Strengthening regional Strengthening regional capacity in capacity in

early childhood developmentearly childhood developmentin the in the 

Caribbean Region Caribbean Region (CARICOM States)(CARICOM States)

Supported by the Regional ECD Working Supported by the Regional ECD Working GroupGroup

Of the CARICOM SecretariatOf the CARICOM Secretariat

Meeting of the Consultative Group, Budapest, Meeting of the Consultative Group, Budapest, October 2008October 2008

Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Education and Care in the CARICOM Region, Care in the CARICOM Region,

20062006

Research in 14/20 Caribbean countries for Research in 14/20 Caribbean countries for Education for All: Global Monitoring Report Education for All: Global Monitoring Report on Early Childhood Care and Educationon Early Childhood Care and Education found:found:

Lack of services for children, particularly for Lack of services for children, particularly for those under 3 years oldthose under 3 years old

Weak licensing, certification and monitoring Weak licensing, certification and monitoring systems systems

A preponderance of small, undercapitalized A preponderance of small, undercapitalized operatorsoperators

Low levels of training among care-giversLow levels of training among care-givers

Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Education and Care in the CARICOM Region, Care in the CARICOM Region,

2006,2006, (contd.)(contd.)Also:Also:

Absence of national standardsAbsence of national standards

Varying standards of care and qualityVarying standards of care and quality

Absence of Absence of sector wide governancesector wide governance at at the national level, national plans, the national level, national plans, policies or regulatory mechanismspolicies or regulatory mechanisms

87% of services in 14 countries in the 87% of services in 14 countries in the region provided by community region provided by community organisations, churches and private organisations, churches and private operatorsoperators

Include early childhood in Include early childhood in policies (1)policies (1)

GuidelinesGuidelines for developing ECD policy, for developing ECD policy, regulation and standardsregulation and standards– participatory multi level processparticipatory multi level process over 2 ½ over 2 ½

years – years – – now endorsed by CARICOM’s Council on Human now endorsed by CARICOM’s Council on Human

and Social Development (COHSOD), March 2008and Social Development (COHSOD), March 2008

Monitoring by COHSOD of policy development Monitoring by COHSOD of policy development and implementation of regulatory systems for and implementation of regulatory systems for ECDECD– Implementation projects at national level, several Implementation projects at national level, several

partners supporting, participatory multi-level partners supporting, participatory multi-level processes, developing policy briefs and processes, developing policy briefs and communication strategiescommunication strategies

Include early childhood in Include early childhood in policies (2)policies (2)

Include early childhood in Include early childhood in policies (3)policies (3)

National systems National systems in development for in development for monitoring performance of and quality monitoring performance of and quality in ECD sector in ECD sector againstagainst an agreed set of an agreed set of indicatorsindicators– Being piloted in 3 countriesBeing piloted in 3 countries– Long term support needed for ECD serviceLong term support needed for ECD service

coordinatorscoordinators in the analysis and use of data in the analysis and use of data for reporting and decision-making, policy for reporting and decision-making, policy development and service improvementdevelopment and service improvement

Other key steps ….Other key steps ….

Costing and Financing Project continues Costing and Financing Project continues … …

develop composite model based on 4 country develop composite model based on 4 country case studies; construct user-friendly data case studies; construct user-friendly data based platform; recommend financing based platform; recommend financing mechanismsmechanisms

Strengthen systems and structures for Strengthen systems and structures for governance and development of ECD governance and development of ECD sectorssectors …. ….

formalise roles and processes, formalise roles and processes, institutionalise systems, establish, technical institutionalise systems, establish, technical units in governments and national units in governments and national coordinating mechanismscoordinating mechanisms

Start at the BeginningStart at the Beginning

Accessing children 0-3 to child development Accessing children 0-3 to child development & early intervention services – & early intervention services – regional policy regional policy forum to exchange effective practice to be held in forum to exchange effective practice to be held in 2009, technical process to develop strategy, 2009, technical process to develop strategy, regional guidelines developed 2010regional guidelines developed 2010

Indicators for child Indicators for child development development to be to be developed developed within current health screening systems within current health screening systems & incorporated in parent-held child development & incorporated in parent-held child development ‘passports’‘passports’

Support from Caribbean Learning Support from Caribbean Learning Community – Community – a network meeting annually to a network meeting annually to exchange research findings & lessons learned, exchange research findings & lessons learned, recommend application to policy and programmingrecommend application to policy and programming

Get Ready for SuccessGet Ready for Success

Regional project to improve access to ECD Regional project to improve access to ECD services (services (building on experience in primary and building on experience in primary and secondary education) particularly for vulnerable secondary education) particularly for vulnerable children to be operational 2010, target 100% by children to be operational 2010, target 100% by 2015, through mixed strategy of kindergarten 2015, through mixed strategy of kindergarten classes in schools and preschool/ ECD centres for classes in schools and preschool/ ECD centres for 2-3 years duration2-3 years durationLearning support practices guided by Learning support practices guided by Caribbean ECD Learning goals and Caribbean ECD Learning goals and outcomes 2004, utilising outcomes 2004, utilising survey ‘audits’ in 50% survey ‘audits’ in 50% countries, several inter-country & international countries, several inter-country & international partnerships in support of implementationpartnerships in support of implementationSub regional & Country strategies in Sub regional & Country strategies in development for inclusion of children in development for inclusion of children in disaster risk reduction disaster risk reduction & adaptation/mitigation & adaptation/mitigation responses to climate change responses to climate change

Improve primary school qualityImprove primary school quality

Strategy developed to extend access to teacher Strategy developed to extend access to teacher education across the region to EC personnel; education across the region to EC personnel; currently available only in 25% countriescurrently available only in 25% countries– Regional level quality assurance mechanisms & Regional level quality assurance mechanisms &

qualification & progression routes in placequalification & progression routes in place– Sub regional and national levels of training delivery Sub regional and national levels of training delivery

to be established over next 7 years - a resourcing to be established over next 7 years - a resourcing package that requires support!package that requires support!

Strategy for advocacy for the deployment of Strategy for advocacy for the deployment of ECD trained teachers in the first two grades of ECD trained teachers in the first two grades of primary schoolsprimary schools– Research study tracking impact on primary school Research study tracking impact on primary school

completion & retentioncompletion & retention– Transition & harmonisation projects with primary Transition & harmonisation projects with primary

schoolsschools