary space to professionals, rather than narrowly defining programs and outcomes. Long-term effects of participation in ECEC on children’s development. Most longitudinal studies highlight that attending high quality ECEC program has long-lasting effects on children’s cognitive development (Andersson, 1989 -1992; Broberg et al. 1997; Sylva et al., 2004; Melhuish et al., 2006; Sammons et al. 2007; Melhuish et al., 2008; Brilli et al., 2011). By promoting children’s overall development, ECEC services enhance fundamental cognitive abilities (verbal abilities and scientific thinking) that facilitate further acquisition of domain-specific skills related to language and mathematics. If certain conditions are provided – such as an early start, high quality services and effective primary school education – the positive effects of ECEC attendance can potentially persist until the teen age. However none of the factors mentioned above can, on its own, determine children’s academic achievements and educational success. While the findings of the reviewed studies do not allow speculation on the appropriate age for ECEC enrolment and on the effectiveness of compulsory school provision, relevant information on ECEC quality is provided especially by those studies that combined quantitative and qualitative methodologies. As quality is a matter of crucial importance, a more detailed discussion will follow (Broberg et al., 1997; Sylva et al., 2004; Melhuish et al., 2006; Melhuish et al., 2008). Interestingly, some studies show that ECEC attendance did not have the expected significant impact on children’s cognitive acquisitions. These studies were carried out in contexts in which ECEC provisions tend to be very diverse and highly fragmented with possible negative impact on quality (Caille, 2001; Driessen, 2004) and in some cases their findings refer specifically to the effects of targeted programs for disadvantaged children (Veen et al. 2000-2002; Goede & Reezigt, 2001). This may suggest that quality is less the result of a specific program oriented towards cognitive development (e.g. Kaleidoscoop and Piramide) than a more generic aspect of ECEC. Most studies have found that attending ECEC programs also has long-lasting effects on children’s non-cognitive development (Andersson, 1989 -1992; Sylva et al., 2004; Melhuish et al., 2006; Sammons et al. 2007; Melhuish et al., 2008; Shirley, 2010; Del Boca et al., 2010; Felfe & Lalive, 2011) confirming that early experiences of socialisation with peers in formal settings promote pro-social behaviour, self regulation and autonomy. If early socialisation experiences are carried out in settings providing high quality care and education, the beneficial effects on children’s social and emotional development might persist until the teen age, although other factors – such as quality of the home learning environment and further school experiences – also play important roles. As already mentioned in relation to cognitive development, none of these factors taken in isolation can account for long lasting positive effects on children’s social and emotional development: it is rather the combination of experiences over time that matters. In a few studies (Veen et al., 2000-2002; Driessen, 2004; Datta Gupta & Simonsen, 2007) it was found that ECEC attendance does not substantially affect children social and emotional development. However, given the different contexts in which the studies took place and the variety of service provision investigated (programs targeted to ethnic minority children, centre-based provision and family day care) the only further consideration that could be made is that comprehensive and consistent systems of high quality are a condition to yield the expected beneficial
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results on a population level. Certainly these findings call for a more detailed exploration of these issues in research. All studies focusing on sub-samples of vulnerable children report that high quality ECEC benefits especially the most disadvantaged children, whose gains in cognitive and socio-emotional development are higher than for ‘average’ children (Brilli et al. 2011; Felfe & Lalive, 2011). From the findings of these studies it appears that vulnerable children benefit the most from ECEC when it is provided in contexts of social mix (Sylva, 2004; van Tuijl and Leseman, 2007; Havnes and Mogstad, 2011). Two studies have also found that ECEC intervention contributes to reduce the risk of developing special educational needs (Sammons et al. 2003; Melhuish et al., 2006). These results suggest that services addressing a diverse population, that is, providing structured services for all, in which special attention is geared towards disadvantages children may be preferred over targeted provisions. This is confirmed by some of the qualitative studies and is also to be found among the recommendations of the policy documents we reviewed. Effects on school careers Most of the studies analysed found that participation in ECEC programs – by enhancing children’s cognitive and social competences – facilitate the transition into primary school especially for those children who come from a disadvantaged background (ethnic minority and/or low-income families). These studies report that not only children who attended ECEC program adjust better to formal learning within school setting (Sammons et al. 2003; Sylva et al. 2004; Melhuish, 2006; Lanfranchi et al., 2002-2003) but also that the advantages in educational attainment might persist until the end of primary school, provided that ECEC was of high quality (Sammons et al. 2007; Felfe & Lalive 2011). Similarly, studies carried out on children’s school placement and further educational chances (Spiess et al., 2003; Shirley, 2010; Havnes and Mogstad, 2011) found that benefits of ECEC attendance are particularly salient to the school career of disadvantaged children, proving the substantial contribution made by ECEC to their educational opportunities. Only one study (Caille, 2001) found that pre-school attendance did not substantially influence the inequalities in school career that remain rather strongly affected by family and neighbourhood backgrounds. The study did not provide answers as to why this was the case in France, but qualitative studies of the French “école maternelle” may suggest this be related to elements of the curriculum (e.g. the lack of play-based learning and child-centred curricula) (Brougère, Guénif-Souilamas & Rayna, 2008). Quality matters All the studies analyzed in this literature study concur to say that quality of ECEC provision is crucial for promoting children’s cognitive and social development that, in turn, will contribute to enhance their educational chances and promote their social integration. As these aspects are particularly salient to those children who are living in conditions of socio-economic disadvantage, deepening the discussion on the characteristics of ECEC provision that are associated to good quality becomes important for the scope of this review. The research findings of quantitative and more qualitative studies identify multiple factors that are associated to ECEC quality and that lead to long lasting positive effects on children’s outcomes:
Early start attendance
Staff qualification and continuing professional development opportunities that sustain practitioners’ collective reflectivity and innovation of practices
Strong leadership and ethos shared by all members of staff
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Good emotional climate in the setting, that welcomes the diverse needs of children and families and address them by taking into account their complexity
Adults’ responsive interactions to the diversified needs of young children, promoting their emotional well-being and active engagement in learning processes
Appropriate educational practices that respect the specificity of young children’s learning strategies sustaining their curiosity rather than focusing on early formalised learning that dismiss children’s developmental potential
Pedagogies that combine education and care for promoting the holistic development of children through their active participation in the everyday life of the settings
A balanced curriculum that combines teacher-initiated and childinitiated activities with the purpose of sustaining children’s active engagement in learning processes through encouraging children’s autonomous choices, sustaining shared thinking within group interactions, providing a variety of resources for play according to children’s interests and valuing play as a form of meaning-making that leads to knowledge co-construction
A curriculum that is negotiated with children, parents, professionals and local communities whose voices, opinions and perspectives are valued
A mixture of children from different social backgrounds and diverse ethnic or cultural backgrounds attending the same setting. Targeted programs tend to be less effective.
A strong commitment toward working with parents: involving parents in decision-making about the education of their children in the centre and sharing educational goals promote an higher levels of parents’ engagement in their children learning in the home environment as well. Particular attention should be dedicated to the parents’ partnership in contexts of cultural diversity, where the aspect of negotiating educational goals become crucial for their children’s participation in ECEC services.
Careful documentation of children’s activities (including, but not limited to their learning) and reflection on the documentation with different stakeholders
Policy contexts in which ECEC receive substantial funding, allowing them to implement the described quality criteria. Moreover, effects of ECEC ‘levelling the playing field’ might be more limited in more unequal societies, than in societies that have more comprehensive welfare policies.
The influence of background factors Despite the important contribution made by ECEC to children’s cognitive and social development, it appears evident from the literature reviewed that children's outcomes are also strongly influenced by their socio-economic backgrounds. The quality of children’s home learning environment also play a role in shaping children’s cognitive and social development (Broberg et al., 1997; Sylva et al., 2004). The implications of such findings for the provision of ECEC programs that are aimed at the educational success and social inclusion of children with a disadvantaged background are important as they call attention to the issue of parents’ involvement. In this sense, the studies carried out by the EPPE and EPPNI team in England and Northern Ireland highlight that better gains for children
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and families were found in ECEC that fostered high levels of parents’ participation through the organisation of specific initiatives (outreaching and multi-agency work) and involvement in pedagogical decision-making. Therefore it can be concluded that only services of high quality that purse a strong partnership with parents by engaging them in democratic decision-making can make a real difference in the life chances of vulnerable children and their families. However, the impact of broader socio-economic factors associated with welfare policies should not be underestimated: it is no coincidence that the effects of family background on children’s educational attainment tend to be more limited in Scandinavian countries where universally accessible childcare is provided and SES differences in population are less marked than elsewhere. This leads to the conclusion that well-funded, integrated socio-educational ECEC services in order to succeed in improving the life chances of children and families at risk need to be closely linked to labour, health and social policies that promote a more equal redistribution of resources by targeting extra-funding toward disadvantaged neighbourhoods (UNICEF Innocenti, 2008). Gaps and future research needed The studies reviewed in this literature study also highlight existing gaps in research. Specifically, it emerges that more studies are needed in order to explore how the positive effects of ECEC attendance could be extended through systemic initiatives that involve – on the basis of an equal partnership – primary school and other institutions operated by local authorities in the neighbourhood (e.g. social services, health services, community services, …) as well as informal networks of parents within local communities. It appears that insufficient research attention is given to integrate lifelong learning approaches that would work comprehensively with children; young people communities and families across formal and informal settings. Also more studies adopting multi-method perspectives, combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies in different political contexts would be welcomed, in order to further disentangle social-political and pedagogical issues. Finally, it also needs to be noticed that the democratic approach, about negotiating practices with children, parents and local communities, as described in many of the policy reports, is virtually absent from research. We have no knowledge about studies in which effects of ECEC are examined and in which different stakeholders are involved in the design of the study and the discussion on what the desirable outcomes might be.
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Annex B: Summary tables of research on themes B1, B2, B3 and B4 ■
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A. Studies exploring the relations between ECEC and children cognitive outcomes Box 100 StudBox 101 StBox 102 Aim Box 103 Methodology Box 104 WhBox 105 How Box 106 Summary key findings (B1) y reference udy Type at was studied was it studied Box 107 SylvBox 109 NBox 110 Study Box 115 Location: Box 120 - Box 126 Box 137 -pre-school attendance, compared to none, a, K., Melhuish, aturallyto investigate: England Children standardized child enhance children’ all round development: better E. C., occurring Box 111 intellectual assessment cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes - the Box 116 Context: Sammons, P., prospective development impact of pre- Box 117 Box 127 Box 138 - duration of attendance (months) and quality Five-years Sirajevaluation (attainment) atBox 128 school on children study funded by DfES of pre-school settings matters: an earlier start (under3) Blatchford, I. 3, 4/5, 6 and 7 intellectual and higher quality are related to better intellectual with the purpose of and Taggart, B. years of age Box 129 development development that has long-lasting effects in primary producing research Box 130 2004. The Box 121 school: better academic attainment in KS1 Box 112 - the evidences for policyEffective characteristic of making Box 122 - Box 131 Box 139 - high quality is associated with staff Provision of parental interviews qualification (5), warm and responsive interaction to effective prebackground Box 118 Sample: 3,000 Pre-School school setting in characteristic Box 132 children’s individual needs (1-7) and effective children recruited at age Education this regards of the parentsBox 133 pedagogy(2-3-4-6) 3+ and studied (EPPE) Project. and home Box 113 the longitudinally until the Box 134 Box 140 - effective pedagogy include a balanced Effective Prelearning long-terms effects end of Key-Stage 1. A curriculum (promoting education and social development Box 135 School environment of pre-school on sample of home children as complementary) and a good mix of teacher-initiated ECERS-E rating Education. children academic were recruited at school Box 123 and child-initiated activities ‘sustaining shared thinking’ scale London: DfES / achievement entry for comparison Box 124 Box 141 - centres integrating education and care, Institute of Box 136 case through Keywith pre-school group Box 125 combining flexible hours for childcare along with Education, studies Stage 1 (first andBox 119 Methodology: substantial health and family supports services have the University of quality of preobservations and second year of statistical analysis using highest scores on pre-school quality London. school settings interviews in 12 primary school a multi-level model to (141 among centres which Box 142 -there is a strong relationship between Box 108 attended by explore the value added LA day showed to be the families background characteristics and children children aged 6 by pre-school after taking nursery, most effective intellectual development however the quality of home and 7) account of child, parents, integrated (effectiveness learning environment is more important than SES Box 114 - the home background factors centres, based on the Box 143 - the centres that encouraged high levels of impact of the playgroups, progress children parents engagement in their children learning and home and private day made after involved them in decision-making about children learning childcare history nurseries, controlling pre-test program lead to better intellectual gains for children on children nursery and social development schools and background)
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nursery classes) Box 144 SamBox 145 NBox 146 The Box 149 Location: Box 153 - Box 157 Box 161 - pre-school quality and effectiveness still mons, P., aturallystudy aims to: England children’s standardised matters for children’s social / behavioural developmental Sylva, K., occurring Box 147 assessment of outcomes at age 10, in particular: Box 150 Context: follow cognitive Melhuish, E., prospective outcomes at Readings and investigating up of the EPPI study (3Box 162 >attending higher quality or more effective Sirajevaluation age 10 Mathematic continuing effects 7) funded by DfES with pre-school has a continuing positive effect on children’s Blatchford, I., of pre-school the purpose of producingBox 154 Box 158 outcomes in Reading and Mathematics at age 10 Taggart, B., attendance on research evidences for Box 155 Box 159 Box 163 > by contrast attending low quality pre-school Grabbe, Y. and children’s policy-making no longer show cognitive benefits at the end of KS2 (preBox 156 Box 160 Barreau, S. cognitive Box 151 Sample: background parents’ interviews school children’s cognitive outcomes do not significantly 2007. The development 2,500 children of the differ from those of home children) characteristics and parental Effective Prethroughout Key original sample studied of the parents questionnaire Box 164 - furthermore findings indicates that no one School and Stage 2 of primary longitudinally until the and home factor – quality of pre-school, HLE or school Primary education end of KS2. A sample of learning effectiveness – is the key in shaping children cognitive Education 3-11 (attended by home children were environment outcomes throughout KS2 but rather is the combination Project (EPPE children aged 7 to recruited for comparison of experiences over time that matters 3-11). 10) with pre-school group. Influences on Box 148 - to Box 152 Methodology: Children’s examine the statistical analysis using Attainment combined effect of a contextualised multiand Progress HLE, pre-school level model to analyse in Key Stage and primary the combined effects of 2: Cognitive school pre-school and primary Outcomes in experience on school effectiveness on Year 5. children’s children cognitive London: DfES / cognitive attainment (controlling Institute of attainment background Education, characteristics) University of London. Box 165 MelhBox 166 NBox 167 The Box 172 Location: Box 176 - Box 180 standBox 191 - pre-school attendance enhances all round uish, E., Quinn, aturallystudy aims to Northern Ireland Children ardised child (cognitive and social) development of all children L., Hanna, K., occurring investigate: intellectual assessment over Box 192 Box 173 Context: - attendance of high quality pre-school is Sylva, K., prospective Box 168 longitudinal study funded related to better intellectual outcomes - the Box 177 attai time Sammons, P., evaluation impact of preby DE, DHSSPS and nment at 3, 4,Box 181 Box 193 - high quality is associated with staff Sirajschool on children SSG with the purpose of 5, 6, 7 and 8 Box 182 qualification and professional development (1), strong Blatchford, I. intellectual producing research years of age Box 183 leadership and strong philosophy for the setting shared and Taggart, B. development evidences for policyby all staff (1), ethos and emotional climate of the setting Box 178 - Box 184 paren 2006. The making Box 169 background (warm and responsive interaction with the children, 2), tal interviews Effective Precharacteristics of Box 174 Sample: 800 characteristic parental partnership (3), pedagogy (providing
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School Provision in Northern Ireland (EPPNI) Project. Summary report. Belfast: Department of Education, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and Social Steering Group.
