The Social Benefits of The Social Benefits of Early Childhood Education Early Childhood Education

and Careand CareAnalytical Review prepared on Analytical Review prepared on behalf of NESSE by Helen Penn behalf of NESSE by Helen Penn

Cass School of Education, Cass School of Education, University of East London, UKUniversity of East London, UK

Social benefits?Social benefits?

Early childhood education and Early childhood education and care (ECEC) - A complex issuecare (ECEC) - A complex issue

Overlapping and even contradictory Overlapping and even contradictory rationales for ECEC, drawing on rationales for ECEC, drawing on different sources of evidence, and different sources of evidence, and arriving at different policy arriving at different policy conclusions.conclusions.

Work Life BalanceWork Life Balance

Parents face shortage of childcare services, says EU Parents face shortage of childcare services, says EU reportreport

Childcare services in EU countries are failing Childcare services in EU countries are failing to respond to the needs of parents, despite to respond to the needs of parents, despite some progress, according to a report today by some progress, according to a report today by the European Commission. The report finds the European Commission. The report finds that most countries have missed the targets that most countries have missed the targets for childcare provision – for 90% of children for childcare provision – for 90% of children between three and school age and 33% of between three and school age and 33% of children under three – that EU leaders set children under three – that EU leaders set themselves at Barcelona in 2002. The themselves at Barcelona in 2002. The 'Barcelona targets' are an integral part of the 'Barcelona targets' are an integral part of the EU's strategy for growth and jobs and aim to EU's strategy for growth and jobs and aim to help young parents – and in particular women help young parents – and in particular women – into work. – into work.

Overlapping Rationales and Overlapping Rationales and contradictory evidencecontradictory evidence

ECEC inextricably linked with other ECEC inextricably linked with other measures to reconcile family and measures to reconcile family and work life, and with wider social work life, and with wider social conditionsconditions

Overlapping rationales and Overlapping rationales and contradictory evidencecontradictory evidence

Early education and care is a good Early education and care is a good investment only if it is of high investment only if it is of high quality. Poor quality services may do quality. Poor quality services may do more harm than good for the most more harm than good for the most vulnerable childrenvulnerable children

Overlapping rationales and Overlapping rationales and contradictory evidencecontradictory evidence

Child poverty impacts severely on Child poverty impacts severely on children’s educational performance, children’s educational performance, their sense of self-worth and their their sense of self-worth and their subsequent societal contributionsubsequent societal contribution

Overlapping rationales and Overlapping rationales and contradictory evidencecontradictory evidence

Early education benefits all young Early education benefits all young children and socializes them for children and socializes them for starting school, especially children starting school, especially children from poor or migrant familiesfrom poor or migrant families

But targeting raises problems of But targeting raises problems of boundary maintenance and boundary maintenance and stigmatization “a service for the poor stigmatization “a service for the poor is a poor service”is a poor service”

Overlapping rationales and Overlapping rationales and contradictory evidencecontradictory evidence

Private for profit care raises Private for profit care raises particular problems about quality – in particular problems about quality – in all countries studied private for profit all countries studied private for profit care increases social stratification care increases social stratification and offers more variable and less and offers more variable and less good qualitygood quality

Overlapping rationales and Overlapping rationales and contradictory evidencecontradictory evidence

UNCRC children as rights bearers; all UNCRC children as rights bearers; all young children have the young children have the rightright to to protection, provision and protection, provision and participation in ECEC servicesparticipation in ECEC services

UNCRC requires rethinking of nature UNCRC requires rethinking of nature of ECEC services and how children of ECEC services and how children experience themexperience them

Policy ImplicationsPolicy Implications

Outcomes for young children multi-Outcomes for young children multi-causal – no simple solutions causal – no simple solutions

Quality issues need redefining across Quality issues need redefining across education and care services – EU education and care services – EU Quality targets should be revivedQuality targets should be revived

New areas for consideration include New areas for consideration include inequality, social inclusion, diversity inequality, social inclusion, diversity and child perpsepctivesand child perpsepctives