OECD work on ECEC and implications for policy Deborah Roseveare Directorate for Education 14 th October 2008

Early Childhood Education and Care Labour market Babies and Bosses Economics Economic Surveys Education Starting Strong 14th October Key (interlocking) strands of OECD work

Why ECEC is important  access to affordable, quality ECEC permits mothers to take an equal place in the workforce  affordable, quality ECEC is an important public investment for future economic growth  ECEC provides the solid foundation for more effective future learning  Access to high quality ECEC matters for good social outcomes 14th October

Policies outside the education sector  Address tax and benefit policies that discourage parents (especially mothers) from working  Get the amount of parental leave right  not too long  shared by both parents  Encourage employers and employees to consider family-friendly workplace options 14th October

Policies overlapping the education sector  Ensure that good childcare is affordable and matches the needs of working parents.  Provide appropriate financial support to parents, particularly for low-income households. But tie public funding to agreed quality standards.  Integrate childcare provisions and pre-school education (and also other services to support child well-being). 14th October

Policies inside the education sector  Place well-being, early development and learning at the core of ECEC work  Within system-wide goals and guidelines, provide autonomy, funding and support to ECEC  Develop broad guidelines and curricular standards with the stakeholders for all ECEC services  Base public funding on achieving quality pedagogical goals rather than simply adding places …… 14th October

Policies inside the education sector (continued)  Improve the working conditions and professional education of ECEC staff.  Create the governance structures necessary for system accountability and quality assurance  Encourage family and community involvement in early childhood services 14th October

8 Challenges ahead  Getting better policies adopted and implemented  Ensuring children most in need get ECEC  Identifying what matters most for quality  Balancing quality and cost  Balancing cognitive and non-cognitive development  Finding the best institutional settings  Addressing capacity constraints

14th October References Starting Strong II: Early Childhood Education and Care OECD Babies and Bosses – Reconciling Work and Family Life: a Synthesis of Findings for OECD Countries OECD OECD Economic Surveys