II Inter-American Symposium: Policies and Strategies for the Child’s Successful Transition to Socialization and School Valparaiso, Chile May 27-29, 2009 Mary E. Young World Bank Application of the EDI Tool

The ECD Revolution Transition to a New ECD paradigm ∆ Transactional Life-course development ∆ Operating System Optimizing Multi level & sector, integrated Paradigm-busters New Knowledge of: Brain development –Sensitivity of ECD –Long reach of ECD –Role of Risks, Protective and Promoting factors New Demands of Changing IT/Flatter/Aging Population Source: Neal Halfon, Center for Healthier Children, Families & Communities UCLA

High Returns from Early Investments -TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MALLEABILITY -BUILD STRONG FOUNDATIONS FOR FURTHER LEARNING -PREVENT EARLY DAMAGE / AVOID LOSS OF POTENTIAL WHICH CANNOT BE REMEDIATED INVEST STRONGLY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS, EVEN IF PAYOFF IS ONLY 20+ YEARS FROM TODAY Source: Pedro Carneiro, 2008

Children Who Start Behind Stay Behind Academic Abilities of Entering Kindergartners by Family Income Source: Schulman, K., and W. S. Barnett The Benefits of Prekindergarten for Middle-Income Children. NIEER Policy Report. New Brunswick, N.J.: National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Compliance to simple requests Emotional control Functional use of language Exploration of object world Effective peer interactions Social relationships Physiological regulation Entry into verbal milieu Attentional/motoric “control” of object world Birth 6 mo 12 mo 18 mo 24 mo 3 ys 4 ys 5ys Nascent awareness of standards Nascent emotional regulation Nascent selfhood/identity Language Development Early Intervention Programs Ongoing well child care, acute, developmental and preventive care Health Education: Social & Family Services: Center and Home Based Family Resource Programs Child Care Programs Parenting and Family Literacy Programs Pre-school Pre/perinatal care Readiness to Learn Trajectory Service sectors and Programs that influence school readiness Source: Neal Halfon, UCLA

Early Childhood System Building Blocks Family & Community Support Services Child Health Services Desired Outcomes at School Entry Family Capacity and Function Emotional / Social / Cognitive Development Physical Health & Development Trajectory of Child Development and Family Function Birth Early Infancy Late Infancy Early Toddler Late Toddler Early Preschool Late Preschool Age 6 mo 12 mo 18 mo 24 mo 3 yrs 5 yrs Ready to learn “At Risk” Trajectory “Delayed/Disordered ” Trajectory “Healthy” Trajectory A. Early Care and Education Programs B. C. Source: Neal Halfon, UCLA

THE EDI and ECD What is EDI? How good is the EDI? Why EDI? What needs to be done next?

delinquency accidents Depression Obesity Drug abuse School drop-out Unemployment Poverty PregnancyInfancy 0-2 y. Pre-K. 3-4 y. Ado-Adult y. ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT GENOTYPEGENOTYPE Neighborhood Physical and Social Characteristics Risk Factors Proximal Distal Bio-Psy-socio Development Trajectories Additive interactive Brain Development Gene Expression Peers Exposition increases With age Parents Exposition decreases with age Measuring Child Development Outcome Genes-Environment-Brain-Behavior School 5-12 y. Targeted genes MAOA 5-HTT 5-HT1A 5-HT1B 5-HT2B TPH2

The Long Reach of ECD: EDI Vulnerability and Percent ‘Not Passing’ Grade 4 FSA’s # of EDI Vulnerabilities % Not passing (kindergarten) Grade 4 FSA Numeracy Reading

Monitoring and Changing Children’s Outcomes within 3 years AEDI, Perth, Western Australia % Vulnerable Community Floreat Wembley Other communities No intervention No change

How good is EDI? It is good, but… Given what we know about the brain malleability, we could start earlier Link with data at birth, 18months, and 3 years of age.

Why EDI? If a nation is to make progress in early child development, it needs a strong monitoring system for assessing children’s developmental outcomes. This can be used to: (a) Establish a culture of evidence-based decision making concerning social policy (b) Assess the efficacy of national and community- based interventions (c) Raise awareness and promote community development (d) Conduct strong research studies

What needs to be done next?... Continue the adaptation and application