1. Holistic early childhood development indicators
Supporting young children through measurement
Unesco, ecce

2. EDUCATION FOR ALL, GOAL 1
Education for All, Goal 1: “Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most disadvantaged children.” Children’s development reflects health status, nutrition, quality of parenting, social protection, and education – so all must be part of a system of early childhood care and education (ECCE).

3. HECDI Origination and Structure
World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education, Moscow: 2010 UNESCO called upon to facilitate the development of an index to holistically monitor early childhood development, in collaboration with partner agencies and outside experts.

4. Why the HECDI?
Early childhood development has typically been measured using 1 or 2 indicators – often health-related or reflecting pre- primary enrollment. But they are limited – and do not describe the many factors that influence young children. A holistic set of indicators is needed to describe all of the influences on children’s development – policies at the national level, available services, and family/child characteristics.

5. Why the HECDI?
The HECDI is intended to help countries see ECCE as a holistic endeavor – children’s long-term success is dependent upon health, nutrition, parenting, poverty and social protection, as well as education. National governments, communities and families all have a role to play in ensuring that children’s development is supported. Therefore, we have identified a set of indicators that spans all 6 content areas, and all three actors – governments, communities, and families – to help countries identify strengths and areas for improvement.

6. How the hecdi was developed
The most critical indicators for children’s development across 6 areas: Health Education Equity Poverty Parenting Nutrition And across national, community and family influences: policies & laws; programs & services; and family/child characteristics were developed by a group of experts.

7. Health Nutrition Equity Poverty Education Parenting
Holistic Early Childhood Development Indicators
Health
% children with frequent or chronic illnesses
% mothers w/ access to birth services
% access to comprehensive health care
% access to clean water and sanitation
Under 5 mortality rate
Low birth weight
Nutrition
Equity
Education
Poverty
Parenting
Average years of maternal education
% children with adequate neuro-development
% access to parenting support and education
Country provides legal guarantee of rights
% children obese
Country monitors growth/nutrition
Paid parental leave
% children registered at birth
% meeting developmental milestones
Child poverty rate
% children with inadequate care
% children stunted
% entering 1st grade with ECCE experience
Policies to lift families out of poverty
% children with stimulating home learning
% access to quality ECCE
% children exposed to domestic violence
% access to ECCE that meets needs of families
Rates of maternal depression
Child outcomes
Programs and services
Policies and laws

8. Holistic Early Childhood Development Index: unesco publications (1)
Review of care, education and child development indicators in early childhood
This report, part of a series of desk reviews to prepare the development of the HECDI, will critically and analytically review existing early childhood indices and indicators in the areas of child development, developmental care and education from birth to the age of 8.
Review of Policy and Planning Indicators in Early Childhood: To contribute to the HECDI and also assist countries to consider their options regarding policy indicators for early childhood development (ECD), this study identified ECD indicators in 51 ECD policies and strategic plans found in 39 countries.

9. Holistic Early Childhood Development Index: unesco publications (2)
Review of Social Protection Indicators in Early Childhood
This report examines varying conceptions of social protection as it relates to children and existing international and regional efforts to monitor and assess the social protection of children.
Review of Legal Protection Indicators in Early Childhood : Review about legal protection indicators in the context of EFA-G1 and the use of child rights indicators as legal protection indicators. It is designed to provide groups of experts in the field with some preliminary perspectives and a basket of legal protection indicators in EFA-G1 policy and practice.

10. Holistic Early Childhood Development Index: unesco publications (3)
Review of Health and Nutrition Indicators in Early Childhood
Early childhood health and nutrition is a true reflection of countries’ level of development. These health indicators are directly linked through existing policies, plans and programmes to countries’ investment in early childhood and respect for children’s rights.
New publications are coming.
Check the web-site and

11. How will hecdi help countries?
By having a set of indicators that describe a comprehensive system, the HECDI will …
Help identify strengths and areas for improvement in supporting young children’s development, by creating data profiles and analyses.
Encourage collaborative effort between different ministries and organizations, by focusing on the many domains that influence young children’s development .

12. How will hecdi help countries?
Most countries will not have all data available – in fact, some of the most critical indicators, such as quality of ECCE, have not yet been fully defined. By joining with UNESCO in piloting, countries will have the opportunity to both identify all existing relevant data, and help shape the indicators that are not yet available but critically important to track by engaging in dialogue on how to further define and measure them.

13. What’s next? Learning begins at birth
(World Declaration on Education for All 1990, Article V)
What’s next?
HECDI piloting will begin in Estimated publication date of HECDI is UNESCO will partner with countries interested in creating a holistic picture of young children’s development, using existing data and potentially collecting more data on young children. Please let us know if your country would like more information.

14. Holistic Early Childhood Development Index
Contact:
Dr. Alisher Umarov
UNESCO New Delhi Cluster Office
for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka