Data are essential—to promote shared understanding of early child
development and to document the effect of ECD programs.
Without data, some may see no problem; without a problem, there is
no action—and without action, there is no change.Moreover, unless systematic and comparative data about children’s
development become available, community and government actions
may continue to be sporadic and national and regional efforts may
not be effectively scaled up. McCain and Mustard (1999) have noted
the paradox—whereas the early years of child development are most
crucial to human development, most countries do not yet have a
suitable database to inform them about the status of their families
and societies.
Communities and governments need to have a database of their
children’s outcomes, with and without ECD programs. Although lo-
cal governments may be cognizant of the many reasons for investing
in ECD services, they need a common assessment tool to obtain es-
sential data that could be used to:
- Stimulate discussions about early child development among
teachers, parents, schools, community groups, and policymakers - Identify communities and neighborhoods where children may
be at risk developmentally - Plan and evaluate ECD initiatives
- Establish best practices and refine criteria for successful programs
- Identify programs for expansion and extension to other settings
and communities - Document the effect, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of ECD
programs - Leverage better-informed ECD policies
- Match programs with investment opportunities.
As emphasized at the World Bank’s symposium on Early Child De-
velopment: A Priority for Sustained Economic Growth and Equity, in
262 J. Fraser Mustard and Mary Eming Young