6 July 2023 | Online
In 2021, APC embarked on a Regional Early Childhood Development Landscape Research to map and examine the current ECD landscape in China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore, with the primary aim to guide donors, as well as service providers, government agencies, and other key stakeholders towards gaps that require further intervention, and to provide recommendations to improve outcomes in the region.
The study was launched online on 6 July 2023. The Centre for Evidence and Implementation, who conducted the research, presented the key findings and recommendations from the study. During the session, participants also had the opportunity to discuss how to work with governments and consider lessons from international models effectively addressing issues highlighted in the report. In closed-door country breakout sessions, participants also had the opportunity to dive deeper and explore potential collaborations with other ECD stakeholders.
Key Takeaways
- While governments have made significant commitments and investment into early childhood development across the region, gaps exist especially in local implementation—Broad recommendations include capacity-building for the ECD workforce and local governments, improving access to healthcare and nutrition, improving sectoral coordination between key actors—from government to funders to service providers.
- Reliable data is critical in informing the state of ECD, identifies implementation gaps in ECD programmes and policies, and guides better decision-making within the sector for improved outcomes.
- Local policy decisions require a localised evidence base that considers unique cultural and geographical nuances, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
- In scaling programmes, working with governments to leverage their existing systems and networks is beneficial and sustainable. Their expertise in operational scalability is invaluable to achieve long-term success.