effective prechildren recruited at age of the parentsBox 185 opportunities to extend children learning through play school setting in 3+ and studied and home and self-directed activities, 4) Box 186 this regards longitudinally until the learning Box 194 - nursery schools/classes have the highest end of Key-Stage 1. A environment Box 187 scores on pre-school quality Box 170 - the sample of home childrenBox 179 long-terms effects - Box 188 Box 195 - for all children the quality of the home were recruited at school of pre-school on quality of pre-Box 189 learning environment is more important for children’s entry for comparison children school settings ECERS-E rating intellectual and social development than parental with pre-school group scale educational ( 80 among occupation, education and income (what the parents do attainment Box 175 Methodology: nursery Box 190 is more important than who parents are) therefore through Keystatistical analysis using schools / intensive case fostering active parental engagement with children are Stage 1 (children a multi-level model to classes, studies likely to benefit children cognitive development and up to 8 years) explore the value added playgroups, observations and attainment at school by pre-school after taking private day interviews in 3 Box 196 Box 171 - the - vulnerable children who attend pre-school account of child, parents nurseries, centres where impact of the tend to be less ‘at risk’ of developing SEN even after and home background reception there had been home and taking into account background factors factors classes and indication of good childcare history reception practices (nursery on children groups) school, private day development nursery and a playgroup) Box 197 ShirlBox 198 SBox 199 The Box 200 Location: ROIBox 204 - Box 224 scoreBox 232 - no significant difference were found between ey, M. 2010. An mall scale aim of the study is (disadvantaged urban children s from the Junior the study group (ES students) and the comparison group Early Childhood longitudinal to evaluate the community) academic Certificate in relation to placement in special education Intervention study impact of the attainment at (standardised Box 201 Context: Early Box 233 Programme Early Start age 15 state examinationBox 234 Start (ES) is an early - ES student were more likely to take higherand the long Programme on taken at third year childhood intervention Box 205 level subjects for their Junior Certificate term Outcomes children of secondary program offered in withinBox 206 Box 235 - positive correlation emerges between ES for Students. educational school) selected school in attendance and higher examination marks in Box 207 Child Care in attainment designated Box 225 mathematics and science Practice, 16 (cognitive disadvantaged areas > Box 208 Box 226 Box 236 - no significant relationships emerged for (3):257-274. outcomes) at age Box 209 targeted programme Box 227 semi- other subjects 15. designed to promote Box 210 structured Box 237 -ES students were more likely to study a language and cognitive Box 211 interviews with foreign language which is a entry requirement for development and to parents Box 212 University in Ireland (50% against 33% of the control prevent school failure. Box 213 - Box 228 group) Box 202 Methodology: family Box 229 structBox 238 the early intervention programme non-randomised background ured interviews supported students’ academic attainment – in maths and multimethod research Box 214 with primary and science – over the long term and increased students’ design involving secondary school Box 215 educational chances students, parents, teachers teachers and participantsBox 216 Box 239
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from local community. Box 217 - Box 230 Box 240 - lack of community-based facilities that would Box 203 Sample: 20 teachers’ allow students facing difficulties in certain subjects to Box 231 Haas students aged 15 who perceptions of e Index of Relative benefit from additional academic support outside the took part to the Early student’s school (individual tutorials) was identified as a critical Affluence and Start during the first year achievement factor hindering students’ progresses along their school Deprivation & of the programme career (‘there was a tendency to move from higher level Box 218 interviews with (1994/1995). A sample ofBox 219 to ordinary level rather than seek additional academic community students who did not support outside the school’, p. 272) educators attend the programme Box 220 Box 241 sociowere recruited at Box 242 Limitations of the study: small sample economic secondary school for representing only the 28% of the children enrolled in profile of the comparison. Early Years Program in 1994/1995 within the designated community disadvantaged area Box 221 Box 222 Box 223 Box 243 Dries Box 244 loBox 246 The Box 247 Location: TheBox 251 - Box 258 Box 267 - only weak relations were found between sen, G. E. J. M. ngitudinal study aims to Netherlands children language and ECEC participation and children’s cognitive 2004. A large study investigate the Box 248 cognitive mathematic skills competencies Context: scale drawing on effects of ECEC attainment were measured Box 268 longitudinal study - when relevant child and families longitudinal data set from participation on drawing on the data characteristic are taken into account no difference can Box 252 (lan using study of the national children’s standardised tests be noted between children who participated to ECEC (1996-2000) of the cohort guage and utilization and Box 245 from CITO the su cognitive study PRIMA carried out mathematics and ‘home’ children in relation to their cognitive effects of early competencies. Dutch National rvey on national scale. skills) attainment in primary school childhood Institute for (PRIMA) assessed in Box 249 Sample: Box 269 > these findings hold for different ECEC types education and Educational Kindergarten, 33,418 children studied of provision considered both separately and in care in The Measurement Grade 2 and longitudinally until the combination Netherlands. Grade 4 of Box 259 end of Grade 2 (in total Box 270 > Findings in context: Early Child primary schoolBox 260 data from approx. 600 Box 271 - ECEC provision tend to be very diverse and Development schools were available). Box 253 Box 261 highly fragmented (type of provision, availability and and Care, 174 A sample of home Box 254 - Box 262 paren accessibility, administrative responsibility for regulation (7–8), 667–689. children were recruited at background t questionnaires and funding, care/educational purposes) school entry for characteristic Box 263 Box 272 - not all services are designed to promote comparison with preof the parents cognitive, linguistic or social-emotional development of Box 264 school group. Box 255 children (eg. day care centres are intended to provide Box 265 Box 250 Methodology:Box 256 only childcare in connection to parents’ participation in statistical analysis using daytype of ECECBox 266 the workforce) both cross-sectional and care, pre-school, service Box 273 - not all services / programs meet the longitudinal analyses. targeted parent/program necessary quality standard (deterioration in the quality of child program attended by day-care centres has been observed in previous (integrated,
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Box 275 Veen Box 277 , A., Roeleveld, J. en Leseman, P. (2000). Evaluatie van Kaleidoscoop en Piramide. Eindrapportage . Amsterdam: SCOKohnstamm Instituut. Box 276 Veen , A., Derriks, M. & Roeleveld, J. (2002). Een jaar later. Vervolgonderzo ek evaluatie van Kaleidoscoop en Piramide. Amsterdam: SCOKohnstamm Instituut.
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chil
language, development, combinations), combinations
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studies ) Box 274 > Limitations: quality of individual ECEC services – that is acknowledged to be playing a crucial role in promoting better cognitive outcomes on the longer term (EPPE 3-7 & 3-11, EPPNI) – was not taken into account in the study Box 278 The Box 280 Location: TheBox 284 - Box 286 cogniBox 292 - small and sometimes non significant positive studies aim to Netherlands children’s tive tests (3 tests effects of Kaleidoscoop on cognitive development and evaluate the cognitive + CITO tests) and language Box 281 Context: effects of development language tests Box 293 Kaleidoscoop and Kaleidoscoop and Piramide are ECEC (passive Box 285 Box 294 Follow-up one year later (in 2002) yields Piramide: vocabulary) programs for children inconsistent results and most results are non significant. programs on aged 2,5 to 6, Box 287 children’s implemented in play Box 288 cognitive groups, based on active Box 289 development. learning. It is a Dutch Box 290 Meas adaptation of Box 279 urements High/Scope. It aims at undertaken in cognitive, social and 1997, 1998, 1999 language development and a follow-up in for children “at risk” (a 2002 special focus on ethnic Box 291 minority children). Box 282 Methodology: quasi-experimental design with 4 groups: 1 Kaleidoscoop (n = 108), 1 Piramide (n = 115) and a control group of comparable children (n = 102). There were large drop-out rates at T2 and Box 257 dren
Gevers Deynoot-Schaub, M. & Riksen-Walraven, M. 2002. Kwaliteit onder druk: de kwaliteit van opvang in Nederlandse kinderdagverblijven in 1995 en 2001. Pedagogiek, 22, 109–124. This study has been conducted in 2002, before the marketization of child care in The Netherlands: later studies have documented that the quality of provisions has gone down since then. This might imply that the remark on the limited impact of ECEC in The Netherlands due to irregularity of quality may be even more true today.
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T3 (over 50%) Box 283 Data analysis carried out through multiple regression analyses Box 295 GoeBox 296 Box 297 The Box 299 Location: TheBox 302 - Box 303 Box 305 - Effects for children who started at age 3 are de,D. de & study aims at Netherlands children’s CITO tests larger than for those who started at age 4: early start Reezigt, G.J. investigating the Box 300 cognitive matters Context: Box 304 (2001). effects of development Kaleidoscoop is a ECEC Box 306 -Effects are inconsistent (some negative Implementatie preschool using programs for children effects, some non significant) and where they exist, most en effecten van Kaleidoscoop on aged 2, 5 to 6, are small to (seldom) moderate de Voorschool children’s implemented in Box 307 in Amsterdam. cognitive playgroups, based on Groningen: development active learning. It is a GION. Box 298 Dutch adaptation of High/Scope. It aims at cognitive, social and language development for children “at risk” (a special focus on ethnic minority children). Box 301 Methodology: Quasi experimental design, data analysed through multilevel analyses Sample: 90 children had preschool and 97 in control group, aged 3 and 4 in 1999, followed until 2001. Box 308 Other studies from the Netherland in Dutch language: Box 309 Schonewille, B., Kloprogge, J. & van der Leij, A. 2000. Kaleidoscoop en Piramide. Samenvattend Eindrapport. Utrecht: Sardes. Box 310 > The study reports the findings of the centre-based integrated programs (Piramide and Kaleidoscoop) evaluations, focusing on the effects of such programs for children’s socio-emotional development. Box 311 Tesser, P. & Iedema, J. 2001. Rapportage Minderheden 2001. Deel I. Vorderingen op School. Den Haag: SCP. Box 312 > Review of evidences from the evaluation of parent-child programs run in the Netherlands. Box 313 van Tuijl, C. 2002. Effecten van Opstap Opnieuw bij Follow-up. Effecten van Opstap Opnieuw bijTurkse en Marokkaanse Leerlingen op Middellange Termijn. Alkmaar: Extern Print. Box 314 > Evaluation of the Revised Step-up program that is a well known family intervention program carried out in the Netherlands.
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Box 315 van Box 316 loBox 317 The Box 320 Location: The Box 323 - Box 331 struBox 337 - intelligence of children from disadvantaged Tuijl, C., & ngitudinal study aims to : Netherlands family ctured interview communities increased relative to age-norms over the Leseman, P. P. withinbackground (index of family 21/2 years they spent in pre-school Box 318 Box 321 Context: M. 2007. subject study determining the SES) longitudinal study focusing characteristics Box 338 Increases in the development of on the effects of large- Box 324 Box 332 Box 339 therefore the attendance of pre-school verbal and fluid verbal and fluid scale (national-wide) Box 325 - Box 333 stan programs with a developmental orientation can cognitive intelligence of 4-6- ECEC public provision children’s dardised test substantially enhance language and cognitive abilities of years-old Turkish (PS) on the development intelligence (RAKIT) with development in low-income, ethnic-minority children disadvantaged and Moroccan of general cognitive indicators of (even within a large pre-school system of moderate Box 326 (ver children immigrant children abilities of disadvantages verbal and fluid quality): the impact of pre-school on these children is not bal and fluid) attending in Dutch public children Sample: 300+ intelligence limited to domain-specific school skills but it also concern Box 327 preschool in the pre-school system children recruited at age 4 fundamental cognitive ability Box 334 Netherlands. (PS) and studied longitudinallyBox 328 Box 340 Box 335 diffe Early Childhood over a 21/2 years-period Box 329 Box 319 rence between Box 341 Limitations: Research they spent in public prechanges in normalised Quarterly, 22 Box 342 -lack of randomly assigned control group schools (n: 100). intelligence standard score of (2), 188–203. Box 343 - the quality of individual pre-schools was not Box 322 Research Box 330 pre-test and taken into account in the study design: short-term post-test: longitudinal study with a additionally pre- and post- test gains or losses (interval = 30 months) were related to age-referenced forms Box 336
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Box 344 Felfe Box 346 loBox 349 The Box 352 Location: WestBox 356 - Box 368 Box 373 - children enrolled in childcare centres have a , C. and Lalive, ngitudinal study aims to: and East Germany children language skills clear advantage in all dimensions > overall ECEC R. 2011. How study cognitive and school promote children non-cognitive development on the Box 350 Box 353 Context: the Does Early drawing on grades selfshort term examine the study draws on the data of development Childcare Affect data set from impact of ECEC reported by the German SocioBox 357 Box 374 - the positive impact of childcare attendance is Child national children’s on children short Economic Panel (GSOEP) greater for children who started to attend formal care Box 358 Development?Box 347 mothers and German Child Panel Box 359 only after supply increased (children from low sociosu and medium run Learning from rveys development in (GCP) to evaluate the Box 369 economic background) Box 360 Box 345 the (GSOEP and relation to impact of increased Box 370 Box 375 - in the medium run the difference between Children of GCP) cognitive accessibility of centre- Box 361 household the children who attended childcare centres and those German outcomes based childcare (triggered family SES income and size who did not seem to dissipate on average Box 348 Unification. by German Unification) onBox 362 Box 351 and level of Box 376 - however children who entered childcare only CESifo Area children’s later discussing the Box 363 parents’ once it became more accessible seem to benefit Conference on development. Data on Box 364 incidence of education substantially from it even several years later (better Economics of children’s cognitive expanding high results in school and better social skills in the medium Box 371 Box 365 Education: development were drawn quality care on term) Box 372 Box 366 Center for from large national society formal criteria as Box 377 Economics datasets. Box 367 child-staff ratio, Box 378 Along with the previous study, these findings Studies. high quality of Box 354 Sample: 800+ maximum size of indicates that ECEC attendance marginally promote the children who were studied childcare in the group of cognitive development of ‘average children’ while it has Germany is longitudinally from age 2 children, size of a strong impact on cognitive development of assumed as to 10. the childcare disadvantaged children on the long term. homogeneous Box 355 Methodology: centre, staff across Box 379 statistical analysis of training and German Box 380 survey data covering a qualifications regions on the broad range of indicators basis of the on child development and tightness of background their characteristics. regulations Box 381 Brilli,Box 385 StBox 386 The Box 388 Location: Italy Box 392 - Box 402 Box 416 - childcare coverage coefficients are always Y., Del Boca, atistical studies aim to: Box 389 children school positive and significant on language test score, only in Context: the Box 403 INV D., Pronzato, estimation Box 387 outcomes at areas with high rationing the coefficient of childcare is study is carried out in a ALSI language nd C. 2011. within an age 7 (2 positive and significant also for math score childcare investigate the context in which childcare and math test Exploring the econometric grade of rationing plays a role on children school outcomes but effects of public opportunities are limited (school year
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Impacts of Public Childcare on Mothers and Children in Italy: Does Rationing Play a Role? Bonn: IZA. Box 382 Box 383 Del Boca, D. & Pasqua, S. 2010. Esiti scolastici e comporta Box 384 ment ali, famiglia e servizi per l’infanzia (tr. Cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes, family and childcare). Torino: Fondazione Giovanni Agnelli.
