Resources

Leah de Vries Leah de Vries

Launch of Early Childhood Matters 2025 Edition

What does it mean to truly support parents and caregivers in shaping the future of children’s development?

From policy and research to insightful conversations and a moving performance by Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project, our recent gathering at NYU brought together powerful voices to explore just that—through the lens of the latest issue of #EarlyChildhoodMatters2025, published by Van Leer Foundation.

When we support those who care for children, we invest in a stronger, more compassionate future.

Read Early Childhood Matters 2025: https://lnkd.in/gAiS87JQ

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Journal Article Elizabeth Goodfriend Journal Article Elizabeth Goodfriend

Navigating Remote Early Childhood Education in Hard-to-Access Settings: A Qualitative Study of Caregivers’ and Teachers’ Experiences in Lebanon

Despite the immense challenges of economic crises, power outages, and unreliable internet, caregivers in Lebanon’s hard-to-access areas went to extraordinary lengths to ensure their children could participate in remote early childhood education. Their profound commitment to learning and resilience in the face of adversity underscores the critical role of early education, even in crisis settings.

Building on our team at NYU’s Global TIES for Children’s impact findings from a three-arm randomized controlled trial—showing significant impact on child development from a short remote ECE intervention—this newly published qualitative article offers a deeper, behind-the-scenes perspective. Applying Weisner’s ecocultural framework, we explore how caregivers integrated remote early learning into their daily lives, navigating cultural and environmental constraints. While theory suggests that intervention success depends on aligning with participants’ routines, our findings reveal that these programs thrived despite the absence of structured daily rhythms, demonstrating remarkable adaptability.

Our mixed-methods research challenges the common narrative by showing that remote ECE programs can, in fact, provide quality learning opportunities for children facing adversity. The study highlights the resilience of caregivers and teachers, offering valuable insights for designing flexible, impactful educational interventions in crisis-affected and resource-limited settings.

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Leah de Vries Leah de Vries

The cost of not investing in the next 1000 days: implications for policy and practice

Building on the evidence from the first paper in this Series highlighting the fundamental importance of healthy and nurturing environments for children's growth and development in the next 1000 days (ages 2–5 years), this paper summarises the benefits and costs of key strategies to support children's development in this age range. The next 1000 days build on the family-based and health-sector based interventions provided in the first 1000 days and require broader multisectoral programming. Interventions that have been shown to be particularly effective in this age range are the provision of early childhood care and education (ECCE), parenting interventions, and cash transfers. We show that a minimum package of 1 year of ECCE for all children would cost on average less than 0·15% of low-income and middle-income countries' current gross domestic product. The societal cost of not implementing this package at a national and global level (ie, the cost of inaction) is large, with an estimated forgone benefit of 8–19 times the cost of investing in ECCE. We discuss implications of the overall evidence presented in this Series for policy and practice, highlighting the potential of ECCE programming in the next 1000 days as an intervention itself, as well as a platform to deliver developmental screening, growth monitoring, and additional locally required interventions. Providing nurturing care during this period is crucial for maintaining and further boosting children's progress in the first 1000 days, and to allow children to reach optimal developmental trajectories from a socioecological life-course perspective.

🔗 Read more here: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01390-4

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Leah de Vries Leah de Vries

Developmental Losses in Young Children from Preprimary Program Closures during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This article is among the first to quantify the actual impact of pandemic-related closures on early child development, in this case, for a sample of young children in Chile, where school and childcare closures lasted for about a year. We use a unique data set collected face-to-face in December 2020, which includes child development indicators for general development, language development, socioemotional development, and executive function. We find adverse impacts on children in 2020 compared to children interviewed in 2017 in most development areas. In particular, 9 months after the start of the pandemic, we found a loss in language development of 0.25 SD.

🔗 Read more here: https://doi.org/10.1086/731588

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brief Guest User brief Guest User

বাংলাদেশের কক্সবাজারের রোহিঙ্গা ক্যাম্প এবং হোস্ট কমিউনিটিতে ফাদার এনগেজমেন্ট মডেলের প্রভাব: একটি র‍্যান্ডোমাইজড কন্ট্রোল (Randomized Control) ট্রায়াল

This study is a causal impact evaluation of Watch, Play, Learn (WPL), a program by Sesame Workshop that consists of videos that aim to bring playful early learning opportunities to children, especially those affected by conflict and crisis, via mobile phones. This study focused on the effects of WPL math and social-emotional skills content delivered to Venezuelan migrants and Colombian children living in communities in Colombia where families and children face challenges in accessing essential services, including early education. Implementation was led by the Colombia office of Innovations for Poverty Action.

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brief Guest User brief Guest User

Effects of a Father Engagement Model in Rohingya Camps and Host Communities in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study is a causal impact evaluation of Watch, Play, Learn (WPL), a program by Sesame Workshop that consists of videos that aim to bring playful early learning opportunities to children, especially those affected by conflict and crisis, via mobile phones. This study focused on the effects of WPL math and social-emotional skills content delivered to Venezuelan migrants and Colombian children living in communities in Colombia where families and children face challenges in accessing essential services, including early education. Implementation was led by the Colombia office of Innovations for Poverty Action.

