Integrated universal early education and care from birth is key to tackling poverty, EU says

The European Commission’s first Communication on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) highlights the need for universal fully integrated services from birth to lay solid foundations in the early years for more effective learning in later life.

It rejects targeting services and benefits to vulnerable groups because of the difficulty in indentifying groups, amid fears that it could lead to stigma and segregation later in life, and offers a framework to cover all early childhood services in the EU.

The guidelines, published last month, advocate an integrated approach to education and care from birth to school age, which they say would go towards achieving the goals of the Europe 2020 flagship initiative to lift at least 20 million people out of the risk of poverty and social exclusion.

Early childhood education and care is essential for successful lifelong learning, social integration and personal development, the Communication says.

Although not legally binding, the paper provides guidelines for member states and offers support in delivering objectives.

In an interview in the March issue of Children in Europe magazine about the ECEC, Nora Milotay (pictured), policy officer for the Commission’s Directorate General for Education and Culture, said, ‘Of course countries have their own systems. But in any kind of system there should be an integrated vision of the early years, and care and education should be integrated in any kind of setting.

‘We have lots of data showing early years are very important, and a lot of things can go wrong. The remedy is often action that is expensive, and, might come too late and not even help. It would be good to give a chance to children in the beginning, so we are really emphasising it should be for all children. Of course we have to pay particular attention to disadvantaged children.’

‘There has to be more thinking at European level about how to guide countries in this respect. Guidelines should be put in place so all member states have an opportunity to use funding for early childhood.’

In May, ministers from all European member states will agree on policy areas of early childhood education and care to take forward.