Growing Up Right:

1

Growing Up Right Investing in Early Child
Development Interactive Innovations III
Conference Charles S. Coffey, O.C. Council
for Early Child Development March 4, 2008
2


The Capacity to Learn

Knowledge is the currency of our economy and
learning is a key to maintaining productivity,
competitiveness and prosperity. By stimulating
innovation in public education and learning
systems, Canadians will become more highly
skilled, creative and adaptablequalities leading
to an innovative society and a better
workforce. Dr. Michael Bloom, Vice-President,
Organizational Effectiveness and Learning The
Conference Board of Canada
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Children Keepers of the Key

If you want an idea of what your economy
will look like in say 15 or 20 yearsif you want
an economy that's vibrant, citizens who are
productive and a workplace that's innovative -
think about the investment you're making in very
young people today. Dr. Fraser Mustard
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Foundation for Lifelong Learning

Early child development (ECD) is the first
and most critical phase of education and human
growth.
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The Power and Workings of the Brain

• A childs earliest experiences shape brain
  development.

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The Power and Workings of the Brain

• A childs earliest experiences shape brain
  development.
• Between conception and entry to school, the
  developing brain establishes sight, hearing,
  language and cognitive ability.

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The Power and Workings of the Brain

• A childs earliest experiences shape brain
  development.
• Between conception and entry to school, the
  developing brain establishes sight, hearing,
  language and cognitive ability.
• Healthy functioning is not characterized by how
  much a child knows, but how much she/he is
  capable of learning.

8


The Power and Workings of the Brain

• A childs earliest experiences shape brain
  development.
• Between conception and entry to school, the
  developing brain establishes sight, hearing,
  language and cognitive ability.
• Healthy functioning is not characterized by how
  much a child knows, but how much she/he is
  capable of learning.
• ¼ of Canadas children between birth to age 6 are
  experiencing some learning or behavioural
  difficulty.

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The Power and Workings of Economics

First, young children develop in an
environment of relationships. Second, early
experiences sculpt the evolving architecture of
the brain. Third, wise investments in young
children are among the most cost-effective
outlays a society can provide. Jack
Shonkoff, Julius B. Richmond FAMRI Professor of
Child Health and Development at the Harvard
School of Public Health and Harvard Graduate
School of Education, and founding director of the
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard
University
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The Power and Workings of Economics

We're spending too much money on prisons,
welfare, remedial education and crisis
intervention because we don't spend enough on
children before they head off to school. a
17 return for every dollar invested in
high-quality early learning Art Rolnick,
Economist - Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

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The Power and Workings of Economics

The returns to human capital investments
are greatest for the young for two reasons (a)
skill begets skills, and b) younger persons have
a longer horizon over which to recoup the fruits
of their investments. James Heckman, a Nobel
Laureate in Economic Sciences University of
Chicago
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The Power and Workings of Economics Rates of
Return to Human Development Investment Across All
Ages

Human Capital Policy http//www.ucl.ac.uk/uctpp
ca/HCP.pdf
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Council for Early Child Development

The quality and capacity of our future
population depends on what we do now to support
early child development. Dr. Fraser Mustard
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Early Years Study 2 Putting Science into
Action for Children


Calls for the implementation of quality,
universal, accessible, affordable and optional
early child development programs that strive to
meet the diverse and changing needs of children
and parents.
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Council for Early Child Development Early Child
Development Centres

• Existing neighbourhood schools - the natural
  location in every community

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Council for Early Child Development Early Child
Development Centres

• Existing neighbourhood schools - the natural
  location in every community
• Integrated governance model and universal
  application

17

Council for Early Child Development Early Child
Development Centres

• Existing neighbourhood schools - the natural
  location in every community
• Integrated governance model and universal
  application
• The parent-child relationship paramount

18

Council for Early Child Development Early Child
Development Centres

• Existing neighbourhood schools - the natural
  location in every community
• Integrated governance model and universal
  application
• The parent-child relationship paramount
• Skilled, responsive and fairly compensated early
  childhood workforce essential

19

Council for Early Child Development Early Child
Development Centres

• Existing neighbourhood schools - the natural
  location in every community
• Integrated governance model and universal
  application
• The parent-child relationship paramount
• Skilled, responsive and fairly compensated early
  childhood workforce essential
• Sensitivity to the diversity of families and
  communities

20

Council for Early Child Development Early Child
Development Centres

• Existing neighbourhood schools - the natural
  location in every community
• Integrated governance model and universal
  application
• The parent-child relationship paramount
• Skilled, responsive and fairly compensated early
  childhood workforce essential
• Sensitivity to the diversity of families and
  communities
• Community early child development tools
• measure and assess progress

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The Early Development Instrument (EDI)

• Assesses childrens kindergarten development and
  provides school districts and communities with
  information about preschool population
• Evaluates the effectiveness of early childhood
  interventions and helps predict how children will
  do in elementary school

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From Public Spending

While interest in early childhood development
has produced more public spending on programs,
there is little accountability for the funding
little progress has been made in pulling the
service strands together into a coherent system.
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to CHAOS

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Policy Challenges are not an Excuse for Inaction

Canada has fallen behind other Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
countries that are taking steps to support early
child development.
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Public Expenditures on Early Childhood Programs
Selected OECD Countries (), 2004


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From Voices for Children voicesforchildren.ca

A four year Swedish study found that children
entering daycare at an early age did a number of
important learning and social tasks significantly
better than children who were older when they
started daycare. Money spent on Head Start
early education programs in the United States has
decreased the need for spending on special
education, welfare, teen pregnancy, delinquency
and crime.
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Evidence is Compelling

Well-funded, integrated child development and
parenting programs improve the cognitive and
social functioning of all children.
High-quality early child education produces
long-term positive outcomes and cost-savings
that include improved school performance, reduced
special education placement, lower school dropout
rates, and increased lifelong earning potential
Business Roundtable of leading US Companies
(2003)
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Reality Check

How will innovative early child development
centres impact K-12 students, teachers,
administrators, parents, communities and
stakeholders?
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Influence Public Policy and Change in Schools
and Districts

• Understand that effective early child development
  centres set the stage for greater student success
  in K-12
• Consider the opportunity that schools are the
  natural infrastructure for ECD centres
• Be ready for change
• Lead the way

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Full School Day Kindergarten on the Horizon

A new Early Childhood Learning Agency will be
established. It will assess the feasibility and
costs of full school day kindergarten for
five-year-olds. It will also undertake a
feasibility study of providing parents with the
choice of day-long kindergarten for
four-year-olds by 2010, and for three-year-olds
by 2012. Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable
Steven L. Point
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Learning Steps in your Communities

Children First Initiatives Greater Nanaimo
Early Years Partnership Success By 6 Initiatives
in Nelson Early Childhood Development Programs
Transferable Early Child Development A
Powerful Equalizer Lori G. Irwin, Arjumand
Siddiqi and Clyde Hertzman World Health
Organizations Commission on Social Determinants
of Health Council for Early Child Development
Community Fellows Reflection on Conference
Messages
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Leadership in Action

• Early learning shared goals of stakeholders
• Intrinsic link between early education and
  economic prosperity too significant to ignore
• Substantial and sustained investments in growing
  up right in early child development will be
  necessary to improve the competence, health, and
  well-being of populations in Canada and
  throughout the world.
• Urgency to act

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Growing Up Right Investing in Early Child
Development