Early Childhood Care and Development

CEBU, Philippines - As parents, we are all for the wellbeing of our children. But do you know that the state is also mandated and has the obligation to ensure the welfare of all children?

Recognizing this, the Philippines passed in 1990 Republic Act 6972 (Barangay Level Total Protection of Children Act), which requires all local government units to establish a day-care center in every barangay.

This act institutionalized parts of the day-care program that provides for children’s learning needs as well as health (immunization, nutrition status monitoring, prenatal care) and psychosocial needs (e.g. attend to abused children).

Then in 2000, Republic Act 8980, or “An Act Promulgating a Comprehensive Policy and a National System for Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), Providing Funds There for and for Other Purposes,” was enacted.  Otherwise known as the “ECCD Act,” RA 8980 is the country’s guiding policy in promoting the rights of children in survival, development, and special protection. It also recognizes the nature of childhood and its special needs, as well as supports parents in their roles as primary care givers and as their children’s first teachers.

In other words, RA 8980 puts the child’s needs and development at the center, and sees the interrelatedness of the aspects of a child’s development. It mandates that all groups: family, community, and various national and concerned local government agencies work together in coming up with an ECCD curriculum; parent education, advocacy, and community mobilization; human resource development program; program management; and quality standards and accreditation.

ECCD is a field of work that focuses on the holistic development of children in different areas, including health, nutrition, education, social science, economics, child protection, and social welfare. Why? Because what children experience or undergo while growing up can make a difference whether or not they are successful or not later on in life.

Early childhood, or the period from womb to eight years old, is the time when humans experience the most rapid period of growth and change in their lives. Because it is also at this point when humans are most helpless and vulnerable, conditions such as malnutrition, disease, poverty, neglect, violence, and lack of a stimulating environment can have a detrimental effect on both their immediate situation and their prospects in later life.

However, research shows that well-designed promotion, prevention, and interventions during early childhood can counteract adverse circumstances and have a positive impact on a young child’s future.  Children who receive high-quality care in early childhood are healthier, better prepared to succeed in school, and better able to interact and form relationships with those around them.

Furthermore, ECCD does not only affect the individual child or person, it also has an effect on the family, community, and society  If ECCD supports are in place, parents and older siblings have free time to work and earn, and mothers are assured that their children are taken care of so they can go out and augment their family’s income.

Some of the programs and services being offered to ensure the wellbeing, optimum growth and development of children zero to eight years old include the center-based program, which can be in the form of public day-care centers, and private preschools, kindergarten or school-based programs, and community or church-based early childhood education programs. They provide services in a group setting where children can interact with peers and at the same time promote the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development of a child.

Another is public day-care centers, which follow the curriculum set forth by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and are run by day-care center workers who are usually from the barangay. If parents have the funds, they can also opt for private preschool and kindergartens instead of public day-care centers.

Recognizing the importance of ECCD, many institutions have bannered the cause and come up with programs supporting it. An example is the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., which builds day-care centers and safe playgrounds for children through its Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund.

Still another service is the home-based program, which includes neighborhood-based play groups, parent effectiveness services, child-minding homes, parent education, and home visiting programs. This is basically an augmentation that answers the problem of geographical location and the risk of children having to walk long distances and even cross rivers and streets and densely populated areas.

Another service in support of the ECCD program is basic health and nutrition services, which include immunization, pre-natal and post-natal care, growth, monitoring and promotion, nutrition education, micronutrient supplementation, supplementary feeding, as well as de-worming and other primary health care programs for children.

Another benefit of ECCD is that as early childhood programs also involve parents and the community, they get to talk to teachers and barangay health workers and in the process gain knowledge and become more aware of their child’s development and what they can do to support it.

Day-care centers and preschools also bring parents and communities together. They are places that tend to be fun, so they provide opportunities for parents and children to bond and enjoy time together.

For the society as a whole, ECCD likewise helps level the playing field and reduce economic and social inequalities in the long term. ECCD is one step that can be taken to ensure that society becomes a fair one, where everyone receives a fair chance and an opportunity to succeed in life.

Finally, while ECCD is expensive because childhood programs need to be comprehensive, studies in different countries show that, in the end, it is just a long-term investment. An example of this is that “at risk” children who receive early childhood care are more likely to succeed and stay in school. When they finish school, they get better jobs and their earning power goes up.

And because they are less likely to repeat grades, commit crimes and experience teen pregnancy, they are less likely to use government or taxpayer resources for remedial classes, jails and other social services. (FREEMAN)