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Blog Post Karolina Lajch Blog Post Karolina Lajch

New remote ECE model with large impacts holds promise for SDG 4.2 progress

The last few decades have seen immense gains in global recognition of the critical importance of early childhood education (ECE). Despite this, the goal of universal ECE – as we have traditionally defined it – has remained aspirational: with little progress since 2015 toward the universal quality ECE called for in SDG 4.2. Partly, this is due to financial constraints and continued limited investment in ECE. But partly, it is because there are contexts in which setting up in-person pre-school and kindergarten classrooms is not viable.

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Journal Article Karolina Lajch Journal Article Karolina Lajch

Early childhood education and care quality and associations with child outcomes: A meta-analysis

The effectiveness of early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs for children’s development in various domains is well documented. Adding to existing meta-analyses on associations between the quality of ECEC services and children’s developmental outcomes, the present meta-analysis synthesizes the global literature on structural characteristics and indicators of process quality to test direct and moderated effects of ECEC quality on children’s outcomes across a range of domains.

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Program Brief, brief Karolina Lajch Program Brief, brief Karolina Lajch

Lessons and Impacts of Ahlan Simsim TV Program in Pre-Primary Classrooms in Jordan on Children’s Emotional Development: A Randomized Controlled Trial

In this brief, Global TIES researchers evaluate the effects of Ahlan Simsim, a television show co-produced by Sesame Workshop and Jordan Pioneers that has been viewed by more than 23 million children across the MENA region, including 57% of displaced Syrians across Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq.

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brief, Program Brief Karolina Lajch brief, Program Brief Karolina Lajch

دروس وآثار برنامج تربوي للآباء والأمهات عبر الهاتف تقييم فاعلية برنامج تربوي لتنمية الطفولة المبكرة قائم عبر الهاتف:دراسة من الأردن السورية والأردنية للأطفال الصغار

الوصف: في هذا الملخص، قام باحثو مركز جلوبال تايز (Global TIES) بتقييم برنامج تربوي قائم عبر الهاتف لتنمية الطفولة المبكرة في الشرق الأوسط، وهو أول تقييم عشوائي محكم لمثل هذه البرامج في المنطقة. على الرغم من أهمية هذه البرامج خاصة في سياقات الأزمات والظروف الإنسانية التي تعرقل تنفيذ البرامج حضورياً إلا أن المعلومات حول آثار برامج تنمية الطفولة المبكرة المقدمة عن بُعد تعتبر قليلة. في عام 2020، قامت اللجنة الدولية للإغاثة بتكييف برنامج التربية الذي يتم تقديمه حضوريًا على شكل زيارات منزلية ليتم تقديمه عن بُعد عبر مكالمات هاتفية صوتية فقط، مما أتاح فرصة فريدة لتقييم برنامج تربوي مقدم عن بعد. البرنامج الحضوري الأصلي الذي تم تعديله يُدعى "Reach up and Learn-RUL" وقد قدمته اللجنة الدولية للإغاثة من عام 2016 حتى بداية عام 2020 في أجزاء من الأردن، واستهدف كلًا من المربين الأردنيين والسوريين. تم إجراء التعديلات لتقديمه عن بُعد كاستجابة للجائحة وكجزء من مبادرة "أهلاً سمسم" بالتعاون مع "ورشة سمسم".

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brief, Program Brief Karolina Lajch brief, Program Brief Karolina Lajch

تقييم فاعلية برنامج "أهلًا سمسم" على التطور العاطفي لدى الأطفال في المرحلة التمهيدية: تجربة عشوائية محكّمة من الأردن

الوصف: في هذا الملخص، يعرض الباحثون في مركز جلوبال تايز (Global TIES) نتائج تقيّم أثر برنامج أهلًا سمسم، وهو برنامج تلفزيوني قامت بإنتاجه ورشة عمل سمسم ومؤسسة جوردن بيونيرز (Jordan Pioneers TV Production)، والذي جذبت حلقاته أنظار أكثر من 23 مليون طفل في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا، بما في ذلك W من النازحين السوريين في الأردن ولبنان والعراق. تعد هذه الدراسة من أولى الدراسات التي من شأنها تقييم الأثر السببي لبرنامج إعلامي 1) تم تصميمه لبلدان الشرق الأوسط المتأثرة بالنزاع السوري وأزمة اللاجئين و 2) يركز على التطور العاطفي لدى الأطفال في المرحلة التمهيدية. وجدت الدراسة تأثيرات إيجابية على الأطفال فيما يتعلق ب: ١) معرفة برنامج أهلا سمسم وشخصياته ٢) التعرّف العاطفي المعبرّ (القدرة على تحديد العواطف المصورة بشكل صحيح) ٣) القدرة على تحديد عواطف الآخرين في سيناريوهات اجتماعية محددة ٤) ذكر استراتيجية التنفس كطريقة إدارة العواطف القوية وهي إحدى استراتيجيات تنظيم العواطف الست التي يركز عليها منهج "أهلًا سمسم".

