1. Early Steps to School Success Save the Children – New Initiative Lisa Long, ECD Senior Specialist Save the Children/US CG Annual Consultation 2008, Budapest

2. A Global Crisis in Child Care and Early Education At least 200 million children under 5 years old will not build the healthy foundations of development in their first five years of life because of malnutrition, preventable diseases, and inadequate stimulation. MOZAMBIQUE Eileen Burke

3. Early Childhood: A Critical Investment ECD has not been a donor priority. For most donors, ECD represents just 2–10 percent of their allocation when compared to education investments for older children. The Committee for Economic Development and other economic and business leaders have strongly urged investment in early childhood, but no major corporation or foundation is as yet blazing this trail. This is an opportunity for a small number of visionary donors to transform the world. VIETNAM Michael Bisceglie

4. Working as a Global Alliance We envision a Global Alliance for Young Children: -Save the Children Alliance members -Consultative Group on ECCD and its linked regional networks -Donor agencies -International NGOs -National NGOs -Community based organizations (women’s groups, schools, community health services, etc…) Our own targets will be part of a larger whole

5. Early Steps to School Success (ESSS) In collaboration with global and national partners, Save the Children will respond with ESSS, a five year campaign that will: 1.Ensure 1,000,000 young children arrive at school ready to learn 2.Prepare/certify 10,000 primary schools as ready to support young child learning and development in Grades 1 to 3 3.Demonstrate to governments and donors feasible, cost- effective models of early childhood development that can be replicated at scale 4.Roll out programming in at least 23 countries 5.Mobilize at least $50 million investment in young children

6. The five-year Early Steps to School Success campaign will: 1.Catalyze action and investments by families, communities, national governments, donors and agencies. 2.Support young children’s healthy development and learning. 3.Prepare schools to educate young children effectively. 4.Utilize existing local community assets to support every child to achieve his/her potential. 5.Share knowledge and leverage learning and resources between domestic and international initiatives.

7. Guiding principles for ECD Programming Holistic child development and integrated service delivery Child competencies Early intervention Consistency and continuity Additive programming (Building comprehensive, effective models on existing entry points) Community asset-based / Act Locally Cost-effectiveness Think Globally (Bring global good practice and policy frameworks to every effort) EL SALVADOR Michael Bisceglie

8. Working Across Borders Working both domestically and internationally, Save the Children is able to capitalize on synergies and share learning. Partnership with Zero to Three Produce tools for early childhood coordinators Staff at our international sites adapt materials for their contexts, leveraging learning and resources between domestic and international initiatives. International experience in cost effective approaches to working with rural, resource- poor communities will inform programming at our U.S. sites. MALAWI Michael Bisceglie

9. Service Delivery Continuum AdolescentsPregnancy Birth to 30 days 1 month to 3 years 5 to 6 years3 to 4 years6 to 8 years Reading to Children Peer Support Secondary School Certificate Local Dvlpt. Screeners Prenatal classes Child Dvlpt. Milestones Reading to Children Child’s First Toy Child health & nutrition Dvlpt. Screenings Informal playgroups Parenting Ed. Family Activities Lactation consultant Early health care Pre-primary classes Early Learning Centers Parenting Groups Health School-based transition programs

10. A successful Early Steps Initiative could achieve positive lasting change in the lives of tens of millions of young children born into poverty, conflict, emergency or disruption. The world needs nothing less.

11. Any Questions? ETHIOPIA Jenny Matthews