EUROCHILD – UNICEF Seminar European Parliament, 8 April, 2008 For comments: [email protected] 1 Improving the well-being of young children in Europe

EUROCHILD – UNICEF Seminar EUROCHILD – UNICEF Seminar European Parliament, 8 April, European Parliament, 8 April, 20082008

For comments: [email protected] 1

Improving the well-being of young children in EuropeImproving the well-being of young children in Europe

the role of early years servicesthe role of early years services

EUROCHILD – INNOCENTI SeminarEUROCHILD – INNOCENTI Seminar

European Parliament, 8 April, 2008European Parliament, 8 April, 2008



The OECD Starting Strong evaluationsThe OECD Starting Strong evaluations

From 1998-2004, 20 countries invited the OECD to review ECEC policy & provisionFrom 1998-2004, 20 countries invited the OECD to review ECEC policy & provision

•Australia Australia •Finland Finland •Mexico Mexico

•Austria Austria •France France •Netherlands Netherlands

•Belgium Fl Belgium Fl •Germany Germany •Norway Norway

•Belgium Fr Belgium Fr •Hungary Hungary •Portugal Portugal

•Canada Canada •Ireland Ireland •Sweden Sweden

•Czech Rep. Czech Rep. •Italy Italy •UK UK

•Denmark Denmark •Korea Korea •USA USA



AIM – to outline the argument of the UNICEF report and its AIM – to outline the argument of the UNICEF report and its conclusion: conclusion: MORE NEEDS TO BE DONEMORE NEEDS TO BE DONE

1. The childcare revolution exists1. The childcare revolution exists with a great potential for good with a great potential for good

A healthy start for young childrenA healthy start for young children

A fair start for all young childrenA fair start for all young children

A quality start in high quality services A quality start in high quality services

2. To achieve this potential, we need to go beyond Barcelona: 2. To achieve this potential, we need to go beyond Barcelona:

To aim for quality and citizenship values as well as To aim for quality and citizenship values as well as access access levels and labour market concernslevels and labour market concerns

•Ex. Sweden

A summary of this presentationA summary of this presentation



UNICEF-INNOCENTI REPORT CARD 8

““The Childcare TransitionThe Childcare TransitionA league table of early childhood education and careA league table of early childhood education and care””

Report Card 8 looks at this great change from a point of view that is in danger of being neglected and that is so clearly set out in Article 3 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - “that in all actions concerning children … the best interests the best interests of the child shall be a primary considerationof the child shall be a primary consideration”.


1. The great childcare transition exists

… and with a great potential for good



The childcare transitionThe childcare transition The Pampers Climbing Club, Norway The Pampers Climbing Club, Norway (Thomas Moser) (Thomas Moser)



Participation rates in early childhood servicesParticipation rates in early childhood services

CountryCountry 0 - 36 months0 - 36 months 36 to 60 months36 to 60 monthsAustria 6.6 74.0

Belgium 33.6 4 99.6

DenmarkDenmark 61.761.7 89.7 89.7 22

Finland 35.0 46.1

France 28.0 4 101.9

Germany 9.0 80.3

HungaryHungary 6.916.91 86.986.9

Iceland 58.7 94.7

IrelandIreland 15.015.0 68.268.2

Italy 6.3 100.3

Netherlands 29.5 70.2

Norway 43.7 85.1 2

Portugal 23.5 77.9

Slovenia 25.8 77.5

Spain 20.7 98.6

Sweden 39.5 86.6 2

SwitzerlandSwitzerland mm 44.844.8

United Kingdom 25.8 80.5



Early investment pays in terms of human capital Early investment pays in terms of human capital investment, the labour market, job creation and an investment, the labour market, job creation and an

enlarged tax base…enlarged tax base…

Heckmann et al. (2005), Interpreting the evidence on life cycle skill formation



Early childhood services have a great potential for goodEarly childhood services have a great potential for good

To support parents and strengthen family life

To provide a HEALTHY start to all young children

To provide a FAIR start in life to children from disadvantaged backgrounds

To contribute to equality of opportunity for women

To ensure holistic readiness for school, and increase the efficiency of education systems

To initiate young children into learning to live together based on participation and democratic attitudes



A healthy start…

Infant mortality rates in European countries, 2005

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0



A Fair Start ?



Pre-school access in the USA by level of income in 2005(Source: EPE Research Center, 2007)



Use of childcare (0-3 years) by different groups in FlandersUse of childcare (0-3 years) by different groups in Flanders(Source: Kind en Gezin, Child in Flanders, 2006)

All children, 55.7%

One-parent families, 48.0%

Low income (Belgian), 21.7%

Ethnic minority, 12.7%

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6



Vocabulary Growth – First 3 YearsVocabulary Growth – First 3 Years

High SES

Middle SES

Low SES

1200

600

012 16 20 24 26 32 36

Vocabulary

Age- MonthsSource: B.Hart & T. Risley. Meaningful Differences in Everyday Experiences of Young American Children, 1995


2. Beyond Barcelona

Quality and citizenship values as well as labour market concerns

(see EUROCHILD paper)



Beyond BarcelonaBeyond Barcelona

Early childhood services should provide

1. A quality experience for young children A time for childhoodA time for childhood Respect for the natural learning strategies of young Respect for the natural learning strategies of young

childrenchildren Well-being and involvementWell-being and involvement Holistic readiness for schoolHolistic readiness for school

2. Based on democratic values - European citizenship



Sweden – democracy & participation in practiceSweden – democracy & participation in practice

The Pre-school curriculum (1998) - a national curriculum based on consultation and dialogue (the democratic process) with parents, teachers, municipalities

The curriculum sets out the foundation valuesvalues for the pre-school, and the tasks, goals, and guidelines for pre-school activities

The first chapter begins:

Democracy forms the foundation of the pre-school. For this reason, all preschool activity should be carried out in accordance with fundamental democratic values. Each and everyone working in the preschool should promote respect for the intrinsic value of each person, as well as respect for our shared environment.



Sweden: democracy and participation contd.Sweden: democracy and participation contd.

The fundamental values defined are: Understanding and compassion for others

The freedom of the child (children should have the opportunity of forming their own opinions and making choices in the light of their personal circumstances).

An important part of the curriculum is called The Influence of the Child

All who work in the pre-school should work toward ensuring that the individual child develops the ability and willingness to take responsibility, to exercise influence in the preschool, and work towards ensuring that the opinions and views of each child are respected.



More needs to be done at European levelAlthough the Nordics emerge relatively well from RC8, much more needs to be done at European level:

To raise the quality of services To raise the quality of services so that they nurture the holistic so that they nurture the holistic

development and learning of young children development and learning of young children

To provide early accessTo provide early access for low-income and immigrant children for low-income and immigrant children

To improve the qualifications, remuneration, training and work To improve the qualifications, remuneration, training and work

conditions of the workforceconditions of the workforce

To conceptualise EC services both as a community responsibility To conceptualise EC services both as a community responsibility

(of local authorities, communities, parents…) and (of local authorities, communities, parents…) and as democratic as democratic

learning placeslearning places in which young children participate and learn to in which young children participate and learn to

contributecontribute

Documents

EUROCHILD – UNICEF Seminar European Parliament, 8 April, 2008 For comments: [email protected] 1 Improving the well-being of young children in Europe