Enrolment of children in early childhood education and care at ages 4 and 5 is very common across the OECD, but less so for younger children. Children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds are also less likely to participate despite the power of high-quality early childhood education and care to promote equity and inclusion. Broader and more equal participation in early childhood education and care can also help support women’s labour market participation.
Early childhood education and care
Governments increasingly recognise the importance of investing in high-quality early childhood education and care given its tremendous potential benefits for children, families, societies and economies.
Key messages
To support children’s well-being, development and learning, early childhood education and care services need to be of high quality. Children are directly influenced by their daily interactions with other children, adults and the environment. Governments need to put in place policies that set the best conditions for high-quality interactions. These policies include standards for safe environments and the number and qualifications of staff, curriculum and pedagogies that put children at the centre and involve play, monitoring and quality assurance frameworks, as well as sufficient funding.
The early childhood education and care workforce is essential for providing high-quality well-being, development and learning experiences for young children. Attracting and retaining professionals for this field is an urgent priority in many countries. Shortages of qualified staff put more pressure on existing staff. Policies can support the development of the early childhood education and care workforce by addressing requirements for initial education and facilitating continuous professional development, as well as improving the working conditions of professionals.
Context
Enrolment in early childhood education and care becomes common by age 4
Although participation is not compulsory in all countries, in more than half of OECD countries with available data, the enrolment of children in early childhood education and care at age 5 is nearly universal. Enrolment rates are lower and highly variable across countries for younger children, especially those under age 3.
Investment in early childhood education and care varies widely across countries
While per-child expenditures in pre-primary education have generally increased in recent years, they vary greatly across OECD countries. Major cost drivers include child-to-staff ratios and teacher compensation; the OECD is exploring how investments in different areas can support better outcomes for children.