model
childcare (0-3 services) coverage on children scholastic achievements
Box 421 Ande Box 423 NBox 424 The rsson, B. E. aturallystudy aims to 1989. Effects of occurring investigate the
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both in terms of primary 2008-2009) given the lack of information on eligibility criteria (eg. availability (which varies school) priority given to children with working mothers or to Box 404 greatly among regions) Box 393 disadvantaged children) the effect of rationing cannot be Box 405 35 and costs and in which Box 394 disentangled. - Box 406 accessibility criteria differ Box 417 - paternal and maternal education have a children Box 407 across municipalities. The positive and significant impact on children test scores characteristics study draws on the (gender and Box 408 Box 418 -non-Italian children perform worse than their dataset of INVALSI (Italian citizenship) Box 409 infor Italian peer especially in language test Institute for Evaluation of mation provided Box 419 - heterogeneous effects: a) childcare effects the Education System) Box 395 by INVALSI data family become stronger when rationing is higher and this and of Cittadinanza Attiva set (reported by characteristics seems particularly true for language test scores; b) (data on public childcare the schools) (parents’ childcare availability impact are stronger on language coverage at the provincial Box 410 working status test score for children with low educated mothers and in level). and education) Box 411 low GDP areas, who are likely to benefit more from Box 390 Sample: childcare opportunities than their counterparts These Box 396 Box 412 27,000+ children nd environmen Box 413 infor results are consistent with the findings of previous assessed at age 7 (2 studies showing that public childcare may enhance mation on GDP Box 397 tal grade of primary school). educational opportunities of children from a characteri per capita by Box 391 Methodology: disadvantage background. The fact that the impact of province Box 398 stics statistical regression childcare availability on children’s cognitive development Box 414 analysis of survey data Box 399 is higher for children with low educated mothers living in covering a broad range ofBox 400 Box 415 perc low-income areas, highlight the importance of indicators on child, family Box 401 entage ratio RATIONING CHILDCARE according to family SES and environmental between public criteria and to increase CHILDCARE AVAILABILTY measure of characteristics. childcare slots especially in DISADVANTAGED areas. childcare and population Box 420 coverage Limitation of the study: a) childcare quality aged 0-2 years during the was not taken into account although quality of public by province school year provision can be assumed to be rather high due to its 2002-2003 educational orientation and quality regulations (when children introduced at regional level; b) the effects of rationing ) criteria could not be disentangled. Box 425 Location: Box 429 - Box 445 WISBox 451 -children entering day care at an early stage Sweden cognitive C (1979) verbal (before age1) perform significantly better on cognitive outcomes at and non-verbal tests and received more positive ratings from their
Del Boca, D. 2010. Child poverty and child well-being in the European Union: policy overview and policy impact analysis. A case study: Italy. Budapest & Brussels: TARKIApplica.
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public day-care: a longitudinal study. Child Development, 60, 857– 866. Box 422 Ande rsson, B. E. 1992. Effects of day care on cognitive and socio emotional competence in thirteen-yearold Swedish school children. Child Development, 63, 20–36.
prospective evaluation
long-term effects Box 426 age 8 and 13 subtests teachers in terms of school achievement both at age 8 Context: the of day-care on study follows longitudinally Box 430 Box 446 teac and 13 (at age 13 school performance is rated lowest children’s among children without out-of-home care) early start children from the first yearBox 431 hers’ rating of cognitive matter: age of entry in daycare seems to have significant of life up to age 8 (1989) Box 432 children’s school development. direct effect on children cognitive competence even and 13 (follow-up, 1992). performance on Box 433 when background variables are controlled a 5 points scale Box 427 Sample: 128 Box 434 Box 452 - centre care is associated with better children and their families Box 447 Box 435 cognitive development (although effects are less clear living in 8 low- and middleBox 448 age and extensive) resource neighborhoods in Box 436 of entry, type of Stockholm and Goteborg.Box 437 Box 453 -the overall high quality of Swedish day-care care (centre 92% and 87% of the centres, the training of personnel and family day-carers care, family Box 438 children remained in the and the availability of paid parental leave during the first daycare, mixed Box 439 study at age 8 and 13 6/7 months might account for the repetitive differences in care) day-care respectively. the effects of day-care cross-nationally Box 449 attendance Box 428 Method: Box 454 positive and long lasting effects of childcare Box 450 mot hierarchical regression Box 440 on children’s cognitive development were found: given her’s education, Box 441 analysis. these findings it can be hypothesized that negative occupational effects of early day-care (Belsky, 1986 & 1987; Vandell Box 442 status, family and Corasinti, 1990) may occur when day-care begins Box 443 type before 6 months and when it is of poor quality: the Box 444 findings of this study shows if children are attending high family quality settings they might enter a positive trajectory that background promote their cognitive development on the long term (until teen years). Box 455 Limitation: the findings of this study might not be generalisable beyond Scandinavian countries in which overall high quality, universally accessible childcare is provided and SES differences in population are less marked than elsewhere. Box 456 BrobBox 457 NBox 458 The Box 459 Location: Box 463 - Box 479 stanBox 488 - Tested ability was related to the number of erg, A. G., aturally study aim to Sweden children dardised tests on months children had spent in center-based day care Wessels, H., occurring investigate the Box 460 cognitive verbal and before 3.5 years of age early start matter Context: the Lamb, M. E. prospective long-term effects outcomes mathematical Box 489 study followed and Hwang, evaluation of daycare on abilities and longitudinally children from measured at Box 490 - Child care quality predicted cognitive abilities C.P. 1997. children cognitive age 28, 40, 80 observation by 16 months – when they among children who had spent at least 36 months in outEffects of day development and 101 professional were not attending out-ofof-home care during their preschool years: children who care on the (attainment at age home care yet – up to age months psychologists attended centre-based care consistently performed nd development of 8 in 2 grade of 8. Box 464 Box 480 better than other children on cognitive abilities tests cognitive primary school) Box 461 Sample: 146 Box 465 Box 481 child (once controlled for background variables) abilities in children and their familiesBox 466 ren’s Box 491 eight-year-olds:
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a longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 33, 62-69.
living in low- and middlechild temperament (asBox 492 - dynamic measures of quality (adult-child resource neighborhoods in background reported by interaction) predicted verbal abilities while structural Goteborg. Before 20 characteristics parents) measures (child:staff ratio, group size and age range) months of age, 54 children predicted mathematical abilities Box 467 Box 482 entered center care, 33 Box 468 - Box 483 SES Box 493 entered family day care family , family type, Box 494 -the quality of home environment predicted while 59 did not attend background paternal verbal abilities only in earlier phases: no longer any form of out-of-home nd characteristic involvement predictive when children are in 2 grade care (home care group). Box 469 Box 484 Box 495 Box 462 Method: Box 470 - Box 485 Ho Box 496 -family SES (maternal and paternal regression analysis. quality of me Observation occupation) did not predict children’s performance of home for Measurement cognitive abilities in 2nd grade environment of the Box 497 Environment Box 471 high quality out-of-home care has positive (HOME) & ChildBox 498 Box 472 and lost lasting effects on children cognitive Rearing development Box 473 Practices Report Box 474 Box 499 (CRPR) Box 475 Box 500 Limitation: the findings of this study might not Box 486 be generalised beyond Scandinavian countries in which Box 476 Box 487 stru overall high quality, universally accessible childcare is ctural and Box 477 provided and SES differences in population are less dynamic Box 478 marked than elsewhere. measures (Spot quality out-ofObservation home care Checklist) drawn environment by observations and interviews with caregivers
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Box 501 Havn Box 503 DiBox 504 The Box 506 Location: Box 510 - Box 525 Stati Box 531 Difference-in-difference estimates show that: es, T., and ffence-inaim of the study is Norway child and stic Norway Box 532 -childcare attendance substantially improved Mogstad, M. difference to analyse the Box 507 family dataset Context: educational attainment of children in the long term (in 2011. No Child (DD) introduction of background containing providing evidence of aggregate terms additional 17.500 childcare places Left Behind: estimates subsidized, unique individual long-term effects of produced 6.200 years of education) Box 511 Subsidized universally identifiers that Box 533 childcare on children Box 512 - childcare expansion improved children Child Care and accessible allow to match educational attainment in Box 513 educational chances by raising the chances of Children's childcare in parents and their completing high school and attending college a context of subsidized Long-Run Norway children and universally accessibleBox 514 Box 534 -subsample analysis indicates the greatest Outcomes. addressing the services > Scandinavian Box 515 Box 526 effects on education stems from children with low American impact of on contribution to the Box 516 Box 527 adm educated mothers Economic children long-run international policy debateBox 517 inistrative Box 535 overall the findings of the estimates Journal: outcomes on ECEC gaining register data on Box 518 indicate that universal access to subsidized childcare Economic (educational increasing attention in US, formal childcare levels the playing field by increasing intergenerational Box 519 Policy, 3(2): attainment). Canada and EU. institutions and childcare mobility 97–129. Box 505 To elicit Box 508 Sample: their location coverage in Box 536 causal Box 502 Ope 499.000+ children 418 Norwegian (Statistic n access relationship Box 537 Limitation: the findings of this study might not (318.300+ families) Norway) municipalities version: between childcare distributed across 3 be generalised beyond Scandinavian countries in which Box 528 Box 520 Havnes, T., and and children’s overall high quality, universally accessible childcare is cohorts (pre-reform, Box 529 Mogstad, M. long-term provided and SES differences in population are less phase-in, post-reform). Box 521 Box 530 2009. No Child educational marked than elsewhere. Treatment and Box 522 number of Left Behind: attainment a DD comparison groups were Box 523 Box 538 completed years Universal Child approach that defined according to of education in Care and exploit a childcare municipal childcare (3-6 Box 524 adult 2006 (data drawn Children's reform from 1975 services) coverage rates outcomes from annual Long-Run in Norway is used in the expansion period reports from Outcomes. for carrying out after the reform (1976Norwegian Statistics the estimation. 1979). educational Norway: Box 509 Method: establishment) Research comparing adults Department. outcomes – in terms of years spent in education – by age 30-33 in 2006 using a statistical regression model for data analysis.
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B. Studies exploring the relations between ECEC and children non-cognitive outcomes Box 539 StudBox 540 StBox 541 Aim Box 542 MethodologyBox 543 What Box 544 How Box 545 Summary key findings (B,2) y reference udy Type was studied was it studied Box 546 SylvBox 548 NBox 549 Study toBox 555 Location: Box 560 Box 565 Box 572 -pre-school attendance, compared to none, a, K., Melhuish, aturallyinvestigate: England Children social/ social/ enhance children’ all round development: better E. C., occurring Box 550 behavioural behavioural cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes - the Box 556 Context: Sammons, P., prospective development profiles compiled Box 573 impact of pre-school - quality of pre-school settings matters: Box 557 Five-years Sirajevaluation (attainment) at 3, by pre-school on children social/ higher quality is related to better social/behavioural study funded by DfES Blatchford, I. 4/5, 6 and 7 years workers and development whose effects are lasting throughout Box 551 behaviou with the purpose of and Taggart, B. of age primary school KS1 (social behavioural development at age 6) ral development producing research 2004. The staff Box 561 evidences for policyBox 574 - high quality is associated with staff Box 552 - the Effective Box 566 making Box 562 qualification (5), warm and responsive interaction to characteristic of Provision of background Box 567 children’s individual needs (1-7) and effective effective pre-schoolBox 558 Sample: Pre-School characteristic of parental pedagogy(2-3-4-6) setting in this 3,000 children recruited Education the parents and interviews regards at age 3+ and studied Box 575 - effective pedagogy include a balanced (EPPE) Project. home learning Box 568 longitudinally until the curriculum (promoting education and social Box 553 - the Effective Preenvironment end of Key-Stage 1. A development as complementary), a good mix of long-terms effects Box 569 School sample of home teacher-initiated and child-initiated activities and Box 563 of pre-school on Education. Box 570 children were recruited behaviour policies in which staff support children in children socioBox 564 London: DfES / ECERS-E rating at school entry for rationalising their conflicts behavioural quality of preInstitute of scale comparison with preoutcomes through school settings Box - centres integrating education and care, Education, Box 571 case 576 school group Key Stage 1 (first (141 among LA combining flexible hours for childcare along with University of studies and second year ofBox 559 Methodology day nursery, substantial health and family supports services have London. observations and primary school : statistical analysis integrated the highest scores on pre-school quality interviews in 12 Box 547 attended by children using a multi-level centres, -there is a strong relationship between centres which Box 577 aged 6 and 7) modeling to explore the playgroups, families background characteristics and children showed to be the value added by preprivate day Box 554 - the social/behavioural development however the quality most effective school after taking nurseries, nursery (effectiveness impact of the home of home learning environment (HLE) is more account of child, schools and and childcare important than SES based on the parents, home nursery classes) history on children progress childrenBox 578 - the centres that encouraged high levels background factors development made after of parents engagement in their children learning and controlling preinvolved them in decision-making about children test and social learning program lead to better gains for children background) Box 579 SamBox 580 NBox 581 The Box 584 Location: Box 588 Box 593 Box 596 - pre-school quality and effectiveness still mons, P., aturallystudy aim to: England Children social/ assessed by matters for children’s social / behavioural Sylva, K., occurring Box 582 behavioural teachers using developmental outcomes at age 10, in particular: - exploreBox 585 Context: Melhuish, E., prospective development Goodman (1997)Box 597 evidences of follow up of the EPPI Sirajevaluation (attainment) at Strengths and Box 598 continuing prestudy (3-7) funded by > overall attending pre-school still have a Blatchford, I., age 10 difficulties
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Taggart, B., Barreau, S. and Grabbe, Y. 2007. The Effective PreSchool and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11). Influences on Children’s Development and Progress in Key Stage 2: Social/ behavioural outcomes in Year 5. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.
