The Centre on the Developing Child at Harvard University has published a science-based framework for early childhood policy, using evidence to improve outcomes in learning, behaviour and health for vulnerable children. The document provides a strong evidence-based framework to guide policymakers in the development of effective ECD agenda and strategies to address the needs of the youngest children and their families.

The evidence is scientific. The report describes the process by which the brain architecture is formed in very young children with a special focus on the impact of early experiences on this development. It then integrates this information and identifies effective programme interventions which have been scientifically proven to impact positively on the development of the brain.

The report draws on four decades of data generated through evaluations of various ECD programmes that show definitively that it is possible to improve a wide range of outcomes into the adult years, as well as generate benefits to society that far outweigh programme costs. The data is also used to show that programmes that are poorly designed or implemented poorly will have few benefits. This provides guidance in choosing effective versus ineffective programmes.

Among the key conclusions are that children’s very early experiences, from early infancy, within their families, communities and as shaped by their social and economic resources determines whether a child’s brain architecture will develop to provide a strong or weak foundation for his or her future learning, behaviour and health.

A warm, caring, stimulating and individualised environment provided by caring adults results in improved later learning, behaviour and health compared to the infant in an impoverished, neglectful or abusive environment – these factors increase the risk for impairment in learning, behaviour and health. Neuroscience provides strong evidence for beginning programmes at birth, if not even earlier, prenatally, since a great degree of brain circuitry is constructed very early in life.

The evidence is strong. The following effectiveness factors will enhance development in the first five years:

• Access to basic medical care for pregnant women and children prevents health threats to development and provides early diagnosis and intervention when a problem is discovered.
• Early and intensive support by trained home visitors to vulnerable families, beginning prenatally until the age of three produces significant benefits for the children and parents.
• Participation in very high-quality centre-based early education by young children from low-income families improves the child’s cognitive and social development. This impact is even greater if these are conducted as two generation programmes that simultaneously provide support for parents.
• The risk of disruption of brain development and delayed or compromised development in young children experiencing toxic stress from recurrent child abuse or neglect, severe maternal depression, parental substance abuse or family violence can be prevented by interventions that provide intensive services matched to the specific problem.
• Additional income support for working parents living under the poverty line has been shown to boost achievement of some young children.
• Strong environmental policies that reduce levels of neurotoxins protect foetuses and young children from exposure to harmful substances that damage their developing brains.
• Single-programme approaches are not a magic solution.
• Scaling up successful programmes depends on establishing quality standards and monitoring service delivery on a routine basis.

Brains are built over time and a substantial amount of growth and building happens in the early years of life. Both brain architecture and developing skills are built from the bottom up – if the foundation is not solid, the construction is fundamentally weakened.

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Harvard University framework for early childhood policy