Children's learning, development and well-being are directly influenced by their daily interactions with other children, adults, their families and the environment. This interactive process is known as "process quality", and leads to a key question -- which policies set the best conditions for children to experience high-quality…

The first years of life lay the foundations for a child's future development and learning. Many countries have increased their financial support for provision of early childhood education and care (ECEC) over the past years. More recently, the focus of debate has been shifting from expanding access to affordable ECEC to enhancing its quality. A…

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the…

Noting that the human capital of a nation is a primary determinant of its strength, this book reviews what is known about the processes that affect child development and how public and private investments in children might be increased to promote their well-being and to enhance the economic productivity of the next generation in America. Based on…