school influences DfES with the purposeBox 589 questionnaire positive effect on children’s ‘pro-social behaviour’ on children’s social / of producing research Box 590 Box 594 Box 599 behavioural evidences for policyBox 595 Box 600 > attending higher quality pre-school still Box 591 development making parents’ have a positive impact on all aspects of social background throughout Key Box 586 Sample: interviews and development: ‘self-regulation’, ‘hyperactivity’, ‘procharacteristic of Stage 2 of primary 2,500 children of the parental social’ and ‘anti-social behaviour’ the parents and education (attended original sample studied questionnaire home learning Box 601 by children aged 7 longitudinally until the environment Box 602 > by contrast attending a low quality preto 10) end of KS2. A sample Box 592 school does not lead to longer term benefits on of home children were Box 583 - to children’ social / behavioural development analyse the recruited for Box 603 combined effect of a comparison with pregood early years school group. Box 604 HLE, and good Box 587 Methodology Box 605 - furthermore findings indicates that no one quality pre-school : statistical analysis factor – quality of pre-school, HLE or school on social / using a contextualised effectiveness – is the key in enhancing social / behavioural multi-level model to behavioural outcomes throughout KS2 but rather is development at age analyse the combined the combination of experiences over time that matters 10 effects of HLE, preschool and primary school effectiveness on children social / behavioural development Box 606 MelhBox 607 NBox 608 The Box 613 Location: Box 617 Box 621 childBox 625 - pre-school attendance enhances all uish, E., Quinn, aturallystudy aims to Northern Ireland Children social/ social behavioural round (cognitive and social) development of all L., Hanna, K., occurring investigate: profiles compiled children Box 614 Context: Box 618 behavi Sylva, K., prospective Box 609 by pre-school andBox 626 - the longitudinal study oural - attendance of high quality pre-school is Sammons, P., evaluation primary school impact of pre-school funded by DE, development related to better social/behavioural outcomes Sirajstaff on children social/ DHSSPS and SSG with (attainment) at 3, Box 627 - high quality is associated with staff Blatchford, I. behavioural the purpose of 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 Box 622 pare qualification and professional development (1), strong and Taggart, B. development producing research years of age ntal interviews leadership and strong philosophy for the setting 2006. The evidences for policy- Box 619 Box 610 Box 623 shared by all staff (1), ethos and emotional climate of Effective Premaking characteristics of background ECERS-E rating the setting (warm and responsive interaction with the School effective pre-schoolBox 615 Sample: 800 characteristic of scale children, 2), parental partnership (3), pedagogy Provision in setting in this children recruited at the parents and Box 624 (providing opportunities to extend children learning Northern regards age 3+ and studied home learning through play and self-directed activities, 4) intensive case Ireland (EPPNI) longitudinally until the environment studies Box 611 the Box 628 - nursery schools/classes have the highest Project. end of Key-Stage 1. A Box 620 long-terms effects observations and scores on pre-school quality Summary sample of home of pre-school on quality of preinterviews in 3 Box 629 - for all children the quality of the home report. Belfast: children educational children were recruited school settings ( centres where
96
Department of Education, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and Social Steering Group.
attainment through at school entry for 80 among nursery there had been learning environment is more important for children’s Key-Stage 1 comparison with preschools / classes, indication of good intellectual and social development than parental (children up to 8 school group playgroups, practices (nursery occupation, education and income (what the parents years) school, private do is more important than who parents are) therefore Box 616 Methodology private day nurseries, day nursery and a fostering active parental engagement with children Box 612 - the : statistical analysis reception classes playgroup) are likely to benefit children social development and impact of the home using a multi-level and reception attainment at school and childcare model to explore the groups) history on children value added by preBox 630 - vulnerable children who attend pre-school development school after taking tend to be less ‘at risk’ of developing SEN even after account of child, taking into account background factors parents and home background factors Box 631 ShirlBox 632 SBox 633 The aim Box 634 Location: Box 638 Box 653 stand Box 660 ey, M. 2010. An mall scale of the study is to ROI (disadvantaged children nonardised interview Box 661 - ES students were rated more positively Early Childhood longitudinal evaluate the impact urban community) cognitive based on by their secondary school teachers in terms of their Intervention study of the Early Start Box 635 outcomes Rosenberg SelfContext: social skills although no correlation was found Programme Programme on Esteem Scale Early Start (ES) is an Box 639 between RSE score and participation to the ES and the long children non(RSE) early childhood programme Box 640 term Outcomes cognitive outcomes intervention program Box 641 Box 654 Box 662 for Students. at age 15. offered in within semiBox 663 Box 642 -familyBox 655 Child Care in selected school in structured background Box 664 Limitations of the study: small sample Practice, 16 designated interviews with representing only the 28% of the children enrolled in (3):257-274. Box 643 disadvantaged areas > parents Early Years Program in 1994/1995 within the targeted programme Box 644 Box 656 designated disadvantaged area designed to promote Box 645 Box 657 struct Box 665 language, cognitive Box 646 ured interviews development and to teachers’ with primary and prevent school failure. perceptions of secondary school Box 636 Methodology student’s teachers : non-randomised achievement Box 658 multimethod research Box 647 Box 659 Haas design involving Box 648 e Index of students, parents, Box 649 - socio- Relative Affluence teachers and economic profile and Deprivation & participants from local of the community interviews with community. community Box 650 Box 637 Sample: 20 educators students aged 15 who Box 651 took part to the Early Box 652 Start programme during its first year
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(1994/1995). A sample of students who did not attend the programme were recruited for comparison.
98
Box 666 Dries Box 667 loBox 669 The sen, G. E. J. M. ngitudinal study aims to 2004. A large study investigate the scale drawing on effects of ECEC longitudinal data set from participation on study of the national children’s nonutilization and Box 668 su cognitive effects of early competencies. rvey childhood (PRIMA) education and care in The Netherlands. Early Child Development and Care, 174 (7–8), 667–689.
Box 699
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Veen Box 701
Box 702
The
Box 670 Location: Box 674 Box 681 Box 691 - only weak relations were found between The Netherlands children nonstudents profiles ECEC participation and children’s non-cognitive cognitive were compiled by competencies Box 671 Context: attainment the teachers to Box 692 longitudinal study - when relevant child and families obtain an drawing on the data Box 675 characteristic are taken into account no difference (social impression of (1996-2000) of the behaviour, selfcan be noted between children who participated to children’s noncohort study PRIMA confidence, work ECEC and ‘home’ children in relation to their noncognitive carried out on national attitude, well cognitive attainment in primary school competencies Box 693 scale. being) assessed > these findings hold for different ECEC in Kindergarten, Box 682 Box 672 Sample: types of provision considered both separately and in 33,418 children studied Grade 2 and Box 683 combination Grade 4 of longitudinally until the Box 684 Box 694 > Findings in context: primary school end of Grade 2 (in total Box 685 Box 695 - ECEC provision tend to be very diverse data from approx. 600 Box 676 and highly fragmented (type of provision, availability Box 686 schools were Box 677 and accessibility, administrative responsibility for Box 687 pare available). A sample of background regulation and funding, care/educational purposes) nt questionnaires home children were characteristic of Box 696 - not all services are designed to promote recruited at school Box 688 the parents cognitive, linguistic or social-emotional development entry for comparison Box 678 Box 689 of children (eg. day care centres are intended to with pre-school group. dayBox 679 - type Box 690 provide only childcare in connection to parents’ Box 673 Methodology of ECEC service care, pre-school, participation in the workforce) : statistical analysis targeted parent- Box 697 /program - not all services / programs meet the using both crosschild program attended by necessary quality standard (deterioration in the sectional and Childre (integrated, quality of day-care centres has been observed in longitudinal analyses. Box 680 36 language, n previous studies ) development, > Limitations: quality of individual ECEC combinations), Box 698 services – that is acknowledged to be playing a combinations crucial role in promoting better cognitive outcomes on the longer term (EPPE 3-7 & 3-11, EPPNI) – was not taken into account in the study Box 704 Location: Box 708 Box 709 R- Box 716 - no effects on children’s social
Gevers Deynoot-Schaub, M. & Riksen-Walraven, M. 2002. Kwaliteit onder druk: de kwaliteit van opvang in Nederlandse kinderdagverblijven in 1995 en 2001. Pedagogiek, 22, 109–124. This study has been conducted in 2002, before the marketization of child care in The Netherlands: later studies have documented that the quality of provisions has gone down since then (De Kruif et al., 2009). This might imply that the remark on the limited impact of ECEC in The Netherlands due to irregularity of quality may be even more true today.
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, A., Roeleveld, J. en Leseman, P. (2000). Evaluatie van Kaleidoscoop en Piramide. Eindrapportage . Amsterdam: SCOKohnstamm Instituut. Box 700 Veen , A., Derriks, M. & Roeleveld, J. (2002). Een jaar later. Vervolgonderzo ek evaluatie van Kaleidoscoop en Piramide. Amsterdam: SCOKohnstamm Instituut.
studies aim to The Netherlands children socioSchobl (Bleichrodt development evaluate the effectsBox 705 emotional et al, 1993), filledBox 717 Context: of Kaleidoscoop development in by the teacher Box 718 Kaleidoscoop and Follow-up one year later (in 2002) yields and Piramide Piramide are ECEC Box 710 inconsistent results and most results are non programs on programs for children significant. Box 711 children nonaged 2,5 to 6, Box 712 cognitive implemented in play Box 713 development. groups, based on Box 714 Box 703 active learning. It is a Dutch adaptation of Box 715 Meas High/Scope. It aims at urements cognitive, social and undertaken in language development 1997, 1998, 1999 for children “at risk” (a and a follow-up in special focus on ethnic 2002 minority children). Box 706 Methodology : quasi-experimental design with 4 groups: 1 Kaleidoscoop (n = 108), 1 Piramide (n = 115) and a control group of comparable children (n = 102). There were large drop-out rates at T2 and T3 (over 50%) Box 707 Data analysis carried out through multiple regression analyses Box 719 Other studies from the Netherland in Dutch language: Box 720 Schonewille, B., Kloprogge, J. & van der Leij, A. 2000. Kaleidoscoop en Piramide. Samenvattend Eindrapport. Utrecht: Sardes. Box 721 > The study reports the findings of the centre-based integrated programs (Piramide and Kaleidoscoop) evaluations, focusing on the effects of such programs for children’s socio-emotional development. Box 722 Tesser, P. & Iedema, J. 2001. Rapportage Minderheden 2001. Deel I. Vorderingen op School. Den Haag: SCP. Box 723 > Review of evidences from the evaluation of parent-child programs run in the Netherlands. Box 724 van Tuijl, C. 2002. Effecten van Opstap Opnieuw bij Follow-up. Effecten van Opstap Opnieuw bijTurkse en Marokkaanse Leerlingen op Middellange Termijn. Alkmaar: Extern Print. Box 725 > Evaluation of the Revised Step-up program that is a well known family intervention program carried out in the Netherlands.
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Box 726 Felfe Box 729 loBox 732 The Box 735 Location: Box 739 Box 753 indep Box 758 - children enrolled in childcare centres , C. and Lalive, ngitudinal study aims to: West and East children nonendence social have a clear advantage in all dimensions > overall R. 2011. How study Germany cognitive skills, behaviour, ECEC promote children non-cognitive development Box 733 Does Early drawing on development personality and on the short term examine the impactBox 736 Context: the Childcare Affect data set from of ECEC on motor skills self- Box 759 study draws on the Box 740 - the positive impact of childcare Child national reported by children short and data of the German Box 741 attendance is greater for children who started to Development?Box 730 children’s mothers attend formal care only after supply increased su medium run Socio-Economic PanelBox 742 Learning from rveys development in (GSOEP) and German (children from low socio-economic background) Box 754 Box 727 the (GSOEP and relation to nonChild Panel (GCP) to Box 743 Box 755 Box 760 - in the medium run the difference between Children of GCP) cognitive outcomes evaluate the impact of Box 744 household income the children who attended childcare centres and German increased accessibilityBox 745 Box 731 Box 734 and size and level those who did not seem to dissipate on average Unification. of centre-based discussing the Box 746 - family of parents’ Box 761 - however children who entered childcare CESifo Area childcare (triggered by incidence of SES education only once it became more accessible seem to benefit Conference on German Unification) onBox 747 expanding high Box 756 substantially from it even several years later (better Economics of children later quality care on results in school and better social skills in the medium Box 748 Box 757 Education: development. Data on society term) formal criteria as Box 749 Center for children non-cognitive child-staff ratio, Box 762 Economics development were Box 750 maximum size of Box 763 These findings indicates that ECEC Studies. drawn from large Box 751 the group of attendance marginally promote the non-cognitive national datasets. Box 728 Box 752 - high children, size of development of ‘average children’ while it has a Box 737 Sample: quality of the childcare strong impact on the social development of 800+ children who were childcare in centre, staff disadvantaged children on the long term. studied longitudinally Germany is training and Box 764 from age 2 to 10. assumed as qualifications Box 738 Methodology homogeneous : statistical analysis of across German survey data covering a regions on the broad range of basis of the indicators on child tightness of their development and regulations background characteristics. Box 765 Del Box 767 StBox 768 The Box 770 Location: Box 774 Box 793 asseBox 799 - parents’ level of education is not Boca, D. & atistical studies aim to: Italy children nonssed by parents significantly correlated to children non-cognitive Pasqua, S. estimation Box 769 cognitive and teachers outcomes Box 771 Context: the 2010. Esiti within an outcomes in through a investigate the study is carried out in a Box 800
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scolastici e comporta Box 766 ment ali, famiglia e servizi per l’infanzia. (tr. Cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes, family and childcare)Torin o: Fondazione Giovanni Agnelli.
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econometric model
effects of childcare attendance (0-3 services) on children noncognitive outcomes
context in which primary school questionnaire Box 801 - attendance of formal childcare has a st th childcare opportunities (1 to 4 grade) Box 794 (ability positive and significant impact on all the nonare relatively limited Box 775 to listen, to cognitive indicators considered in the study both in terms of concentrate, to Box 776 Box 802 37 availability and costs establish Box 777 Box 803 these findings confirm the importance of and in which interpersonal early socialising experiences for the non-cognitive Box 778 accessibility criteria relationships, to development of children differ across Box 779 cooperate with Box 804 municipalities. The Box 780 peers and study draws on the Box 805 Limitation of the study: childcare quality creativity) Box 781 dataset elaborated by was not taken into account although quality of public Box 795 Box 782 the Psychology provision can be assumed to be rather high due to its Box 796 Department of Turin Box 783 educational orientation and quality regulations Box 797 infor University (2008-2009).Box 784 introduced at regional level. mation provided Box 806 Box 772 Sample: Box 785 by the dataset 1,000+ primary school children elaborated by theBox 807 children living the characteristics Box 808 Psychology surrounding of Turin Box 786 - family Department of Box 809 area. characteristics Turin University. Box 773 Methodology (parents’ working Box 798 : statistical regression status and analysis of survey data education) covering a broad rangeBox 787 of indicators on child children’s and family childcare characteristics. attendance (0-3 services) Box 788 Box 789 Box 790 Box 791 Box 792
Del Boca, D. 2010. Child poverty and child well-being in the European Union: policy overview and policy impact analysis. A case study: Italy. Budapest & Brussels: TARKIApplica.
