Early Childhood Care and Education term has been used to refer to group settings for children approximately between three to five years of age which are deliberately designed to stimulate and support their physical, mental, emotional, language, social development etc. It has been called by the psychologists, educationists and policy-makers by variety of names such as nursery school education, kindergarten education, pre-primary education etc. and the group settings in which Early Childhood Care and Education is provided to children are known by variety of names such as nursery school, kindergarten schools, Shishu Vihar, Sishu Vatikas.

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme has gained importance today. Driven by socio-economic compulsions these days both parents seek jobs and remain away from the child for the whole day. Early Childhood Care centres provide them a safer alternative where their children can grow and develop in a stimulative environ-ment. Therefore, ECCE has been comprehensively included in teacher training programmes at all levels. Designed as a text for the undergraduate students of education (B.Ed.) and elementary education (B.El.Ed.), it provides uptodate and ready to use material. A complete section in the book is devoted to planning a pre-school or ECCE centre, organizing and managing it for its optimum utility and efficient functioning. The effort has been made to include the topics which will help students to understand the ECCE and its functioning in a straightforward and unconventional manner. KEY FEATURES : Written in a conversational style Comprehensive coverage with sample activities Numerous figures and illustrations for better understanding of the subject Integration of theory and practice Conceptual clarity and practical approach The book would also be extremely useful to the nursery school teachers, teacher educators, parents, postgraduate students of education (M.Ed.) and for those who would like to run an ECCE centre as a good reference material.

The essential resource to the issues surrounding childhood care and education with contributions from noted experts The Wiley Handbook of Early Childhood Care and Education is a comprehensive resource that offers a review of the historical aspects, best practices, and the future directions of the field. With contributions from noted experts in the field, the book contains 30 interdisciplinary essays that explore in-depth the central issues of early childhood care and education. The handbook presents a benchmark reference to the basic knowledge, effective approaches to use with young children, curriculum design, professional development, current policies, and other critical information. The expert contributors address the myriad complex policy and practice issues that are most relevant today. The essays provide insight into topics such as child development and diversity, the sociocultural process of child development, the importance of the home environment in the lives of young children, early childhood special education, teaching and learning literacy, and much more. This important resource: Presents a comprehensive synopsis of the major components of the field of early childhood care and education Contains contributions from leading scholars, researchers, and experts in the field Offers the foundational knowledge and practices for working with young children Puts the focus on how early childhood works and presents an understanding of culture as a foundational component of both child development and early childhood education Written for academic scholars, researchers, advocates, policymakers, and students of early childhood care and education, The Wiley Handbook of Early Childhood Care and Education is a comprehensive resource to the major issues for dealing with childhood care and education with contributions from noted scholars in the field.

This edited volume examines the ways in which different countries across the world are tackling early childhood services and how these services affect young children’s experiences and development, for better and worse.

Changes in social and family structures, gender roles, and working environments have led some countries to introduce integrated centers for early childhood care and education (ECCE) for children ages zero to five years, combining the advantages of preschools and childcare centers. ECCE services are becoming increasingly important for countries as a support system for working parents. In countries such as Sri Lanka, where female participation in the labor force is low in comparison with international standards, providing affordable childcare services could also help more mothers to enter the labor market. Responding to the needs of employees, child development centers in the plantation areas in Sri Lanka are already providing integrated childcare services for children in this age group. The increasing demand for affordable childcare services and the growing recognition of the benefits of holistic early childhood development have brought ECCE to the forefront of Sri Lanka’s development agenda. Well-designed ECCE systems can improve the lives of children and families and provide significant advantages to national economies. Access to effective ECCE can equalize learning opportunities by improving school readiness and by putting children on a more equal footing at the primary school level. These early advantages have proved to have a lasting impact, affecting both educational and earning potential in the adult years. The significant income inequalities in countries such as Sri Lanka could be addressed through investment in effective ECCE programs, and enhanced understanding of the benefits and potential long-term impacts of ECCE could help governments tailor programs to ensure maximum return on investment. This study seeks to answer the following questions: Is it more effective to provide early childcare and education services separately or in an integrated manner? Under what conditions would the provision of separate care and education services be more effective? The study provides an analysis of the ECCE environment in Sri Lanka, with recommendations for improvement within the current context. The information presented in the study is a starting point to foster the improved understanding of a complex subject area involving multiple stakeholders.

On September 14, 2017, the Roundtable on Population Health Improvement of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a workshop to explore the intersection of health and early childhood care and education, two key social determinants of health. This workshop follows a 2014 roundtable workshop that considered the interface between the education and health sectors broadly, from research and metrics to cross-sectoral partnerships and financing. The 2017 workshop continued that discussion, with a deeper focus on early childhood (birth through age 5) as a critical period in human development and an important opportunity for educational and related interventions. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the 2017 workshop.

Previous edition sold 3,195 units in four years New edition has been updated to reflect the needs of the new Early Years Professional qualification, the introduction of the Foundation Stage 0 - 5 years in 2008 (which encompasses Birth to Three Matters and the existing Foundation Stage into one curriculum) New edition also takes consideration of 'Every Child Matters' New edition will be richer in textbook features, with signposting to specific components of different EYrs courses Huge growth in the uptake of Foundation degrees/Early Years degrees in the UK. Due to various government initiatives in the field of early years there has been an increase in the numbers of students taking professional qualifications. In addition the new Early Years Professional Status qualification is being fully funded by the government with a target that by 2010 every child care setting will have somebody working there with this qualification Both authors are key names in this field and have garnered lots of media exposure Includes topics such as working with parents, the reflective practitioner and managing children's behaviour Book also covers Europe and so will have an international market