Gaps in child development by socio-economic status (SES) start early in life, are large and can increase inequalities later in life. We use recent national-level, cross-sectional and longitudinal data to examine inequalities in child development (namely, language, cognition and socio-emotional skills) of children 0–5 in five Latin American countries (Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay). In the cross-section analysis, we find statistically significant gaps with inequality patterns that widely differ across countries. For instance, gaps in language and cognition for Uruguay and Chile are much smaller than those for Colombia and Peru. When turning to the longitudinal data, average SES gaps are similar to those of the cross-section in language but differ substantially in cognition, mainly in Uruguay where they emerge as more unequal when cohort effects do not operate. Importantly, we also find that the ECD gaps found at early ages (0–5) still manifest 6–12 years later in almost all locations and realms in which we have measures of early child development, but they do not increase with age. Results are robust to using different measures of inequality (income and maternal education). Gaps are smaller but generally remain when adjusting for possible explanatory factors (e.g. family structure, parental education, geographic fixed effects). To reduce ECD inequality and promote equality in later life outcomes, policymakers should look to implementing evidence-based interventions at scale to improve developmental outcomes of the most disadvantaged children in society.

En esta nota conceptual se describen los marcos, conceptos y métodos del proyecto en el que NYU Global TIES for Children (NYU-TIES) y la Universidad de los Andes están trabajando para fortalecer los sistemas de monitoreo y evaluación de aprendizaje holístico en Colombia y Perú (mayores receptores de familias de refugiados y migrantes venezolanos).

This concept note describes the frameworks, concepts and methods of the project in which NYU Global TIES for Children (NYU-TIES) and the Universidad de los Andes are working to strengthen holistic learning monitoring and evaluation systems in Colombia and Peru (main recipients of Venezuelan refugee and migrant families).

This document outlines the work done by NYU Global TIES to strengthen social and emotional skills and well-being assessment in Lebanon and Peru during the COVID-19 pandemic. It explains the frameworks and concepts, and outlines next steps in those countries.

In many countries, the outbreak of COVID-19 compounded crises vulnerable populations are facing. Children are among the most vulnerable, due to the potential for adverse impacts on emerging neurobiological, cognitive, social, emotional, and physiological developmental systems. That is why now more than ever, coherent, timely, and cost-effective policy responses are needed to support children’s remarkable capacities for resilience. But the ability to develop meaningful policy responses is predicated upon education systems’ own capacities for rapidly generating and using evidence on how children, caregivers, teachers, and principals are doing and what they are experiencing. In this brief, we share efforts NYU-TIES has taken in collaboration with government agencies in Lebanon and Peru and with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Lebanon to strengthen education systems’ capacity for assessing social and emotional skills and well-being among host-country and refugee populations.