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Box 810 Ande Box 813 NBox 814 The Box 815 Location: Box 819 - non- Box 835 sociaBox 842 -children entering day care at an early rsson, B. E. aturallystudy aims to Sweden cognitive l competence and stage (before age1) received more positive ratings 1989. Effects of occurring investigate the longoutcomes at age personal from their teachers in terms of their socio-emotional Box 816 Context: the public day-care: prospective term effects of day8 and 13 development were development both at age 8 and 13 compared to those study follows a longitudinal evaluation care on children’s measured through entering day-care in a later age or those in home-care longitudinally children Box 820 study. Child (longitudinal social and personal a 52-items ) age of entry in daycare seems to have significant from the first year of lifeBox 821 Development, study) development. questionnaire direct effect on children social competence even up to age 8 (1989) andBox 822 60, 857– 866. filled out by when background variables are controlled 13 (follow-up, 1992). Box 823 school teachers Box 843 Box 811 -SES and children’s intelligence affect the Box 817 Sample: 128 Box 824 Box 836 ratings of socio-emotional competence both at age 8 Box 812 Ande children and their and 13 rsson, B. E. families living in 8 low-Box 825 Box 837 1992. Effects of and middle-resource Box 826 -the overall high quality of Swedish dayBox 838 age Box 844 day care on neighborhood in care centres, the training of personnel and family dayof entry, type of Box 827 cognitive and Stockholm and carers and the availability of paid parental leave care (centre care, Box 828 socio-emotional Goteborg. 92% and during the first 6/7 months might account for the family daycare, -daycompetence in 87% of the children Box 829 repetitive differences in the effects of day-care crossmixed care) care attendance thirteen-yearremained in the study nationally Box 839 Box 830 old Swedish at age 8 and 13 Box 845 no adverse effect of early entry into dayBox 840 moth school children. respectively. Box 831 care on children’s socio-emotional development were er’s education, Child Box 818 Method: Box 832 found: given these findings it can be hypotised that occupational Development, hierarchical regressionBox 833 status, family type negative effects of early day-care (Belsky, 1986 & 63, 20–36. analysis. 1987; Vandell and Corasinti, 1990) may occur when Box 834 -familyBox 841 day-care begins before 6 months and when it is of background poor quality: the findings of this study shows if children are attending high quality settings they might enter a positive trajectory that promote their cognitive development on the long term (until teen years). Box 846 Limitation: the findings of this study might not be generalised beyond Scandinavian countries in which overall high quality, universally accessible childcare is provided and SES differences in population are less marked than elsewhere. Box 847 DattBox 849 StBox 850 The Box 852 Location: Box 855 Box 869 strenBox 879 - on average pre-school attendance at 3 a Gupta, N. and atistical study aim to Denmark children nongths and years, compared to home care, does not lead to Simonsen, M. estimation investigate the cognitive difficulties significant difference in children non-cognitive Box 853 Context: the 2007. Nonexploiting effects on child non- study contributes to the outcomes questionnaire outcomes at age 7 > these findings are in contrast cognitive Child large scale cognitive outcomes index (Goodman, with those of Belsky et al. (2007) who report literature on the impactBox 856 Outcomes and dataset on of enrolment in 1997) negative effects of centre-based care on children of large scale ECEC Box 857 Universal High children universal publicly social and behavioural outcomes: this might be programs on children’sBox 858 Box 870 Quality Child outcomes subsidized high outcomes, informing Box 871 gend explained by the fact that Danish pre-school are less Box 859 Care. Bonn: (Danish quality center teacher-directed and more oriented toward
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IZA Discussion Paper. (Also published in: Journal of Public Economics, 2010, 94:1-2, 30-43) Box 848
LongitudinalBox 851 about the effects of Box 860 er, family type… socialization than pre-K programs in US based -child Survey of different typology of child care and background Box 872 Box 880 Children) care arrangements family day care for characteristics Box 873 Box 881 - family day care seems to deteriorate merged with across a range of three-year-olds in Box 861 behavioural outcomes for boys whose mothers have Box 874 meas administrativ Denmark vis-à-vis different socioeconomic a lower level of education estimations suggest that ured at age 3.5 e records background (universal Box 862 home care. pre-school outperforms family daycare for the overall childcare Box 875 along with publicly subsidized high population enrolment pseudoquality childcare). Box 876 preBox 882 Box 863 experiment school, family Box 854 Sample: Box 883 - finally longer hours – between 40-50 generating Box 864 -mode daycare, home 6.000 children born hours per week – lead to poorer children’s outcomes variation in of care and care between Sep-Oct 1995 pre-school number of hours Box 877 Box 884 whose outcomes were take up in care surveyed at age: 6 Box 878 SES,Box 885 across months, 3.5 and 7.5 Box 865 mother education st Danish years old (1 grade Box 866 and occupational municipalitie primary school). status, first Box 867 s language spoken Box 868 parental background
C. Studies investigating the links between ECEC and successful transition into school Box 886 StudBox 887 Box S 888 Aim Box 889 Methodology Box 890 WhBox 891 How Box 892 Summary key findings (B,3) y reference tudy Type at was studied was it studied Box 893 SylvBox 895 Box N 896 Study Box 901 Location: Box 906 - Box 912 Box 919 a, K., Melhuish, aturallyto investigate: England Children standardized childBox 920 - children in high quality centres showed more E. C., occurring Box 897 intellectual assessment taken independence and reduced anti-social / worried behaviour - the Box 902 Context: Sammons, P., prospectiv impact of pre- Box 903 and social/ over time during transition to primary school Five-years Siraje school on children study funded by DfES with Box 907 beh combined with Box 921 Blatchford, I. evaluation intellectual and child social/ avioural the purpose of producing Box 922 - high quality is associated with staff and Taggart, B. social/ development Box 913 behavio qualification (5), warm and responsive interaction to research evidences for 2004. The behavioural (attainment) at ural profiles policy-making children’s individual needs (1-7), effective pedagogy(2-3-4Effective development 3 - 4/5, 6 and compiled by pre6) Box 904 Sample: 3,000 Provision of 7 years of age school workers Box 898 - the children recruited at age Box 923 - effective pedagogy include a balanced Pre-School and primary characteristic of Box 908 3+ and studied curriculum (promoting education and social development Education school staff effective prelongitudinally until the endBox 909 as complementary), a good mix of teacher-initiated and (EPPE) Project. school setting in of Key-Stage 1. A sample background Box 914 child-initiated activities and behaviour policies in which Effective Prethis regards of home children were characteristic Box 915 staff support children in rationalising their conflicts School
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Education. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. Box 894
recruited at school entry of the parents parental Box 899 - the Box 924 for comparison with preand home interviews long-terms effects Box 925 school group learning of pre-school on Box 916 environment Box 917 children Box 905 Methodology: educational statistical analysis using aBox 910 ECERS-E rating attainment multi-level modeling to Box 911 scale through Keyexplore the value added quality of pre-Box 918 case Stage 1 (first and by pre-school after taking school settings studies second year of account of child, parents, (141 among observations and primary school home background factors LA day interviews in 12 attended by nursery, centres which children aged 6 integrated showed to be the and 7) centres, most effective playgroups, Box 900 - the (effectiveness impact of the private day based on the home and nurseries, progress children childcare history nursery made after on children schools and controlling pre-test development nursery and social classes) background) Box 926 SeeBox 927 Box N 928 The Box 931 Location: Box 935 - Box 940 Box 946 There are evidences that improving the access last column aturallystudies aim to: England children’s standardised to high quality and more effective pre-school is very likely occurring Box 929 cognitive assessment of to benefit children throughout primary school by: Box 932 Context: follow prospectiv investigating Readings and Box 947 up of the EPPI study (3-7) outcomes at - improving social adjustment to school settings e age 10 Mathematic continuing effects funded by DfES with the Box 948 - promoting cognitive development. evaluation of pre-school purpose of producing Box 936 Box 941 Box 949 attendance on research evidences for Box 937 - Box 942 Box 950 Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sirajchildren’s policy-making Children assessed by Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Barreau, S. and Grabbe, Y. cognitive / non- Box 933 teachers using Sample: 2,500 social/ 2007. The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3cognitive children of the original behavioural Goodman (1997) 11 Project (EPPE 3-11). Influences on Children’s development sample studied development Strengths and Development and Progress in Key Stage 2: Social/ throughout Key longitudinally until the end (attainment) at difficulties behavioural outcomes in Year 5. London: DfES / Institute Stage 2 of primary of KS2. A sample of home age 10 questionnaire of Education, University of London. education children were recruited forBox 938 Box 943 Box 951 (attended by comparison with preBox 939 - Box 944 children aged 7 to Box 952 Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sirajschool group. background Box 945 10) Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Grabbe, Y. and Barreau, S. Box 934 Methodology: characteristics parents’ 2007. The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3Box 930 - to statistical analysis using a of the parents interviews and 11 Project (EPPE 3-11). Influences on Children’s examine the contextualised multi-level and home parental Attainment and Progress in Key Stage 2: Cognitive combined effect of model to analyse the learning questionnaire Outcomes in Year 5. London: DfES / Institute of HLE, pre-school
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and primary combined effects of preenvironment Education, University of London. school school and primary school experiences on effectiveness on children’s children’s attainment attainment Box 953 SamBox 954 Box N 955 The Box 956 Location: Box 960 - Box 969 indiviBox 974 - pre-school attendance, especially in high mons, P., aturallystudy aims at England children dual assessment quality settings, provides all young children with a better Taggart, B., occurring identifying intellectual of different start to primary school but particularly those ‘at risk’ with Box 957 Context: the Smees, R., prospectiv children ‘at risk’ of study builds on the data and social/ aspects of SEN Sylva, K., e SEN in pre-school collected as part of the Box 961 beh children’s Box 975 Melhuish, E., evaluation for both cognitive cognitive EPPI project (3-7), funded avioural Box 976 - pre-school helps to promote both cognitive Sirajand social / development by DfES with the purpose development development and peers sociability especially for vulnerable Blatchford, I., & behavioural of producing research (attainment) at combined with children, easing their transition to school Elliot, K. 2003. development and child social/ evidences for policy3, 4/5 and 6 Box 977 The Early to investigate the making years of age Box 970 behavio Box 978 - the positive effects of pre-school attendance Years influence of pre- Box 958 ural profiles Sample: Box 962 on ‘at risk’ children’s cognitive and non-cognitive Transition & school attendance children of the EPPI compiled by preBox 963 development still evident at the end of Year 1 of primary Special on children’s school workers original sample identified Box 964 school Educational outcomes at entry and primary as ‘at risk’ of SEN, Needs to primary school. Box 965 Box 979 school staff studied longitudinally until (EYTSEN) Box 966 Box 980 - high quality pre-school centres may be seen the end of Year 1 in Box 971 Project. background as an effective intervention for providing more vulnerable primary school. A sample parents’ London: DfES / characteristics interviews and children with a better start to primary school of home children were Institute of of the parents recruited for comparison questionnaire Education, and home with pre-school group. Box 972 University of learning Box 959 Methodology: Box 973 interv London. statistical analysis using a environment iews to centres’ Box 967 multi-level model to managers, analyse the effects of HLE Box 968 evaluation of preand pre-school on ‘at risk’ variation in school quality children’s attainment policies and (ECERS-E), provision of parents’ pre-school and perception of SEN primary school and of how their settings needs are designed to supported support SEN children Box 981 MelhBox 982 Box N 983 The Box 988 Location: Box 992 - Box 996 stand Box 1001 uish, E., Quinn, aturallystudy aims to Northern Ireland Children ardised child Box 1002 - pre-school attendance enhances all round L., Hanna, K., occurring investigate: intellectual assessment over (cognitive and social) development of all children Box 989 Context:
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Sylva, K., Sammons, P., SirajBlatchford, I. and Taggart, B. 2006. The Effective PreSchool Provision in Northern Ireland (EPPNI) Project. Summary report. Belfast: Department of Education, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and Social Steering Group.
prospectivBox 984 longitudinal study funded and social/ time - the Box 1003 e by DE, DHSSPS and SSG impact of preBox 993 behBox 997 childBox 1004 - advantageous effects of pre-school were evaluation school on children with the purpose of avioural social behavioural evident throughout KS1, with some reduction in strength producing research intellectual and attainment at profiles compiled for some outcomes compared to school entry evidences for policysocial/ 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 by pre-school and Box 1005 making behavioural and 8 years of primary school Box 1006 development age staff Box 990 Sample: 800 - high quality pre-school attendance (nursery children recruited at age Box 994 Box 985 - Box 998 pareBox 1007 schools / classes) was related to longer term effects 3+ and studied characteristics of background ntal interviews longitudinally until the end characteristic Box 999 Box 1008 (pre-school quality was significantly related to effective pre of Key-Stage 1. A sample children’s development over the last four years of primary school setting in of the parents ECERS-E rating of home children were school) this regards and home scale recruited at school entry learning Box 986 - the Box 1000 for comparison with preenvironment long-terms effects intensive case school group of pre-school on Box 995 studies Box 991 Methodology: children quality of preobservations and statistical analysis using a school settings interviews in 3 educational multi-level model to attainment ( 80 among centres where explore the value added through Keynursery there had been by pre-school after taking Stage 1 (children schools / indication of good account of child, parents up to 8 years) classes, practices (nursery and home background playgroups, school, private Box 987 - the factors private day impact of the day nursery and a nurseries, home and playgroup) reception childcare history classes and on children reception development groups) Box 1009 vanBox 1010 Box l 1011 The Box 1014 Location: The Box 1017 - Box 1036 struct Box 1043 - intelligence of children from disadvantaged Tuijl, C., & ongitudina aims of the study Netherlands family ured interview communities increased relative to age-norms over the 21/2 Leseman, P. P. l withinare: background (index of family years they spent in pre-school Box 1015 Context: M. 2007. subject Box 1012 longitudinal study focusing characteristics SES) Box 1044 Increases in the study determining the on the effects of large- Box 1018 Box 1037 Box 1045 - the gains in verbal and fluid intelligence verbal and fluid development of scale (national-wide) Box 1019 - Box 1038 stand predicted emergent school skills such as vocabulary and cognitive verbal and fluid ECEC public provision children’s ardised test pre-mathematical skills abilities of intelligence of 4-6- (PS) on the development intelligence (RAKIT) with Box 1046 disadvantaged years-old Turkish of general cognitive Box 1020 (ver indicators of Box 1047 therefore the attendance of pre-school children and Moroccan abilities of disadvantages verbal and fluid bal and fluid) programs with a developmental orientation (educational attending immigrant children children Sample: 300+ intelligence function) can substantially enhance language and cognitive preschool in the in Dutch public children recruited at age Box 4 1021 Box 1039 development in low-income, ethnic-minority children (even Netherlands. pre-school system and studied longitudinallyBox 1022
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Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22 (2), 188–203.
(PS) over a 21/2 years-period Box 1023 - Box 1040 differ within a large pre-school system of moderate quality) they spent in public preBox 1013 changes in ence between Box 1048 schools (n: 100). investigating intelligence normalised Box 1049 Limitations: whether gains in Box 1016 standard score ofBox 1050 Research Box 1024 -lack of randomly assigned control group verbal and fluid design: short-term pre-test and postBox 1025 Box 1051 - the quality of individual pre-schools were not intelligence are longitudinal study with a test: additionally Box 1026 taken into account in the study related to higher pre- and post- test gains or losses levels of emergent (interval = 30 months) Box 1027 were related to school skills at the Box 1028 age-referenced end of pre-school forms Box 1029 Box 1041 Box 1030 Box 1042 curric Box 1031 ulum-related tests Box 1032 (Dutch Receptive Box 1033 Vocabulary & Box 1034 Utrecht Number emergent Concept) school skills administered at Box 1035 post-test Box 1052 Caill Box 1053 Box L 1055 The Box 1056 Location: Box 1060 Effe Box 1062 Box 1067 - early attendance positively influences school e, J.-P. 2001. ongitudina study aims at France cts are studied career at CE2 (second year of primary school), meaning Box 1063 No Scolarisation à l study investigating the Box 1057 on school that the number of children who have doubled one year measurements of Context: 2 ans et based on effects of prelongitudinal study focusing career, cognitive, social or diminishes significantly when children enrolled at a réussite de la a panel school attendance on the effects of premeaning younger age in preschool other carrière study of on later school attending the school provision on characteristics Box 1068 - immigrant children benefit more from early scolaire au 1997 success. second year Box of 1064 children’s later school enrolment than majority children début de l'école primary school Box 1054 career. - BUT enrolment at age 2 is not equally Box 1065 No Box 1069 élémentaire Box 1058 Sample: cohort without distributed: measurements of [School doubling any of 8.661 children, born in quality of Box 1070 > children with the French nationality (31%) enrolment at 2 year. 1991, who entered in preschool. more often at age 2 than with a foreign nationality (21%) years and primary school at age 6 -Box 1061 and children whose parents are born in France (32%) more Box 1066 school success 31% of them entered often than those whose parents were immigrants (25%) at the preschool at age 2. Box 1071 - once controlled for child and background beginning of Box 1059 Methodology: characteristics early enrolment in preschool (at age 2, elementary logistic regression rather than age 3) does hardly influence the inequalities in school]. controlling for the school career that are due to the most important family and Éducation & characteristic of the child, neighbourhood factors formations, 60, of the family and of 7-18. Box 1072 therefore the social inequalities in school neighbourhood career (in the first two years of primary school) are not (or almost not) moulded by early entry in preschool.
