How Important is Brain Research to Early Childhood Education and Services?

by ParentCo. May 04, 2016

mother holding new born baby with nature background

A group of scholars at Harvard University is spearheading a campaign to make sure the early-childhood programs policymakers put in place to disrupt intergenerational poverty are backed by the latest science.

The idea sounds entirely reasonable, but it’s all too rare in practice, says Jack P. Shonkoff, the director of the university’s Center on the Developing Child and the chair of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. That’s because program grants and policies are generally structured in ways that incentivize “positive” results. Agreements along the lines of, “We’ll give you funding to test this specific policy intervention and if you can prove it worked in three years, we’ll give you more,” are standard. Shonkoff and his colleagues think that model needs a major update.

On Wednesday, the center will publish a report that calls for an online and in-person network that uses recent advances in scientists’ understanding of the way young brains grow to create and test early-childhood interventions. “The absence of a science-based R&D platform in the early childhood field threatens the future of all children, families, and communities whose challenges are not being addressed adequately by existing policies and programs,” write the authors.

Source: Bringing an R&D Approach to Early Childhood - The Atlantic



ParentCo.

Author



Also in Conversations

A mother is playing with her kid by closing her eyes
Small Connections Are Big Brain Builders

by ParentCo.

During the critical first years of life babies need love in the form of consistent care, shared exchanges, and cognitive stimulation.

Continue Reading

baby sleeping
Understanding and Surviving Sleep Regressions

by Sarah Bossio

Sleep regressions are actually PROgressions of childhood development. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about baby and toddler sleep regressions.

Continue Reading

mother and daughter
Why Childcare Can Be an Important Part of a Parent’s Mental Health Toolkit

by Joy Turner

By prioritizing the mental health and wellbeing of parents, we can also improve the mental health and wellbeing of children who pick up on stress at home.

Continue Reading