The transition from early childhood education to primary school is a big step for all children, and a step which more and more children are having to take. Quality transitions Should be well-prepared and child-centred, managed by trained staff collaborating with one another, and guided by ...

Children’s learning, development and well-being are directly influenced by their daily interactions with other children, adults, their families and the environment. This interactive process is known as “process quality”, and leads to a key question – which policies set the best conditions for children to experience high-quality interactions in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings?

For over 15 years, the OECD has been conducting policy analysis and gathering new data on ECEC. For the first time, this report brings together all the key ECEC indicators in one volume.

This review of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in twenty OECD countries describes the social, economic, conceptual and research factors that influence early childhood policy.

This publication focuses on quality issues in early childhood education and care: it aims to define quality and outlines five policy levers that can enhance it.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Building on past OECD work on early childhood education and care, and drawing on the experience of OECD countries, this report outlines good practice policy measures for improving jobs in ECEC and for constructing a high-quality workforce.

Life transitions differ concerning the intensity of the change and the intensity of the child’s reaction to that change. For most children, the first and most significant transition is from the family home to an institution of early care and education, which includes preschool. These transitions can also include children's passage from kindergarten to elementary school. However, the intensity of the child's reaction is related to the size of the change that is happening and also to who or what is involved in that change and the importance a child attributes to that someone or something. Supporting Children’s Well-Being During Early Childhood Transition to School is an essential scholarly publication that examines evidence-based practices and approaches that fully support a child’s well-being during transition periods in early childhood. It serves as a resource to rethink contemporary transition theoretical models, research studies, and applied practices. Featuring a wide range of topics such as emotional competency, language learners, and professional development, this book is ideal for academicians, psychologists, early childhood educators, daycare centers, curriculum designers, policymakers, researchers, education professionals, and students.

In supporting children’s development, countries invest in the future successes of economies and societies. Awareness of the critical role early childhood education and care (ECEC) plays in setting a strong foundation for children’s learning, development and well-being has grown among policy makers worldwide.

This report discusses policies and practices that shape quality and equity in early childhood education and care. It examines how the work environment, including the educational background of staff, and the policies that shape teaching approaches affect the quality of the education provided to our youngest learners.