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Box 1073 Studies from Switzerland in German language: Box 1074 Lanfranchi, A. 2002. Schulerfolg von Migrationskindern. Die Bedeutung familienergänzender Betreuung im Vorschulalter. Opladen: Leske + Budrich. Box 1075 Lanfranchi, A., Gruber, J. & Gay, D. 2003. Schulerfolg von Migrationskindern dank transitorischer Räume im Vorschulbereich. In H.-R. Wicker, R. Fibbi & W. Haug (Hrsg.) Migration und die Schweiz. Ergebnisse des Nationalen Forschungsprogramms "Migration und interkulturelle Beziehungen" (S. 481-506). Zürich: Seismo. Box 1076 Within the framework of a national research programme carried out in the field of migration, the research team of Lanfranchi et al. investigated the supportive measures implemented in aid of four- and six- year old children in three Swiss towns. A preliminary survey consisting of a spot check of 876 Swiss, Albanian, Turkish, Portuguese and Italian children took place in Winterthur, Neuchâtel and Locarno in 1998. One year later – the younger children were in kindergarten and the older ones in the primary school – the teachers were questioned about the performance of the children in question. Their results were compared to those of children who did not attend kindergarten (children staying at home with their mothers, relatives, neighbours or childminders). The main findings of the study indicates that children who attended ECEC were significantly better assessed by their kindergarten and teachers of the first primary school class in terms of their linguistic, cognitive and special skills than children who grew up exclusively in the circle of their own family: in particular it emerged that children from migrant families managed the transition to school significantly better.
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D. Studies investigating the contribution made by ECEC to social inclusion Box 1077 Stud Box 1078 Box S 1079 Aim Box 1080 Methodology Box 1081 WhBox 1082 How Box 1083 Summary key findings (B,4) y reference tudy Type at was studied was it studied Box 1084 SylvBox 1086 Box N 1087 Study Box 1092 Location: Box 1097 - Box 1103 Box 1111 -pre-school attendance, compared to none, a, K., Melhuish, aturallyaims to investigate: England Children standardized child enhance children’ all round development: better cognitive E. C., occurring Box 1088 intellectual and assessment taken and non-cognitive outcomes - the Box 1093 Context: Sammons, P., prospective impact of presocial/ over time Box 1112 - disadvantaged children benefit significantly Box 1094 Five-years Sirajevaluation combined with school on children Box 1098 beh from good quality pre-school experiences, especially in study funded by DfES Blatchford, I. child social/ intellectual and avioural conditions of social mix (mixture of children from different with the purpose of and Taggart, B. social/ behavioural development Box 1104 behavio social backgrounds) producing research 2004. The development (attainment) at ural profiles evidences for policyBox 1113 - duration of attendance matters: overall Effective 3 - 4/5, 6 and compiled by preBox 1089 - the making disadvantaged children tend to attend pre-school for Provision of 7 years of age school workers characteristic of Box 1095 shorter periods of time than those from more advantaged Sample: Pre-School and primary effective pre-school 3,000 children recruited groups (around 4-6 months less) Box 1099 Education school staff setting in this at age 3+ and studied Box 1100 Box 1114 -the vulnerable children who attend pre-school (EPPE) Project. regards longitudinally until the background Box 1105 tend to be less ‘at risk’ of developing SEN even after Effective PreBox 1090 - the end of Key-Stage 1. A characteristicBox 1106 taking into account background factors therefore preSchool long-terms effects sample of home of the parents parental school can be viewed as an effective early intervention for Education. of pre-school on children were recruited and home interviews the reducing SEN especially for the most disadvantaged London: DfES / children at school entry for learning children Box 1107 Institute of educational comparison with preenvironment Box 1115 - specialized support in pre-school provided in Education, Box 1108 attainment through school group relation to the different needs of different groups of Box 1101 University of Box 1109 Key-Stage 1 (first Box 1096 Methodology children (eg. additional language support for EAL children) London. Box 1102 ECERS-E rating and second year of : statistical analysis can ameliorate the effects social disadvantage and quality of prescale Box 1085 primary school using a multi-level providing children with a better start to school school settings Box 1110 case attended by model to explore the (141 among Box 1116 - investing in good quality pre-school provision studies children aged 6 and value added by preLA day can be seen as effective means to achieve social inclusion observations and 7) school after taking nursery, and breaking cycles of disadvantage interviews in 12 Box 1091 - the account of child, integrated - high quality is associated with staff centres which Box 1117 impact of the home parents, home centres, qualification (5), warm and responsive interaction to showed to be the and childcare background factors playgroups, children’s individual needs (1-7), effective pedagogy(2-3-4most effective history on children private day 6) (effectiveness development nurseries, based on the Box 1118 - centres integrating education and care, nursery progress children combining flexible hours for childcare along with schools and made after substantial health and family supports services have the nursery controlling pre-test highest scores on pre-school quality classes) and social Box 1119 - for all children the quality of the home learning background) environment is more important for children’s intellectual and social development than parental occupation,
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education and income (what the parents do is more important than who parents are) Box 1120 - the centres that encouraged high levels of parents engagement in their children learning and involved them in decision-making about children learning program lead to better gains for children Box 1121 SeeBox 1122 Box N 1123 The Box 1126 Location: Box 1130 - Box 1136 Box 1141 - pre-school quality and effectiveness are last column (2 aturallystudy aim to: England children’s standardise d especially relevant for sustaining better social and studies) occurring Box 1124 cognitive assessment of cognitive developmental outcomes of children throughout - explore Box 1127 Context: prospective evidences of outcomes at Readings and primary school follow up of the EPPI evaluation age 10 Mathematic continuing prestudy (3-7) funded by Box 1142 - however is combination of experiences over school influences DfES with the purpose Box 1131 Box 1137 time that matters therefore in order to promote social on children’s of producing research Box 1132 inclusion of disadvantaged groups actions to improve their - Box 1138 cognitive and evidences for policyhome learning environment, pre-school and primary school Children assessed by social / behavioural making experiences should be undertaken in concert: the social/ teachers using development improvement of any of this component in isolation would Box 1128 Sample: behavioural Goodman (1997) throughout Key be insufficient – on its own – to close the cognitive and 2,500 children of the development Strengths and Stage 2 of primary social /behavioural attainment gap. original sample studied (attainment) at difficulties education longitudinally until the age 10 questionnaire Box 1143 - targeting additional resources to pre-school (attended by end of KS2. A sample Box 1133 and schools that serve disadvantaged area could help to Box 1139 children aged 7 to of home children wereBox 1134 achieve this purpose - Box 1140 10) recruited for Box 1144 Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sirajbackground parents’ Box 1125 - to comparison with preBlatchford, I., Taggart, B., Grabbe, Y. and Barreau, S. characteristic interviews and analyse the school group. 2007. The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3of the parents parental combined effect ofBox 1129 11 Project (EPPE 3-11). Influences on Children’s Methodology and home questionnaire a good early years : statistical analysis Attainment and Progress in Key Stage 2: Cognitive learning HLE, and good using a contextualised Outcomes in Year 5. London: DfES / Institute of environment quality pre-school multi-level model to Box 1135 Education, University of London. on cognitive and analyse the combined Box 1145 Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sirajsocial / behavioural effects of HLE, preBlatchford, I., Taggart, B., Barreau, S. and Grabbe, Y. outcomes at age 10 school and primary 2007. The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3school effectiveness on 11 Project (EPPE 3-11). Influences on Children’s children attainment Development and Progress in Key Stage 2: Social/ behavioural outcomes in Year 5. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. Box 1146 Sam Box 1147 Box N 1148 The Box 1149 Location: Box 1153 - Box 1162 indivi Box 1167 - pre-school, especially in high quality settings, mons, P., aturallystudy aims at England children dual assessment helps to promote both cognitive development and peers Taggart, B., occurring identifying childrenBox 1150 intellectual and of different sociability especially for vulnerable children, easing their Context: the Smees, R., prospective ‘at risk’ of SEN in aspects of transition to school study builds on the data social/ Sylva, K., evaluation pre-school for both collected as part of theBox 1154 beh children’s Box 1168
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Melhuish, E., SirajBlatchford, I., & Elliot, K. 2003. The Early Years Transition & Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.
cognitive and social EPPI project (3-7), avioural cognitive Box 1169 - children are more likely to move out of / behavioural funded by DfES with development development cognitive ‘at risk’ status if they attend higher quality development and to the purpose of (attainment) at combined with settings investigate the producing research 3, 4/5 and 6 child social/ Box 1170 influence of preevidences for policyyears of age Box 1163 behavio Box 1171 - pre-school attendance helps to promote school attendance making Box 1155 ural profiles children’s cognitive and non-cognitive development (peer on children’s compiled by preBox 1151 Sample: Box 1156 sociability) especially for more vulnerable groups of outcomes at entry children of the EPPI Box 1157 school workers children and its effects last until the end of Year 1 to primary school. original sample and primary Box 1158 Box 1172 identified as ‘at risk’ of school staff Box 1159 - Box 1164 Box 1173 - high quality pre-school centres may be seen SEN, studied background as an effective intervention for providing more vulnerable longitudinally until the parents’ characteristics interviews and children with a better start to primary school end of Year 1 in of the parents primary school. A questionnaire Box 1174 and home sample of home Box 1175 - certain forms of provisions are seen to be Box 1165 learning children were recruited particularly beneficial to ‘at risk’ children: Box 1166 interv environment for comparison with > integrated centres and nursery schools are iews to centres’ Box 1176 pre-school group. Box 1160 particularly beneficial for those ‘at risk’ of SEN in cognitive managers, Box 1152 Methodology Box 1161 development evaluation of pre: statistical analysis variation in school quality Box 1177 > integrated centres and nursery classes and using a multi-level policies and (ECERS-E), play groups are particularly beneficial for those ‘at risk’ of model to analyse the provision of parents’ SEN in social / behavioural development effects of HLE and prepre-school and perception of SEN Box 1178 school on ‘at risk’ primary school and of how their children’s attainment settings needs are designed to supported support SEN children Box 1179 Melh Box 1180 Box N 1181 The Box 1186 Location: Box 1190 - Box 1194 stand Box 1199 - pre-school attendance enhances all round uish, E., Quinn, aturallystudy aims to Northern Ireland Children ardised child (cognitive and social) development of all children: L., Hanna, K., occurring investigate: intellectual and assessment over disadvantaged children benefit even more where they are Box 1187 Context: Sylva, K., prospective social/ time with a mixture of children from different backgrounds Box 1182 - the longitudinal study Sammons, P., evaluation impact of prefunded by DE, Box 1191 beh Box 1195 childBox 1200 - the benefits for children ‘at risk’ are greater Sirajschool on children DHSSPS and SSG with avioural social behavioural and longer lasting (until end of KS1) the better the quality Blatchford, I. intellectual and the purpose of attainment at profiles compiled of the pre-school and Taggart, B. social/ behavioural producing research 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 by pre-school and Box 1201 - high quality is associated with staff 2006. The development evidences for policyand 8 years of primary school qualification and professional development (1), strong Effective Premaking age staff Box 1183 leadership and strong philosophy for the setting shared by School characteristics of Box 1188 Sample: 800 Box 1192 - Box 1196 pare all staff (1), ethos and emotional climate of the setting Provision in effective pre-school children recruited at background ntal interviews (warm and responsive interaction with the children, 2), Northern setting in this age 3+ and studied characteristicBox 1197 parental partnership (3), pedagogy (providing opportunities
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Ireland (EPPNI) Project. Summary report. Belfast: Department of Education, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and Social Steering Group.