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brief, Program Brief Karolina Lajch brief, Program Brief Karolina Lajch

أثر برنامج التعلم المبكر عن بُعد في المناطق التي يصعب الوصول إليها في لبنان: تجربة عشوائية محكمة

الوصف: في هذا الملخص، يعرض الباحثون في مركز جلوبال تايز (Global TIES) نتائج أول تقييم لبرنامج تعلم مبكر مقدم عن بُعد في المناطق التي يصعب الوصول إليها في لبنان. هذه الدراسة هي الأولى من نوعها من حيث تقييم أثر برنامج للتعلم المبكر عن بُعد على الأسر المتضررة من النزاعات والأزمات وهي الثانية من نوعها في تقييم أثر مثل هذه البرامج قصيرة المدى (أقل من 3 أشهر). قامت الدراسة بتقييم أثر برنامج التعلم المبكر عن بُعد RELP وهو برنامج تمّ تقديمه لمدة 11 أسبوعًا بشكل منفرد و بالاقتران مع برنامج عائلات أهلًا سمسم ASF الذي يدعم أساليب تربية الأطفال. وفقًا لنتائج الدراسة، أدى التدخلان RELP و RELP+ASF الى تأثيرات إيجابية كبيرة على المهارات القرائية الناشئة، والمهارات الحسابية الناشئة، وتطور الطفل بشكل عام، وعلى لعب الأطفال أيضًا، في حين ظهرت تأثيرات إيجابية كبيرة على المهارات الاجتماعية/العاطفية والمهارات الحركية على المجموعة الّتي تلقّت RELP منفردًا. تبيّن أن حجم تأثيرات RELP على نمو وتطور الطفل هو ضمن نطاق التأثيرات التي ظهرت في التقييمات الحضورية في دور الحضانة في أنحاء العالم، مما يشير إلى أنه من الممكن استخدام البرنامج كبديل قابل للتطبيق لدعم الأطفال في المناطق التي يكون فيها التعليم الحضوري غير ممكن.

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Press Release Karolina Lajch Press Release Karolina Lajch

New Research Shows Substantial Impact on Children’s Learning from Groundbreaking Ahlan Simsim Initiative Combining Educational Media and Early Childhood Services

New Research Shows Substantial Impact on Children’s Learning from Groundbreaking Ahlan Simsim Initiative Combining Educational Media and Early Childhood Services

Conducted by NYU researchers, major studies show the efficacy of Sesame Workshop and International Rescue Committee’s initiative for children affected by conflict and crisis, through a local version of Sesame Street and a new approach to remote preschool

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Journal Article Southpoint Collective Journal Article Southpoint Collective

Adaptation and application of the Measuring Early Learning Quality and Outcomes (MELQO) framework to early childhood education settings in Colombia: Implications for national policy and the SDG’s.

In Colombia, the national law De Cero a Siempre (DCAS) provides a framework for holistic and integrated early childhood development and education for all children. Against the backdrop of the United Nations’Sustainable Development Goals and the DCAS policy objectives, Colombia set out to apply a comprehensive measure to track the quality of early childhood education programs that would inform pedagogical, programmatic, and policy strategies. Our study describes the process whereby key stakeholders selected, adapted, validated, and applied the Measuring Early Learning Quality and Outcomes (MELQO) framework to characterize the quality of early childhood education at scale in the country. We describe the phases that led to the application of the different instrument modules, and the key enablers and challenges to the process. The paper includes implications for policy, practice, and research in Colombia and discusses lessons learned with relevance to the Latin American and global contexts.

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Journal Article Southpoint Collective Journal Article Southpoint Collective

Early Childhood Teachers’ Lives in Context: Implications for Professional Development in Under-Resourced Areas

This study explores the personal, professional, and contextual conditions faced by early childhood education (ECE) teachers in under-resourced settings and how these relate to teacher responsiveness to professional development (PD): namely, teacher attrition (a sign of PD failure when occurring shortly after PD), take-up of offered PD, adherence to PD training/materials, and quality of implementation. We use data from six disadvantaged districts in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana and PD focused on implementation of a national, play-based curriculum. Descriptive statistics indicate that ECE teachers (n = 302) face a multitude of barriers to high quality teaching across the bioecological model. Multilevel mixed effects models find that teachers with low job satisfaction are more likely to leave the school within the academic year. Teachers with moderate to severe depression are less likely to attend PD trainings. Senior teachers and those with poverty risks are less likely to adhere to PD material. Teachers with many time demand barriers are more likely to adhere to material. They also implement the content at higher observed quality as do teachers with bachelor's degrees and early childhood development (ECD) training. Take-up of PD also predicts quality of implementation. Practice and research implications are discussed.

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