Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys Data Interpretation, Further Analysis and Dissemination Workshop Child Development 1

Early Childhood development (ECD): Key Facts Early childhood, which spans the period to 8 years of age, is critical to a child’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical development. Many challenges faced by adults, such as mental health issues, obesity, heart disease, criminality, and poor literacy and numeracy, can be traced back to early childhood. Brain and biological development during the first years of life is highly influenced by an infant’s environment. There are simple and effective ways for families and caregivers to ensure optimal child development 2

Access to basic services Home environment Conceptual framework for MICS4  Attendance to Early Childhood Education Early Childhood Development Index Supportive factors:  Support for Learning  Learning Materials: Children’s Books and Playthings Risk factors:  Inadequate care Conceptual framework for ECD in MICS Core ECD domains 3

Attendance to Early Childhood Education Programme Definition: Number of children age months who are attending an early childhood education programme / Total number of children age months Importance: improves child’s literacy and numeracy skills & social and emotional development & Enhances school- related achievements; allows women to enter the workforce; increases family & family and community cohesion; increases GDP and public revenues - opportunity to break the cycle of poverty 4

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Support for Learning Three indicators: Support for learning among any adult and support for learning among fathers/mothers Definitions: - Number of children age months with whom an adult / father / mother has engaged in four or more activities to promote learning and school readiness in the past 3 days / Total number of children age months Importance: Positive stimulation influences child’s ability to acquire cognitive, emotional and social competencies and is associated with decreased behavioral problems later in life 8

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Mothers are the households members most likely to engage in early learning activities for children 11

Learning Materials Two indicators: availability of children's book and availability of playthings Definitions: - Number of children under age 5 who have three or more children’s books / Total number of children under age 5 - Number of children under age 5 who play with two or more types of playthings / Total number of children under age 5 Importance: strong association between availability of books and playthings and cognitive/socio-emotional development 12

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Children in the richest households are more likely to have books in the home 15

Inadequate care Definition: Number of children under age 5 left alone or in the care of another child younger than 10 years of age for more than one hour at least once in the past week / Total number of children under age 5 Importance: Leaving a young child alone or with another young sibling is associated with: Increased risk of harm and injury Increased risk of abuse and neglect Increased mortality 16

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Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI) Definition: Number of children age months who are developmentally on track in at least three of the following four domains: literacy-numeracy, physical, social-emotional, and learning Importance: Provides a snapshot of (or a window into) the child’s developmental status at the time of measurement and can be used to measure outcomes of ECD, nutrition or health interventions ECDI needs to be interpreted within the context of other variables available from MICS and other sources 19

Early childhood development index (ECDI) Domain Items Literacy-numeracy Children are considered “on track” if they can do at least two EC8. C AN ( NAME ) IDENTIFY OR NAME AT LEAST TEN LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET ? EC9. C AN ( NAME ) READ AT LEAST FOUR SIMPLE, POPULAR WORDS ? EC10. D OES ( NAME ) KNOW THE NAME AND RECOGNIZE THE SYMBOL OF ALL NUMBERS FROM 1 TO 10? Physical Children are considered “on track” if they can do one or the other EC11. C AN ( NAME ) PICK UP A SMALL OBJECT WITH TWO FINGERS, LIKE A STICK OR A ROCK FROM THE GROUND ? EC12. I S ( NAME ) SOMETIMES TOO SICK TO PLAY ? Social-emotional Children are considered “on track” if they can do at least two EC15. D OES ( NAME ) GET ALONG WELL WITH OTHER CHILDREN ? EC16. D OES ( NAME ) KICK, BITE, OR HIT OTHER CHILDREN OR ADULTS ? EC17. D OES ( NAME ) GET DISTRACTED EASILY ? Learning Children are considered “on track” if they can do one or the other EC13. D OES ( NAME ) FOLLOW SIMPLE DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO DO SOMETHING CORRECTLY ? EC14. W HEN GIVEN SOMETHING TO DO, IS ( NAME ) ABLE TO DO IT INDEPENDENTLY ? 20

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