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Early childhood care and development (ECCD)
The first six years of a child’s life is a time of great promise and rapid change, when their developing brain is most open to the influence of relationships and experiences. However, millions of children across the world are at risk of not reaching their full potential because they do not get the care and stimulation they need in the early stages of life.
To achieve the SDGs and ensure that all girls and boys, especially the most deprived, are developmentally on-track we need to start early. Save the Children works with families and communities to help children to develop foundational learning skills in the years leading up to school. Save the Children also works with communities and partners to advocate for policies and practices that recognise the value of starting early and investing in cost-effective, inclusive quality approaches to ECCD.
Our goal is that all children will access quality inclusive early childhood care and demonstrate improved child development outcomes.
Save the Children’s experience shows that to reach the most vulnerable children, we need to go beyond preschools. High quality caregiving must be supported both in homes and in early learning centres to build strong foundations for young girls and boys. Moreover, rural, linguistic minority and refugee children need urgent support as they are falling behind. Save the Children works to address these gaps through targeted interventions, such as early learning programmes that support children’s learning at home in emergency and post-disaster settings, among remote and nomadic communities, and in areas where preschools are not available or accessible.
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Improving Child Nutrition and Development Through Community-based Childcare Centres in Malawi- The NEEP-IE study: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
The Nutrition Embedded Evaluation Programme Impact Evaluation (NEEP-IE) study is a cluster randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate the impact of a childcare centre-based integrated nutritional and agricultural intervention on the diets, nutrition
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Fëmijëria e Hershme: Promovimi i Sigurisë dhe Zhvillimit Socio-Emocional të Fëmijës
Children are part of the world they live in, which they interact with thorough emotions and actions. Before and after childbirth, children explore the world around them through their senses, experience phenomena, and develop relationships with their famil
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International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA): Children attending kindergarten in Albania
This study aims to provide an IDELA baseline assessment that establishes the conditions at the onset of an Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) project against which future changes will be measured amongst the targeted beneficiaries. The project i
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0-3 Parenting Program Innovations in Bangladesh: Follow up study 2015-2016
Since 2011, Save the Children has been programming and evaluating early childhood development programs for children aged 0-3 years in Bangladesh. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible lasting impact of 0-3 programming on parents and childr
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International Development And Early Learning Assessment: Qualcomm project
This study uses the International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) tool to measure the developmental status of children who enrolled in Play for Learning Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centres and those enrolled in Non-interv
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The Lost Boys: How boys are falling behind in their early years
Every child deserves the best start in life. But in England now, many children aren’t getting the support they need to reach their potential. During their pre-school years children learn so much – discovering through play, and starting to speak and unders
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Assessment of School Readiness Skills in Children Aged 3-6 Years Across 27 ICDS Centres in Bangalore (Urban)
Save the Children India, with funding from Target, has implemented the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) program in Bangalore since 2014, which focuses on giving children an opportunity to transition from pre-school to elementary school. This repo
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Lighting Up Young Brains: How parents, carers and nurseries support children's brain development in the first five years
Lighting Up Young Brains looks at the science behind young children's brain development and its relationship to children's language development. It shows how parents, carers and early years workers can support this process- with a set of top tips for pare
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Save the Children's Education Strategic Direction, 2016-2018
Every child has a right to education as written in international law, and Save the Children will not rest until all children enjoy that right. In addition to being a right, good quality education is the means by which we equip our children with the knowle
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Growing Evidence for Children: Measuring development and early learning globally
Save the Children is committed to implementing effective programs grounded in strong evidence. Few international tools can be used to measure the impact of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) interventions across varied settings. In 2011, based on
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ECD Evidence for Scale
Using ECD impact evaluation data from six Save the Children ECD programs for children ages 4-6 years in Afghanistan (1), Bangladesh (1), Ethiopia (2), and Rwanda (2), this presentation considers the enabling environment, duration, dosage, and delivery con
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Preschool Health and Nutrition: Guidance for Program Managers
The early years of life constitute a critical period during which foundational skills become established. Children learn and develop in predictable sequences, with later abilities, skills, and knowledge building on those already acquired. Offering quality