In order to understand the influence of the pandemic on young children (aged six and under) and their caregivers, a consortium of partners commissioned this study to learn from impacts and actions taken in response to early childhood development (ECD) during Pandemic. The objective was to focus particularly on the disruptions related to the…

The Mother Tongue Based Early Learning and Parents+ Programme ran from 2016 to 2021 (having been extended due the COVID-19 pandemic) in the state of Odisha, India -- a partnership of the state government's Department of Women and Child Development, Mission Shakti and the Bernard van Leer Foundation. As described in this report, the programme…

The present research study was undertaken to evaluate the Mother Tongue Based Early Learning and Parents+ (MTELP+) Programme which commenced in 2016 in the state of Odisha. The MTELP+ programme was implemented by Programme Management Unit (PMU), which was setup by Department of Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti, Government of Odisha…

This publication presents the challenges and opportunities confronting early childhood development in vulnerable urban contexts, derived from specialised research by Arup and the Bernard van Leer Foundation (BvLF). The data is clear: vulnerable urban areas such as refugee and informal settlements house a growing population in critical need, and…

The 'Spotlight on the Many Voices of the Early Childhood Workforce' Solutions Summit was held on 11 December 2018 as an official side event of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) Partners' Forum in New Delhi, India. The aim of the Summit was to place a spotlight on and develop solutions for the diverse early childhood…

In 2015, the High Council for Education, Training and Scientific Research of Morocco announced its strategic plan for the next 25 years. Among the goals is 'the institutionalisation and standardisation of preschool education'. The identification of early childhood education as a national priority for the country represents a tremendous change in…

As more children are growing up in cities than ever before, cities are investigating new ways to become more child-friendly, and to measure their progress towards this goal. Data dashboards are one tool that can help a city set policy priorities, monitor progress, encourage collaboration, inform decisions, increase accountability, and strengthen…

"The demographics of families in poverty around the globe may be diverse, but parents' dreams for their children are similar everywhere: good health, a good education, economic stability, and a better future." This new report from the Bernard van Leer Foundation and Ascend at The Aspen Institute develops a "two generation"…

This document, based on the statistical yearbook, "Children in Israel 2014," presents data on the population of young children in Israel. The document presents a current picture of the well-being of young children in Israel intended to assist policy-makers and practitioners to understand the situation of this group of children and to…

The International Consultation, convened in Leiden (the Netherlands) in September 2014, brought together early childhood experts and stakeholders--supported by the International Step by Step Association (ISSA), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the…

This working paper is part of the Studies in Early Transitions series emerging from "Young Lives", a 15-year longitudinal study of childhood poverty in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam. It explores recent trends for children growing up in Andhra Pradesh, one of India's most populous states, based on Young Lives survey data collected for…

This working paper is part of a series on early transitions from "Young Lives," a 15-year longitudinal study of childhood poverty in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam. It explores the diverse experiences of 28 children from four contrasting communities in Peru as they start school. These detailed case studies highlight common problems:…

In this working paper, Wendy Russell and Stuart Lester of the UK's University of Gloucestershire discuss why play is fundamental to the health and well-being of children. They argue that both state signatories to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 31 of which enshrines the right to play) and adults generally should…

This working paper focuses on some of the issues and challenges faced in developing early childhood programmes to promote racial and ethnic diversity in societies characterised by deep divisions and/or conflict. The central argument of the paper is that the development, delivery and evaluation of such programmes need to be informed by three core…

In this paper Peter Moss, a Professor of Early Childhood Provision at the University of London, challenges the hegemony of the market model in early childhood education and care. He shows how the market model embodies the values of neoliberalism and, drawing on the work of the Brazilian social theorist Roberto Unger, discusses "democratic…