Early Childhood Development and Girls

Reading PackDr Jo Ailwood

The University of Newcastle, Australia

Defining Early Childhood Development

• Early childhood development spans from conception through to 8 years old.

• It is inter-sectorial, including – Early learning & education– nutrition– WASH– Health– Social protection & community

The SDGs and ECD

SDG 4 aims to ‘ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning’

A key target within SDG4 is ensuring ‘that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and preprimary education so that they are ready for primary education.’ (UN, 2015)

ECD, girls & inequity

• Girls and boys are born into different cultural, social and physical worlds.

• It is often the intersection of multiple issues that creates inequitable life experiences for girls. For example, growing up in a low-income country + being a girl + being the eldest sibling can equate to a significant level of inequity for a girls’ life experiences and chances.

ECD, girls & inequity

• As ECD is inter-sectorial and the cause of inequities for girls are intersectional, to understand girls’ experiences a holistic approach is required.

ECD, girls & inequity

• In the Asia-Pacific region ‘boy preference results in more under-five deaths of girls due to poor care, aborting the female feotus and killing new born girls’ (UNESCO, 2007). UNGEI (2010) report on the ‘missing girl’ phenomenon across Asian countries where son preference is strong.

• In Nepal, gender discrimination means that girls are more likely to be fed less, receive less heath care and have fewer chances to play (Save the Children, 2003)

ECD, girls & inequity

• Nutritional deficits in the critical early years of development have long term effects on girls life chances and can translate to poor health during child bearing age, contributing to low birth weight in the next generation. (Yousafzai et al, 2013).

• However, Behrman & colleagues (2009) found that nutritional supplements for girls under 7 years had positive long-term and intergenerational effects.

ECD, girls & inequity

• The links between health and education are illustrated in India, where ‘a preschool health programme in Delhi increased average school participation by 7.7% for girls and 3.2% for boys’ (Prpich, Zimanyi & Curtis, 2007)

ECD, girls & inequity

• Socially & culturally, at home and at school, adults tend to respond differently to girls and to boys (Bosch, 2001; UNGEI, 2010).

• For example, lower expectations of girls can translate to fewer girls being enrolled in ECD programmes or at primary school, especially in rural areas.

• For example, UNGEI (2010) report that boy preference in rural China seems to reduce girls’ access to experiences which support school readiness.

ECD, girls & inequity

• However, there is international evidence that girls who transition into primary schooling from pre-school or other early childhood educational context are more likely to begin school at the usual school starting age (about 6 years) and are more likely to continue and be successful. (UNEGI, 2010; Arnold et al, 2007; Ames, Rojas & Portugal, 2010)

Case studies from Peru (Ames Rojas & Portugal, 2010)

• Carmen lives in rural Peru. For Carmen, the major barrier is access to an ECD site due to her geographical location. Her parents are unwilling to allow their young daughter to walk unaccompanied along a major road to and from the closest pre-school.

Case studies from Peru (Ames Rojas & Portugal, 2010)

• Cecilia is growing up in an urban context in Peru. While there is a pre-school close by, for Cecilia the barrier to her participation is cost. As the youngest sibling, Cecilia’s parents struggle to find the money to pay for school fees, uniforms, books and other school necessities.

Case studies from Peru (Ames Rojas & Portugal, 2010)

• In the cases of both Carmen and Cecilia, the level of physical punishment witnessed and/or received had a negative impact on their early schooling experiences and wellbeing.

What works for girls’ ECD

• As has been pointed out, ECD is complex. • Mitigating the inequities experienced by girls’

in ECD requires intervention on a number of levels.

What works for girls’ ECD:1. Families and communities

• Adult expectations and behaviours are key to ECD experiences.

• Research from Nepal, Peru, Malawi and across Asia illustrates the importance of supportive communities.

1. First and foremost, families and communities need clear, timely and relevant information on the importance and value of ECD for girls.

What works for girls’ ECD:2. Accessible and Affordable

• Having ECD programmes in place is only effective if girls can access them, this is especially so in rural and/or isolated locations.

2. Provision needs to be accessible and affordable.

What works for girls’ ECD: 3. Training & support for staff

• Once a girl reaches an ECD site, they should have consistent interactions with qualified staff who have been trained in gender sensitivity.

• Relationships between adults and children are fundamental to the range of ECD provision,

3. The ongoing training and professional support of ECD staff from all sectors is a vital component of the ECD picture.

Gender Sensitivity

• Gender sensitivity requires engagement with expectations for both girls and boys.

• Provision that is of value for girls is highly likely to be of value for many boys too, especially those also marginalied (e.g. Dalit boys in the Nepal study, Save the Children 2003).

Conclusion

• If the effects of gendered expectations and practices are to be ameliorated, then it is necessary for men and women to work together as families, communities and educators. With this wide community support early childhood development experiences for all children can be positive, healthy and safe.

Suggested ReadingsAmes, P., Rojas, V., & Portugal, T. (2010). Continuity and respect for diversity: Strengthening early transitions in Peru. Working Paper No.56, Studies in Early Childhood Transitions. The Hague, The Netherlands: Bernard van Leer Foundation. • http://www.bernardvanleer.org/Continuity-and-respect-for-diversity-Stren

gthening-early-transitions-in-Peru

• Summary: This paper reports on findings from the Young Lives research project. It explores the experiences of children transitioning from pre-primary education to primary school education in Peru. The researchers report on interviews with children, parents, and teachers to provide a detailed account of the wide variety of transition experiences. The case studies presented illustrate the complexity and diversity of transition experiences across Peru for young children and their families. The paper concludes with recommendations for improving ECD in Peru.

