Emiliana Vegas, The World Bank The Economic and Social Benefits of Investing in Early Childhood Development Inclusive Early Child Development – an Underestimated Component within Poverty Reduction 03 – 04 February, 2011, Bonn Emiliana Vegas, The World Bank

Presentation Overview Why invest in Early Childhood Development (ECD)? What factors affect ECD and life outcomes? Definitions: Early Childhood Development, ECD programs and ECD policies. What programs affect ECD (and How)? From Programs to Policies to Build (or Strengthen) ECD Systems: Introducing SABER SABER’s framework for ECD In this presentation, we will introduce a classification system which countries can use to take stock of their national ECD policies and programs. We hope to provide countries with a process and tool to benchmark against other ECD programs and policies across regions, with the goal of helping countries to develop policy options to strengthen ECD policies and develop individual country roadmaps. In this session, we will provide a brief overview of the process we propose and the framework itself and will then present the results of a preliminary application of the framework to Turkey. We will then present some information for international comparisons and will conclude with a series of policy recommendations for Turkey to improve ECD policy development, using the framework. Robust involvement from counties will greatly increase the accuracy and relevance of the process and findings.

Inequality of opportunity starts before birth, and grows deeper during the first years of life Opportunities in health are important especially at an early stage in life. 3 year-old children in Ecuador perform roughly at the same level with their reference population in the world, regardless of their circumstances, but fall significantly behind by age 5, unless their parents are wealthy or highly educated. Source: Paxson and Schady, JHR, 2007

What happens in ECD has lasting outcomes, context and policy matter Early Childhood Development Cognitive development Socio-emotional development Physical well-being and growth Context Macro (country) Micro (family) Life Outcomes Education Health Fertility Income Risky behaviors ECD Policies Health, hygiene, and nutrition Education Poverty alleviation Source: Vegas and Santibáñez 2010

ECD investments have lasting impacts on individuals and society There is consistent evidence of the effects that early childhood development interventions have on future life outcomes: Education Labor insertion and wages Health, fertility Probability of engaging in risky behaviors The impact of these interventions is greater in the most vulnerable populations ECD investments are economically efficient and equity-enhancing

ECD interventions have higher returns than interventions later in life Pre - school Programs School Job Training Return per $ invested 2 4 6 18 Age school Post 8 Opportunity cost of funds Learning begets learning Dynamic complementarities Source: Carneiro and Heckman (2003)

Presentation Overview Why invest in Early Childhood Development (ECD)? Definitions: Early Childhood Development, ECD programs and ECD policies. What programs affect ECD (and How)? From Programs to Policies to Build (or Strengthen) ECD Systems: Introducing SABER SABER’s framework for ECD In this presentation, we will introduce a classification system which countries can use to take stock of their national ECD policies and programs. We hope to provide countries with a process and tool to benchmark against other ECD programs and policies across regions, with the goal of helping countries to develop policy options to strengthen ECD policies and develop individual country roadmaps. In this session, we will provide a brief overview of the process we propose and the framework itself and will then present the results of a preliminary application of the framework to Turkey. We will then present some information for international comparisons and will conclude with a series of policy recommendations for Turkey to improve ECD policy development, using the framework. Robust involvement from counties will greatly increase the accuracy and relevance of the process and findings.

Definitions Early Childhood Development as the period from when a child is conceived to six years of age (0-6). ECD programs include specific interventions that may vary according to primary objective, coverage (small scale, universal), and other program characteristics. ECD policies refer to the regulatory framework and institutional arrangements for service delivery at the national and/or state level to ensure that a nation’s children have access to quality ECD services. It is important to distinguish between ECD programs and ECD policies. Programs include specific interventions, which may vary by objective or coverage. ECD policies, in contrast, refer to the regulatory framework and institutional arrangement for service delivery.

Presentation Overview Why invest in Early Childhood Development (ECD)? Definitions: Early Childhood Development, ECD programs and ECD policies. What programs affect ECD (and How)? From Programs to Policies to Build (or Strengthen) ECD Systems: Introducing SABER SABER’s framework for ECD In this presentation, we will introduce a classification system which countries can use to take stock of their national ECD policies and programs. We hope to provide countries with a process and tool to benchmark against other ECD programs and policies across regions, with the goal of helping countries to develop policy options to strengthen ECD policies and develop individual country roadmaps. In this session, we will provide a brief overview of the process we propose and the framework itself and will then present the results of a preliminary application of the framework to Turkey. We will then present some information for international comparisons and will conclude with a series of policy recommendations for Turkey to improve ECD policy development, using the framework. Robust involvement from counties will greatly increase the accuracy and relevance of the process and findings.