regards longitudinally until the of the parents ECERS-E rating to extend children learning through play and self-directed end of Key-Stage 1. A and home scale activities, 4) Box 1184 - the sample of home learning long-terms effects Box 1198 Box 1202 - nursery schools/classes have the highest children were recruited environment of pre-school on intensive case scores on pre-school quality at school entry for Box 1193 children studies Box 1203 - for all children the quality of the home learning comparison with preeducational quality of preobservations and environment is more important for children’s intellectual school group attainment through school settings interviews in 3 and social development than parental occupation, Key-Stage 1 Box 1189 Methodology ( 80 among centres where education and income (what the parents do is more (children up to 8 : statistical analysis nursery there had been important than who parents are) therefore fostering active years) using a multi-level schools / indication of good parental engagement with children are likely to benefit model to explore the classes, practices (nursery children cognitive and social development at school Box 1185 - the value added by preplaygroups, school, private Box 1204 impact of the home - vulnerable children who attend pre-school tend school after taking private day day nursery and a to be less ‘at risk’ of developing SEN even after taking into and childcare account of child, nurseries, playgroup) history on children account background factors therefore pre-school can be parents and home reception development viewed as an effective early intervention for the reducing background factors classes and SEN reception Box 1205 > increasing the take up of pre-school places by groups) parents who would not usually send their children would provide vulnerable children with a better start to school and reduce their risk to develop SEN Box 1206 - targeting additional resources to pre-school and schools that serve disadvantaged areas could help to serve this purpose Box 1207 Melh Box 1208 Box q 1209 The Box 1210 Location: Box 1214 Chil Box 1220 Box 1229 uish, E., uasistudy aims at England dren outcomes Box 1221 Box 1230 After controlling for background factors Belsky, J., experiment investigating the Box 1211 were studied Box 1222 Context: beneficial effects associated with the programmes were Layland, A. H, al effects of Sure in relation to: SSLPs are area-based found for 5 out of 14 outcomes, namely: Box 1223 Barnes, J. and observation Start Local interventions aiming toBox 1215 Box 1231 - children’s socio-emotional development: Box 1224 immu the National al study Programmes improve services for health SSLPs children showed more positive social behaviour nisations & Evaluation of (SSLPs) on young children and Box 1216 and more independence accidents Sure Start children’s health, their families in language Box 1232 - families in SSLPs showed less negative Research on their cognitive Britis deprived communities development-Box 1225 parenting and provided a better home-learning Team. 2008. and socioh Abilities Scale in order to promote social and environment Effects of fully emotional health and positi emotional Box 1226 Box 1233 -families in SSLPs used more services for established development and development for ve, negative development supporting child and family development. SSLPs on 3on their families’ reducing inequalities. Box 1217 behaviour & year-old functioning. independence Box 1234 Box 1212 Sample: Box 1218 In children and Box 1235 early intervention can improve life and 5880+ 3-y-o children Box 1227 addition their families educational chances of children living in disadvantaged and their families from pare parenting andBox 1228 living in areas. 93 disadvantaged nting risk, homefamily England: a
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quasiexperimental observational study. Lancet, 372: 1641-47
SSLPs areas were functions learning Box 1236 compared with 1870+ outcomes environment, Box 1237 Note: the contrast with the findings of previous 3-y-o children and their were also father’s evaluation of SSLPs (partly negative) might indicate that families from 72 studied involvement (90 over time the program has evolved in more clearly focused similarly deprived areas Box 1219 alon mins home visits) services (children’s centres), with more emphasis on in England who took g with children’s development and a greater attention to the most part in the Millennium maternal wellvulnerable children and families (out-reaching and interCohort Study. being, service agency work). After 7 years the program might have Box 1213 Methods: use and local improved because acquired knowledge & experience and multilevel statistical area rating. partly in response to the findings of the previous evaluation analysis adjusted for - might have reduced shortages in staff and skills. background characteristic of the child, family and area. Box 1238 Shirl Box 1239 Box S 1240 The aimBox 1241 Location: Box 1245 - Box 1265 score Box 1274 - no significant difference were found between ey, M. 2010. An mall scale of the study is to ROI (disadvantaged children s from the Junior the study group (ES students) and the comparison group Early Childhood longitudinal evaluate the impact urban community) academic Certificate in relation to placement in special education Intervention study of the Early Start Box 1242 attainment at (standardised Box 1275 Context: Programme Programme on age 15 state examination Early Start (ES) is an Box 1276 - ES student were more likely to take higherand the long children taken at third year level subjects for their Junior Certificate early childhood Box 1246 term Outcomes educational of secondary intervention program Box 1247 Box 1277 - positive correlation emerges between ES for Students. attainment school) offered in within attendance and higher examination marks in mathematics Box 1248 Child Care in (cognitive and nonselected school in Box 1266 and science Box 1249 Practice, 16 cognitive designated Box 1267 stand Box 1278 - no significant relationship emerged for other (3):257-274. outcomes) at age Box 1250 disadvantaged areas > ardised interview subjects 15. targeted programme Box 1251 based on -ES students were more likely to study a foreign designed to promote Box 1252 Rosenberg Self- Box 1279 language which is a entry requirement for University in language and cognitive Esteem Scale Box 1253 Ireland (50% against 33% of the control group) development and to (RSE) children nonprevent school failure. Box 1280 the early intervention programme supported cognitive Box 1268 students’ academic attainment - in maths and science – Box 1243 Methodology outcomes Box 1269 semi- over the long term and increased their educational : non-randomised structured Box 1254 chances multimethod research interviews with Box 1255 design involving Box 1281 parents Box 1256 students, parents, Box 1282 - ES students were rated more positively by Box 1270 family teachers and their secondary school teachers in terms of their social background Box 1271 struct skills although no correlation was found between RSE participants from local ured interviews community. Box 1257 score and participation to the ES programme with primary and Box 1244 Sample: 20Box 1258 Box 1283 secondary school students aged 15 whoBox 1259 Box 1284 - lack of community-based facilities that would teachers took part to the Early
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Start during the first Box 1260 allow students in difficulties to benefit from additional - Box 1272 year of the programme teachers’ Box 1273 Haas academic support outside the school (individual tutorials) (1994/1995). A sample was identified as a critical factor hindering students’ perceptions of e Index of of students who did not student’s Relative Affluence progresses along their school career (‘there was a attend the programme achievement and Deprivation & tendency to move from higher level to ordinary level rather were recruited at than seek additional academic support outside the school’, Box 1261 interviews with secondary school for p. 272) community Box 1262 comparison. Box 1285 educators Box 1263 Box 1286 Limitations of the study: small sample sociorepresenting only the 28% of the children enrolled in Early economic Years Program in 1994/1995 within the designated profile of the disadvantaged area community Box 1287 GoeBox 1288 de,D. de & Reezigt, G.J. (2001). Implementatie en effecten van de Voorschool in Amsterdam. Groningen: GION.
Box 1306 er, P. &
Box 1264 Box 1289 The Box 1291 Location: Box 1294 - Box 1298 Box 1303 - Effects for children who started at age 3 are study aims at The Netherlands children CITO tests larger than for those who started at age 4: early start investigating the Box 1292 cognitive matters Context: Box 1299 effects of preschool Kaleidoscoop is a developmentBox 1300 Box 1304 -Effects are inconsistent (some negative effects, using Kaleidoscoop ECEC programs for Box 1295 some non significant) and where they exist, most are small Box 1301 on children’s children aged 2,5 to 6,Box 1296 to (seldom) moderate - Box 1302 cognitive and implemented in children socio- GedragsBox 1305 socio-emotional playgroups, based on emotional beoordelingslijst development active learning (Dutch development (Dutch instrument Box 1290 adaptation of Box 1297 for the High/Scope). It aims at assessment of cognitive, social and behavior) language development
Tess Box 1308 Box p 1309 The rograms study aims at
for children “at risk” (a special focus on ethnic minority children). Box 1293 Methodology : Quasi experimental design, data analysed through multilevel analyses Sample: 90 children had preschool and 97 in control group, aged 3 and 4 in 1999, followed until 2001. Box 1311 Country: The Box 1314 Netherland children
- Box 1319 Box 1320
Box 1324 Children with e Moroccan, Turkish and Antillean background lag behind in Kindergarten age, compared to
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Iedema, J. 2001. Rapportage Minderheden 2001. Deel I. Vorderingen op School. Den Haag: SCP. Box 1307
evaluation
investigating the Box 1312 cognitive Context: Box 1321 state of affairs outcomes in Box 1322 report for the Ministry regarding the kindergarten Box 1313 Multilevel integration of ethnic analysis on existing and primary Box 1323 test minority people in school databases (naturally The Netherlands Box 1315 occurring) and more Box 1316 particularly on family matters of background education and Box 1317 labour. Box 1318 Box 1310 impact of children attendance to targeted programs prior kindergarten
the general population. The developmental delays have remained similar since the mid 1990’s. Box 1325 For Turkish and Moroccan children, 40% of this CITO difference is explained by levels of education of the parents and home language. For Surinam and Antillean children this is only 20%. Box 1326 The authors hypothesise that cultural factors (educational attitudes) may also influence. Box 1327 60% of ethnic minority children are in so-called “black schools “(zwarte scholen = schools with a large majority of ethnic minority children). School type explains another 10% of the variation negative impact of educational programs carried out in context of low social mix on children cognitive development Box 1328 Differences between these groups seem to diminish in primary school, especially for mathematics, and (to a lesser extent) also for language. Similarly, while developmental delays in Kindergarten have remained stable, the results of ethnic minority children on the CITO tests at the end of primary school have gone up since the mid 1990’s. This is also reflected in increasing enrolment in higher qualified directions in secondary school. However ethnic minority children still significantly more often leave secondary school without certificate. Box 1329 Participation in play groups prior to kindergarten has positive effects on the results in group 2 of Kindergarten. Specific programs like Kaleidoscoop and Piramide have moderate effects but these are “not impressive”limited impact of programs targeted specifically at disadvantaged children
Box 1330 Other studies from the Netherland in Dutch language: Box 1331 Schonewille, B., Kloprogge, J. & van der Leij, A. 2000. Kaleidoscoop en Piramide. Samenvattend Eindrapport. Utrecht: Sardes. Box 1332 > The study reports the findings of the centre-based integrated programs (Piramide and Kaleidoscoop) evaluations, focusing on the effects of such programs for children’s socio-emotional development. Box 1333 van Tuijl, C. 2002. Effecten van Opstap Opnieuw bij Follow-up. Effecten van Opstap Opnieuw bij Turkse en Marokkaanse Leerlingen op Middellange Termijn. Alkmaar: Extern Print. Box 1334 > Evaluation of the Revised Step-up program that is a well known family intervention program carried out in the Netherlands. Box 1335 Dries Box 1336 Box l 1339 The Box 1343 Location: Box 1347 - Box 1354 Box 1360 - no effects of ECEC attendance (DC,PS,P-CP) sen, G. E. J. M. ongitudinal study aims to The Netherlands children standardised test on long term cognitive and non-cognitive attainment could 2004. A large study investigate: cognitive and (CITO, assessing be demonstrated
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scale drawing on non- cognitive language and Box 1361 Box 1340 - the Box 1344 Context: longitudinal data set attainment mathematics association with longitudinal study Box 1362 > Findings in context: study of the from skills) along with between parents’ drawing on the data Box 1348 ass Box 1363 - ECEC provision tend to be very diverse and utilization and national students social background and (1996-2000) of the essed in highly fragmented (type of provision, availability and effects of earlyBox 1337 /behavioural s children’s cohort study PRIMA Kindergarten, accessibility, administrative responsibility for regulation childhood profiles compiled urvey participation in carried out on national Grade 2 and and funding, care/educational purposes) educationand by the teachers (PRIMA) ECEC services scale. Grade 4 of Box 1364 - not all services are designed to promote care in The Box 1338 primary school Box 1355 Box 1341 - the Box 1345 Sample: cognitive, linguistic or social-emotional development of Netherlands. effects of ECEC 33,418 children studied Box 1349 Box 1356 pare children (eg. day care centres are intended to provide only Early Child participation on longitudinally until the Box 1350 nt questionnaires childcare in connection to parents’ participation in the Development children’s nonend of Grade 2 (in total background Box 1357 workforce > only social assistance function) and Care, 174 cognitive data from approx. 600 characteristicBox 1358 (7–8), 667–689. Box 1365 - not all services / programs meet the necessary competencies schools were of the parentsBox 1359 dayquality standard (deterioration in the quality of day-care available). A sample of 38 Box 1342 Box 1351 care, pre-school, centres has been observed in previous studies ) home children were Box 1352 targeted parentBox 1366 recruited at school type of ECEC child program Box 1367 entry for comparison > Limitations: quality of individual ECEC service (integrated, with pre-school group. services – /program language, Box 1346 Methodology attended by that is acknowledged to be playing a crucial role development, Box 1368 : statistical analysis in promoting better cognitive outcomes on the longer term Box 1353 Chil combinations), using both cross(EPPE 3-7 & 3-11, EPPNI) – was not taken into account in combinations dren sectional and the study longitudinal analyses.
38
Gevers Deynoot-Schaub, M. & Riksen-Walraven, M. 2002. Kwaliteit onder druk: de kwaliteit van opvang in Nederlandse kinderdagverblijven in 1995 en 2001. Pedagogiek, 22, 109–124. This study has been conducted in 2002, before the marketization of child care in The Netherlands: later studies have documented that the quality of provisions has gone down since then (De Kuif et al, 2009) This might imply that the remark on the limited impact of ECEC in The Netherlands due to irregularity of quality may be even more true today.
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Box 1369 vanBox 1370 Box l 1371 The Box 1375 Location: Box 1379 - Box 1395 struct Box 1402 - intelligence of children from disadvantaged Tuijl, C., & ongitudinal aims of the study The Netherlands family ured interview communities increased relative to age-norms over the 21/2 Leseman, P. P. withinare: background (family SES index) years they spent in pre-school Box 1376 Context: M. 2007. subject Box 1372 characteristics longitudinal study Box 1396 Box 1403 Increases in the study determining the focusing on the effectsBox 1380 Box 1397 stand Box 1404 - on average the gains were bigger children for verbal and fluid development of of large-scale (nationalardised test younger children and for those with a non-Dutch home Box 1381 cognitive verbal and fluid wide) ECEC public children’s (RAKIT) with language abilities of intelligence of 4-6provision (PS) on the intelligence indicators of Box 1405 disadvantaged years-old Turkish development of general Box 1382 (ver verbal and fluid Box 1406 - the gains in verbal and fluid intelligence children and Moroccan cognitive abilities of intelligence bal and fluid) predicted emergent school skills such as vocabulary and attending immigrant children disadvantages children Box 1398 pre-mathematical skills Box 1383 preschool in the in Dutch public pre- >Turkish and Moroccan Box 1399 differ Netherlands. Box 1384 Box 1407 school system (PS) children are the most at ence between Box 1408 Early Childhood risk of educational Box 1385 therefore the attendance of pre-school Box 1373 normalised Research failure in the Dutch changes in programs with a developmental orientation (educational examining whether standard score of Quarterly, 22 education system intelligence function) can substantially enhance language and gains in verbal and pre-test and post(2), 188–203. (Tesser & Iedema, Box 1386 cognitive development in low-income, ethnic-minority fluid intelligence test: additionally 2001) children (even within a large pre-school system of differed between Box 1387 gains or losses moderate quality) children as a Box 1377 Sample: Box 1388 were related to function of age and 300+ children recruited Box 1409 age-referenced home language at age 4 and studied Box 1389 Box 1410 Limitations: forms Box 1390 longitudinally over a 21/2 Box 1374 Box 1411 -lack of randomly assigned control group Box 1400 years-period they spent Box 1391 investigating Box 1412 - the quality of individual pre-schools were not Box 1401 curric in public pre-schools (n: whether gains in Box 1392 taken into account in the study ulum-related tests 100). verbal and fluid Box 1393 (Dutch Receptive intelligence are Box 1378 Research Box 1394 Vocabulary & related to higher design: short-term emergent Utrecht Number levels of emergent longitudinal study with school skills Concept) school skills at the a pre- and post- test administered at end of pre-school (interval = 30 months) post-test
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Box 1413 Spie Box 1414 Box l 1426 The Box 1430 Location: Box 1434 - Box 1443 Box 1447 - in West Germany Kindergarten attendance ss, C. K., ongitudinal study aims to: West Germany child GSOEP data set significantly raises the probability of immigrant children to Buchel, F., study kindergarten Box 1444 be placed into a higher educational level school given Box 1427 Box 1431 Context: the Wagner, G. G. drawing on attendance Box 1445 the relatively low participation rate of immigrant children in examining study draws on the 39 2003. data set German ECP (Buchel & Spiess, 2002 ) policy attention longitudinal effects data of the German Box 1435 Box 1446 Children’s from should be drawn on how to increase it with the aim of of ECP (early Socio-Economic PanelBox 1436 household income improving school outcomes for immigrant children who are school national childhood (GSOEP) to evaluate family SES and size and level more often at risk of educational failure (Alba et al., placement in Box 1415 the impact of s programs) 40 Box 1437 of parents’ Germany. Does urvey 1994 ) attendance community-based early education Box 1438 Kindergarten (GSOEP) Box 1428 childhood care and Box 1448 attendance Box 1416 educational programs Box 1439 exploring the Box 1449 - whereas no significant relationship between matter? Bonn: (available to all children Box 1440 relationship Kindergarten attendance and later school placement could Box 1417 IZA Discussion – non targeted, non- Box 1441 between be found for German children (after controlling for parental Paper n. 722. Box 1418 compulsory, publicly Box 1442 kindergarten SES variables) a Box 1419 subsidised and stateattendance (on the dummy Box 1450 Box 1420 regulated) on children year before the variable Box 1451 Limitations: later school success. Box 1421 enrolment in indicates Box 1452 -as the number of variables identified for the Children’s school primary school) and Box 1422 whether the th study were very limited, there might be additional variables attainment has been children 7 grade household Box 1423 that account for findings examined through their school placement nationality th Box 1424 school placement at 7 Box 1453 eg. quality of ECEC was not taken into into more or less (German or Box 1425 grade: low-vocational account academically immigrant demanding schools level (Hauptshule) or Box 1454 in fact the findings of previous German background) medium-high academic studies* report a positive relationship between the quality Box 1429 level (Realshule and of Kindergartens and children cognitive and social differentiating Gymnasium ) outcomes association for the Box 1432 Sample: 316 children of German Box 1455
39
Büchel, F. & Spiess, C. K. 2002. Form der Kinderbetreuung und Arbeitsmarktverhalten von Müttern in West- und Ostdeutschland. Schriftenreihe des Bundesministeriums für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend. Band 220. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer. 40 Alba, R., Handl, J. & Mueller, W. 1994. Ethnische Ungleichheit im deutschen Bildungssystem. Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 46, 209-223.