Suggested ReadingsArnold, C. (2004). Positioning ECCD in the 21st Century. The Coordinator’s Notebook: An International Resource for Early Childhood Development. Consultative Group’s Annual Consultation, Turkey, Istanbul.• www.unicef.org/southafrica/SAF_resources_poseccd.pdf• Summary: This paper makes a set of arguments for the

importance of ECD that are based around three key themes: a) that ECD is central to children’s rights, b) that ECD is a sound economic investment, and c) that ECD provides solid foundations for children’s holistic development. The paper refers to extensive evidence for the benefits of ECD, provides useful case studies, and explores some of the challenges the field continues to face.

Suggested ReadingsSave the Children. (2003). What’s the Difference? An ECD Impact Study From Nepal. www.unicef.org/media/index_29686.html • Summary: This paper reports on the impact of participation in

ECD for children in Nepal. The paper reports that children who attended ECD showed consistent gains in starting school, maintaining attendance and engagement at school and success in examinations. The paper reports that this success is especially noticeable for girls and dalit children. The paper also reports the gains made in educating parents on the benefits of quality ECD and the parent’s growing confidence in these benefits.

Suggested Reading

UNESCO (2007). Strong Foundations for Gender Equality in Early Childhood Care and Education. Advocacy Brief. UNESCO Bangkok. • unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0016/001611/161195eo.pdf • Summary: This advocacy brief explores the growing need

for quality ECD provision across Asia. The scale of the need for ECD provision is illustrated by the fact that in 2005, China had 84 million children between 0-4 years old, while India had 120 million. The paper goes on to explore a range of issues regarding access and quality in terms of gender.

Suggested Reading

UNGEI (2010). In Focus: Gender and Early Childhood Care and Development. Newsletter Issue No. 6. www.ungei.org/news/files/newsletter_2010.10_FINAL2.pdf• Summary: This newsletter presents brief summaries

of several projects from across Asian and Pacific nations. These projects include investigations of culture and gender in ECD, school transitions, access to ECD, and literacy. The newsletter also includes some useful resources, including an excellent advocacy video freely available via YouTube.

Questions for discussion

1. What are the various kinds of intersectionality in girls’ lives? How can/do these combine to produce a range of positive and/or negative ECD experiences and outcomes for girls?

2. Consider the importance of adults, e.g. parents and teachers, on girls’ ECD experiences. How can the importance of high quality ECD life experiences for girls’ become a valued part of all who work with children in their earliest years?

Questions for discussion

3. What are some of the key barriers to accessing high quality ECD experiences for girls and how can they be overcome? For example, geographical location is a significant barrier to accessing educational settings for girls, how can this barrier be overcome?

References Ames, P., Rojas, V., & Portugal, T. (2010). Continuity and respect for diversity: Strengthening early transitions in Peru. Working Paper No.56, Studies in Early Childhood Transitions. The Hague, The Netherlands: Bernard van Leer Foundation. Arnold, C., Bartlett, K., Gowani, S., & Merali, R. (2007). Is everybody ready? Readiness, transition and continuity: Reflections and moving forward. Working Paper No. 41. The Hague, The Netherlands: Bernard van Leer Foundation. Behrman, J. R., Calderon, M., Preston, S., Hoddinott, R., & Stein, A. (2009). Nutritional supplementation of girls influences the growth of their children: Prospective study in Guatemala. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 90, 1372-9. Bosch, A. (2001). Uncovering pathways for girls’ education: Gender equity and early childhood development. The Society for International Development, 44(2), 41-46.Munthali, A., Mvula, P. & Silo, L. (2014). Early childhood development: The role of community based childcare centres in Malawi. SpringerPlus, 3:305.Prpich, L., Zimanyi, L., & Curtis, L. (Eds.). (2007). Coordinators’ Notebook, No. 29. Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development. Save the Children. (2003). What’s the Difference? An ECD Impact Study From Nepal. United Nations (2015). Sustainable Development Goals. http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/UNESCO (2007). Strong Foundations for Gender Equality in Early Childhood Care and Education. Advocacy Brief. UNESCO Bangkok. UNGEI (2010). In Focus: Gender and Early Childhood Care and Development. Newsletter Issue No. 6.Woodhead, M., Bolton, L., Featherstone, I., & Robertson, P. (2014). Early Childhood Development: Delivering inter-sectoral policies, programmes and services in low-resource settings. Brighton: HEART/DFID. Yousafzai, Y., Yakoob, M., & Bhutta, Z. (2013). Nutrition approaches to early childhood development. In P. Britto, P. Engle & C. Super (Eds.) Handbook of Early Childhood Development Research and Its Impact on Global Policy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

About the authorDr Joanne Ailwood is Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at the University of Newcastle, Australia. In her research she reflects upon the nuances and complexities of early childhood education and care. Aspects of this work are historical and political, engaging in policy analysis and investigating broader historical, social and cultural contexts of families, women's paid work, care and childhood. More recent aspects of Jo's research are focused on the care and education relationship between parents and early childhood educators, including their understandings of their relationships not only with each other as adults, but also their place in the lives of the child/ren they care for. Currently, Jo is working on a research and teacher training project involving a rural school in Zimbabwe, together with Dr Stephanie Bengtsson. This work in Zimbabwe is centred on school community development, and examines how local expertise and capacity can be harnessed to overcome the many challenges facing the Zimbabwean education system today.