Healthcare and hygiene Programs that affect ECD Child Prenatal 0-2 3-4 5-6 Mother(prenatal) Mother/Father/ Caregiver Healthcare and hygiene Maternal/prenatal health Water and sanitation Healthcare prevention Mental Health Education Preschool (3-6) Care (0-3) Poverty alleviation Income transfers Maternity/paternity leave Female labor participation Home infrastructure Nutrition Food and supplements

Impact of ECD programs Interventions with nutritional components have positive effects on: growth and physical well-being cognitive development CCTs have positive impacts on: healthcare prevention and control cognitive and socioemotional development Preschool attendance has positive effects on: the probability of continuing in school reduced participation in risky behaviors But the impact is greatest when interventions are multi- sectoral and integrated

Presentation Overview Why invest in Early Childhood Development (ECD)? Definitions: Early Childhood Development, ECD programs and ECD policies. What programs affect ECD (and How)? From Programs to Policies to Build (or Strengthen) ECD Systems: Introducing SABER SABER’s framework for ECD In this presentation, we will introduce a classification system which countries can use to take stock of their national ECD policies and programs. We hope to provide countries with a process and tool to benchmark against other ECD programs and policies across regions, with the goal of helping countries to develop policy options to strengthen ECD policies and develop individual country roadmaps. In this session, we will provide a brief overview of the process we propose and the framework itself and will then present the results of a preliminary application of the framework to Turkey. We will then present some information for international comparisons and will conclude with a series of policy recommendations for Turkey to improve ECD policy development, using the framework. Robust involvement from counties will greatly increase the accuracy and relevance of the process and findings.

From Programs to Policies to Build (or Strengthen) ECD Systems SABER : System Assessment and Benchmarking for Education Results, intends to: Develop knowledge & tools to systematically help countries: make better policy and program choices based on better evidence and analysis to get better educational results Fills a major gap in the availability of policy data, information, & knowledge on what matters most to improve the quality & relevance of human development policies, especially in education Split into separate bullet points

Governance & Institutions Components of SABER Governance & Institutions System-wide Quality Assurance Learning Standards Learning Assessments Information management Financing Non-government provision Equity & Inclusion Political Economy Service Delivery Sub-systems Early Childhood Development Primary & secondary schooling Tertiary education School health Second-chance programs Workforce Development Learning for all Teachers Materials & ICT Infrastructure Streamline bullets

SABER Development Cycle An iterative process Conceptualization framework and system tools developed Implementation piloting , scaling-up, going global Dissemination, knowledge exchange, online knowledge base Communication Engagement validation, prototyping, building ownership staff competencies, partner capacities, SABER Development Learning Knowledge Technical and financial support Strategic partnerships

SABER’s Framework for ECD Stocktake & classify programs Stocktake & analyze policies assess policy development Identify Options Country-specific options, based on international experience

1. Stocktake & classify ECD programs 9 Key Characteristics: Primary policy objective; Brief description; Focus area/intervention mechanism; Coverage/access; Institutional arrangements; Financing; Service providers; Quality assurance mechanisms; Challenges for going to scale and improving service delivery. In this slide we present the 9 key characteristics that should be used to evaluate ECD programs and interventions. These characteristics were selected to provide comprehensive and comparable information for ECD interventions and programs. We also present the four potential types of ECD programs.

4 Categories Complexity of Institutional Arrangements Comprehensive 4 Categories Coordinated interventions across multiple sectors Complexity of Institutional Arrangements Multi-Sectoral Cross-Sectoral Sectoral Focus Areas/Mechanisms Single Sector Specific Sector w/ inputs from other sector Multiple sectors, specific programs for targeted or universal populations Comprehensive regular monitoring, some universal services, with tailored interventions

2. Stocktake and analyze ECD policies Policy Goals: Policy Levers (indicators): Levels of development: Establishing an enabling environment Implementing widely Monitoring & assuring quality Latent Emerging Established Mature Legal framework Coordination Financing Coverage Programs Policy focus ECD information Quality standards & compliance We will classify ECD policies in four different important dimensions: enabling environment, degree of implementation, monitoring and quality assurance and policy focus. For each dimension, a country be classified in one of four levels: latent, emerging, established or mature.

ECD Policy Goals and Levels of Development LATENT non existent low within sector ad hoc low pilot some and minimal minimal measures Limited or no standards Level of Development MATURE developed high inter - institutional sustained for attaining goals universal in ECD established in ECD integrated services universally provided outcomes at national, regional, local & individual level Standards in all sectors, compliance is regularly monitored and enforced Policy Levers EMERGING minimal high within sector some programs with sustained expanding established in few sectors some established outcomes at national level Standards in some ESTABLISHED regulations in some sectors low inter - institutional many programs with sustained universal in some established in several well established services outcomes at national, regional, local level Standards in most sectors, compliance is monitored regularly Legal Framework Establishing an Enabling Coordination Environment Financing Coverage Implementing Programs Widely Policy Focus (health, nutrition, education & child protection) ECD Information Monitoring and Assuring Quality Quality Standards & Compliance

3. Identify policy options based on comparisons across countries Policy Goals Policy Levers Level of Development Colombia Panama England Sweden Establishing an Enabling Environment Legal framework Established Emerging Mature Coordination Financing Latent Implementing Widely Coverage Programs Policy Focus Monitoring and Assuring Quality ECD information Quality standards and compliance

Next Steps World Bank is finalizing data collection instruments for ECD programs and policies Data collection to begin in Uzbekistan, Turkey, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa Analysis and preparation of Reports for each Country/System Development of user-friendly, web-based tool to disseminate information ECD Policies and Programs Around the World

Thank You! Thank You! evegas@worldbank.org