Excerpts from introduction:
The recent OECD report 'Starting Strong' describes developments in 12 OECD countries, detailing the recent changes in ECEC systems and national policies, revealing both common challenges and diverse solutions. This paper focuses on a specific issue within this broad framework, complementing the overview of 'Starting Strong': What is, or can be, the function of ECEC for children from low-income and minority families? What is, or can be, the role of ECEC in improving social integration?
The approach is research based. It provides in Chapter 1 a short overview of recent currents in early childhood research, and draws out the implications for early child development and learning from the most recent research. The succeeding chapters summarise the research available in four areas important for policy making in support of children and families from low-income and/or minority backgrounds:
- Child rearing challenges for low-income and minority families
- The effects of organised ECEC on child development and learning
- Parental choice and its links with socio-economic and ethnic attributes
- Quality and efficacy: implications for ECEC systems design and policy.