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citizens as children (110 foreigners compared to those and 206 Germans) of immigrants. Box 1433 Methodology : statistical analysis (binary probit technique) where the dependent variable (0/1) is indicating children placement in vocational school (Hauptshule) and the independent variable of main interest is children’s attendance to KG.
Box 1456 Relevant studies carried out before 2000*: Box 1457 Box 1458 European Child Care and Education (ECCE) Study Group. 1999. European Child Care and Education Study. School-age assessment of Child Development: long-term impact of pre-school experiences on school success and family-school relationships. Final report submitted to EU DG XII. Science, Research and Development RTD Action: Targeted Socio-Economic Research. Berlin. Box 1459 Box 1460 Tietze W. (Ed.) 1998. Wie gut sind unsere Kindergaerten? Berlin: Luchterhand.
Box 1461 Felfe Box 1464 Box l 1467 The Box 1471 Location: Box 1475 - Box 1493 indep Box 1500 - children enrolled in childcare centres have a , C. and Lalive, ongitudinal study aims to: West and East children nonendence social clear advantage in all dimensions > overall ECEC R. 2011. How study Germany cognitive skills, behaviour, attendance promote children cognitive and non-cognitive Box 1468 Does Early drawing on development personality and development on the short run estimate the role of Box 1472 Context: the Childcare Affect data set motor skills self-Box 1501 centre-based care study draws on the Box 1476 - the positive impact of childcare attendance is Child from reported by accessibility data of the German Box 1477 greater for children who started to attend formal care only Development? national Box 1469 children’s mothers after supply increased (children from low socio-economic Socio-Economic PanelBox 1478 Learning fromBox 1465 background) s examine the impact (GSOEP) and German Box 1494 Box 1462 the urveys Child Panel (GCP) to Box 1479 of ECEC on Box 1495 Box 1502 - in the medium run the difference between the Children of (GSOEP evaluate the impact ofBox 1480 children short and language skills children who attended childcare centres and those who did German and GCP) increased accessibilityBox 1481 medium run and school grades not seem to dissipate on average Unification. Box 1466 of centre-based children development in self-reported by Box 1503 - however children who entered childcare only CESifo Area childcare (triggered by cognitive relation to both children’s mothers
120
Conference on Economics of Education: Center for Economics Studies. Box 1463
cognitive and nonGerman Unification) on developmentBox 1496 once it became more accessible seem to benefit cognitive outcomes children later substantially from it even several years later (better results Box 1482 Box 1497 development. Data onBox 1483 Box 1470 household income in school and better social skills in the medium term) children cognitive and discussing the Box 1504 and size and level Box 1484 non-cognitive incidence of of parents’ Box 1505 results suggest that the gains of centreBox 1485 development were expanding high education based childcare are higher and more long-lasting for drawn from large Box 1486 quality care on children that attend it only once the access is expanded > national datasets. family SES Box 1498 society children from low socio-economic background: these Box 1499 Box 1473 Sample: Box 1487 findings converge in saying that rationing tend to favour formal criteria as 800+ children who were Box 1488 children from advantage background child-staff ratio, studied longitudinally Box 1489 Box 1506 maximum size of from age 2 to 10. Box 1490 the group of Box 1507 Along with the previous study, these findings Box 1474 Methodology children, size of indicates that ECEC attendance marginally promote the Box 1491 : statistical analysis of the childcare development of ‘average children’ while it has a strong survey data covering aBox 1492 centre, staff impact on cognitive and non-cognitive development of high quality of broad range of training and disadvantaged children on the long term these findings childcare in indicators on child qualifications indicate that universally accessible high quality childcare Germany is development and can contribute to decrease inequalities and to weaken assumed as background intergenerational transmission of SES. homogeneous characteristics. across German regions on the basis of the tightness of their regulations Box 1508 Other studies from Germany in German language: Box 1509 Becker, R. & Tremel, P. 2006. Auswirkungen vorschulischer Kinderbetreuung auf die Bildungschancen von Migrantenkindern. Sozial Welt, 57, 397-418. Box 1510 The study draw on the longitudinal data from the German Socioeconomic Panel to examine whether preschool education could improve the educational chances of migrants’ children who tend to be disadvantaged in the German school system. The results about the effects of kindergarten for the period between 1984 and 2003 indicates that ECEC education can improve the educational chances of migrants’ children although their educational chances become similar to the native children’s one without any preschool experience.
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Box 1511 Studies from Switzerland in German language: Box 1512 Lanfranchi, A. 2002. Schulerfolg von Migrationskindern. Die Bedeutung familienergänzender Betreuung im Vorschulalter. Opladen: Leske + Budrich. Box 1513 Lanfranchi, A., Gruber, J. & Gay, D. 2003. Schulerfolg von Migrationskindern dank transitorischer Räume im Vorschulbereich. In H.-R. Wicker, R. Fibbi & W. Haug (Hrsg.) Migration und die Schweiz. Ergebnisse des Nationalen Forschungsprogramms "Migration und interkulturelle Beziehungen" (S. 481-506). Zürich: Seismo. Box 1514 Within the framework of a national research programme carried out in the field of migration, the research team of Lanfranchi et al. investigated the supportive measures implemented in aid of four- and six- year old children in three Swiss towns. A preliminary survey consisting of a spot check of 876 Swiss, Albanian, Turkish, Portuguese and Italian children took place in Winterthur, Neuchâtel and Locarno in 1998. One year later – the younger children were in kindergarten and the older ones in the primary school – the teachers were questioned about the performance of the children in question. Their results were compared to those of children who did not attend kindergarten (children staying at home with their mothers, relatives, neighbours or childminders). The main findings of the study indicates that children who attended ECEC were significantly better assessed by their kindergarten and teachers of the first primary school class in terms of their linguistic, cognitive and special skills than children who grew up exclusively in the circle of their own family: in particular it emerged that children from migrant families managed the transition to school significantly better. Box 1515 Caill Box 1516 Box L 1518 The Box 1519 Location: Box 1523 Effe Box 1525 Box 1530 - early attendance positively influences school e, J.-P. 2001. ongitudinal study aims at France cts are studied carrier at CE2 (second year of primary school), meaning Box 1526 No Scolarisation à study investigating the Box 1520 on school that the number of children who have doubled one year measurements of Context: 2 ans et based on a effects of precareer, longitudinal study cognitive, social or diminishes significantly when children enrolled at a réussite de la panel study school attendance meaning younger age in preschool focusing on the effects other carrière of 1997 on later school attending the of large-scale nationcharacteristics Box 1531 - immigrant children benefit more from early scolaire au Box 1517 success. second year of wide pre-school enrolment than majority children Box 1527 début de l'école primary school provision on children’s - BUT enrolment at age 2 is not equally Box 1528 No Box 1532 élémentaire without later school career. distributed: measurements of [School doubling any Box 1521 Sample: quality of Box 1533 > children with the French nationality (31%) enrolment at 2 year. cohort of 8.661 preschool. more often at age 2 than with a foreign nationality (21%) years and children, born in 1991,Box 1524 and children whose parents are born in France (32%) Box 1529 school success who entered in primary more often than those whose parents were immigrants at the school at age 6 - 31% (25%) beginning of of them entered Box 1534 - HOWEVER once controlled for child and elementary preschool at age 2. background characteristics early enrolment in preschool school]. Box 1522 Methodology (at age 2, rather than age 3) does hardly influence the Éducation & : logistic regression inequalities in school carrier that are due to the most formations, 60, controlling for the important family and neighbourhood factors (mother’s 7-18. characteristic of the education, SES,...) child, of the family and Box 1535 of neighbourhood Box 1536 therefore the social inequalities in school career (in the first two years of primary school) are not (or almost not) moulded by early entry in preschool.
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Box 1537 Brilli, Box 1541 Box S 1542 The Box 1544 Location: Box 1548 - Box 1566 Box 1585 - childcare coverage coefficients are always Y., Del Boca, tatistical studies aim to: Italy children school Box 1567 INVA positive and significant on language test score, only in D., Pronzato, estimationBox 1543 outcomes at areas with high rationing the coefficient of childcare is Box 1545 Context: the LSI language and nd C. 2011. within an age 7 (2 positive and significant also for math score childcare investigate the study is carried out in a math test (school Exploring the econometri grade of rationing plays a role on children school outcomes but effects of public context in which year 2008-2009) Impacts of c model primary given the lack of information on eligibility criteria (eg. childcare (0-3 childcare opportunities Box 1568 Public school) priority given to children with working mothers or to services) coverage are limited both in Box 1569 Childcare on disadvantaged children) the effect of rationing cannot be on children terms of availability Box 1549 Box 1570 Mothers and disentangled. scholastic (which varies greatly Box 1550 Children in Box 1571 achievements and among regions) and Box 1586 - paternal and maternal education have a children 41 Italy: Does non-cognitive costs and in which positive and significant impact on children test scores Box 1572 characteristics Rationing Play outcomes accessibility criteria (gender and Box 1573 inforBox 1587 -non-Italian children perform worse than their a Role? Bonn: differ across citizenship) mation provided Italian peer especially in language test IZA. municipalities. The Box 1551 by INVALSI dataBox 1588 - heterogeneous effects: a) childcare effects Box 1538 study draws on the set (reported by family become stronger when rationing is higher and this seems dataset of INVALSI Box 1539 Del characteristics the schools) particularly true for language test scores; b) childcare (Italian Institute for Boca, D. & (parents’ Box 1574 availability impact are stronger on language test score for Evaluation of the Pasqua, S. working status children with low educated mothers and in low GDP areas, Box 1575 Education System), of 2010. Esiti and education) who are likely to benefit more from childcare opportunities Box 1576 Cittadinanza Attiva scolastici e than their counterparts These results are consistent with Box 1552 (data on public Box 1577 infor comporta the findings of previous studies showing that public environmen childcare coverage at mation on GDP childcare may enhance educational opportunities of Box 1540 ment Box 1553 tal the provincial level) and per capita by ali, famiglia e children from a disadvantage background. The fact that characteri of Psychology province servizi per the impact of childcare availability on children’s cognitive Department of Turin Box 1554 sticBox 1578 l’infanzia (tr. development is higher for children with low educated University. s Cognitive and Box 1579 perce mothers living in low-income areas, highlight the Box 1546 Sample: Box 1555 non-cognitive ntage ratio importance of RATIONING CHILDCARE according to 27,000+ children outcomes, between public family SES criteria and to increase CHILDCARE Box 1556 nd assessed at age 7 (2 Box 1557 family and childcare slots AVAILABILTY especially in DISADVANTAGED areas. grade of primary childcare). and population Box 1589 measure of Limitation of the study: a) childcare quality was school) for cognitive Torino: aged 0-2 years by not taken into account although quality of public provision childcare outcomes. 1,000+ Fondazione province coverage can be assumed to be rather high due to its educational primary school children Giovanni during the Box 1580 orientation and quality regulations introduced at regional living the surrounding Agnelli. school year Box 1581 level; b) the effects of rationing criteria could not be
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Del Boca, D. 2010. Child poverty and child well-being in the European Union: policy overview and policy impact analysis. A case study: Italy. Budapest & Brussels: TARKIApplica.
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of Turin area assessed 2002-2003 Box 1582 disentangled. for non-cognitive (when Box 1583 asseBox 1590 outcomes. children) ssed by parents Box 1591 -parents’ level of education is not significantly Box 1547 Methodology Box 1558 and teachers correlated to children non-cognitive outcomes : statistical regression Box 1559 through a Box 1592 - attendance of formal childcare has a positive analysis of survey dataBox 1560 questionnaire and significant impact on all the non-cognitive covering a broad range Box 1584 (abilityBox 1593 indicators considered in the study of indicators on child, Box 1561 to listen, to Box 1562 Box 1594 these findings confirm the importance of early family and concentrate, to children nonsocialising experiences for the non-cognitive development environmental establish cognitive of children characteristics. interpersonal outcomes in primary school relationships, to st th cooperate with (1 to 4 peers and grade) creativity) Box 1563 Box 1564 childcare attendance Box 1565 Box 1595 Havn Box 1597 Box D 1598 The aimBox 1600 Location: Box 1604 - Box 1619 Statis Box 1625 Difference-in-difference estimates show that: es, T., and iffence-inof the study is to Norway child and tic Norway dataset Box 1626 -childcare attendance substantially improved Mogstad, M. difference analyse the family containing unique Box 1601 Context: educational attainment of children in the long term (in 2011. No Child (DD) introduction of background individual providing evidence of aggregate terms additional 17.500 childcare places Left Behind: estimates subsidized, identifiers that long-term effects of Box 1605 produced 6.200 years of education) Subsidized universally allow to match Box 1627 childcare on children Box 1606 - childcare expansion improved children Child Care and accessible parents and their educational attainmentBox 1607 educational chances by raising the chances of completing Children's childcare in Norway in a context of children high school and attending college Box 1608 Long-Run addressing the subsidized and Box 1620 Box 1628 -subsample analysis indicates the greatest Outcomes. impact of on universally accessible Box 1609 Box 1621 admi effects on education stems from children with low American children long-run services > Box 1610 nistrative register educated mothers Economic outcomes Scandinavian data on formal Box 1629 Box 1611 overall the findings of the estimates indicate Journal: (educational contribution to the childcare Box 1612 that universal access to subsidized childcare levels the Economic attainment). international policy institutions and playing field by increasing intergenerational mobility Box 1613 Policy, 3(2): Box 1599 To elicit debate on ECEC their location childcare 97–129. Box 1630 causal relationship gaining increasing (Statistic Norway) coverage in between childcare attention in US, Box 1596 Ope Box 1631 Limitation: the findings of this study might not be Box 1622 418 n access and children’s long- Canada and EU. generalised beyond Scandinavian countries in which Norwegian Box 1623 version: term educational Box 1602 overall high quality, universally accessible childcare is Sample: municipalitiesBox 1624 Havnes, T., and attainment a DD provided and SES differences in population are less 499.000+ children number of Mogstad, M. approach that marked than elsewhere. (318.300+ families) Box 1614
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2009. No Child Left Behind: Universal Child Care and Children's Long-Run Outcomes. Statistics Norway: Research Department.
exploit a childcare reform from 1975 in Norway is used for carrying out the estimation.
distributed across 3 Box 1615 cohorts (pre-reform, Box 1616 phase-in, post-reform). Box 1617 Treatment and comparison groups Box 1618 were defined according adult outcomes to municipal childcare (3-6 services) coverage rates in the expansion period after the reform (1976-1979). Box 1603 Method: comparing adults outcomes – in terms of years spent in education – by age 3033 in 2006 using a statistical regression model for data analysis.
completed yearsBox 1632 of education in 2006 (data drawn from annual reports from Norwegian educational establishment)
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