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Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe:
Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Presented at a conference
Eurydice: i sistemi educativi europei al traguardo del 2010 (MIUR, Roma)
2009 Sep 25 by
Akvile Motiejunaite
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
“Pre-primary education has the highest returns in terms of the social adaptation of children.
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”
Commission Communication ‘Efficiency and Equity in European Education and Training Systems’
(September 2006)
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
• Discusses publicly subsidised and accredited provision for children under compulsory school age
• Defines at risk children –‘children with disadvantages stemming mainly from socio-economic, cultural and/or language factors. The need arises from disadvantages attributable to these factors’ (OECD)
• Covers 30 countries of Eurydice network
• Refers to year 2006/2007
The study: definitions
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
(1) a review of scientific literature on the impact of high quality education and care on young children;
(2) a summary of statistical data on relevant demographic characteristics of European families and the participation rates in ECEC;
(3) a comparative analysis of policy measures based on information collected from national units of the Eurydice network.
The study: structure
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
What does research tell us?
ECEC benefits all children if
intensive, early starting, child-focused, centre based
+high qualified staff (specialised BA)
+ low staff/child ratios
+parent involvement, family support
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
• 12 % of total households
• Potential groups at-risk:– 17 % of households on the poverty threshold
(PL, LT, UK, EE, IT, PT, LU > 20 %)
– Single parent households 9 %
– Non-national children 3 % (~ethnic minority and immigrant?)
European families with young children (under 6s)
Co
mb
ina
tio
n
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
• All countries have subsidised and accredited ECECLimited or no for under 3s in CZ, EL, IE, NL, PL, UK, LI
• Separate model: childcare vs. education
• Unitary model: childcare with education
Parental employment statuscatchments' area
age
universal access
What is the current situation regarding ECEC in Europe?
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Model A: Unitary settings
0-1 year to 5-6 years with or without pre-primary classes
Mix A + B
Model B: Separate settings
under 2-3 years over 2-3 years
Main models of (accredited and subsidised) ECEC provision according to the age of children, 2006/07
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Italy: Separate settings
Asilo nido Scuola dell’infanzia
0 3 6
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Upper or post secondary education
Level and minimum duration of initial education and training for staff working with children under 2-3 years, 2006/07
Tertiary education
Level and minimum duration of initial education and training for staff working with children over 2-3 years ( ISCED 0), 2006/07
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
3 4 5 6
ISCED 0 ISCED 1
74 %
87 %93 %
99.8 %Participation rate of children
from 3-6 years by agein pre-primary (ISCED 0) and primary (ISCED 1) education,
EU-27, 2005/06
Problematic access for: under-3s (no Eurostat data!)rural areas
Large variation between countries
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO SETTINGS
Additional financial resourcesMore favourable staff/child ratios Incentives for staff
What is done for disadvantaged children?
TO FAMILIESDecreasing costs
SPECIFIC PROGRAMMES
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
family income and number of children
Means of enhancing affordability of ECEC for the youngest, 2006/07
Free access in all subsidised andaccredited services
Level of fees paid for accredited public sector ECEC services adjusted according to
Tax advantages available for use of accredited fee-paying ECEC services in the public sector
criteria other than family size and income
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
PARENTALSUPPORT
POLICY MAKERS MAY HAVE A DIRECT INFLUENCE ON
HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND CARE Intensive verbal interactions
Cognitive stimulationGood climateSocialisation
STAFF TRAINING Level
Duration Skills required
PROVISIONCapacity/volumeAge of access
Staff ratioFees
InvolvementIn ECEC
ReducingCost
GREATEST BENEFITS TO CHILDREN AT RISK
Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe: Tackling Social and Cultural Inequalities
Grazie!
The report is available onwww.eurydice.org