The expansion of early childhood development services and the need to reconceptualize evidence

Abstract

The provision of early childhood development services is expanding in developing countries. The rationale behind this expansion is rooted in developmental psychology, socio-economic and human rights narratives. However, there are some limitations to this rationale, which are in particular related to the implicit universalism it assumes. This article outlines how early childhood development interventions imply a policing of families and childhood, which calls for a stronger consideration of context. As a consequence, the scope of what counts as evidence in early childhood development research needs to be questioned. The article is a theoretical contribution to the discourse of what early childhood development ‘does’. A critical approach, addressing the ideals and values that are communicated in early childhood development programmes and how they relate to dominant parenting ideals and practices in the society in question, should be an integral part of the expansion of early childhood development in the global South in the future.

The early childhood care and development mission and the institutional circuit of evidence

“…A large body of research, building primarily on scientific insights developed within developmental psychology, social economy, and human rights, underpins the importance of investing in ECCD in developing countries (e.g. Marope and Kaga, 2015; Nilsen, 2017; Penn, 2011a). This threefold scientific rationale is widely recognized and constitutes the basis for the international commitment to develop and expand ECCD.…”

“…Acknowledging the antagonism of these perspectives on childhood, our research interest for ECCD emerged out of a curiosity related to the pervasive demand for evidence within this sector. Having studied the scientific rationale behind ECCD, as it is manifested in diverse authoritative texts (Nilsen, 2017), we here set out to explore the local rationales from the standpoint of people doing ECCD work. Before we turn to this work, we will introduce the methodological approach we use in the article.…”

“…Based on an awareness of the potential loss in human productivity that is connected to early childhood deficits, and which is presumed to have negative impacts both on an individual and a societal level, the international commitment to develop and expand ECCD services both in developed and developing countries has been firmly established during the past decades. The scientific rationale for investing in ECCD is rooted in developmental-psychological, social-economic, and human rights narratives (Nilsen, 2017). Together, these narratives constitute a strong argument for investing in ECCD, which appears virtually unassailable.…”

Early Childhood Motor Development and Parent Socio-economic Status

“…Pentingnya pelayanan terhadap perkembangan motorik anak usia dini untuk perkembangan individu dan sosial telah mengalami peningkatan perhatian baik pada Negara berkembang (Nilsen, 2017). Ketika anak menghabiskan waktu di institusi diluar lingkungan rumah, mereka belajar terhadap sosialiasi ganda Anak mungkin menemukan harapan yang berbeda antara di lingkungan rumah, dengan lingkungan institusi, dan harus belajar untuk berperilaku pada kedua lingkungan secara terpisah, disamping pada saat bersamaan bagaimana untuk menghubungkan antara keduanya.…”

“…Ketika anak menghabiskan waktu di institusi diluar lingkungan rumah, mereka belajar terhadap sosialiasi ganda Anak mungkin menemukan harapan yang berbeda antara di lingkungan rumah, dengan lingkungan institusi, dan harus belajar untuk berperilaku pada kedua lingkungan secara terpisah, disamping pada saat bersamaan bagaimana untuk menghubungkan antara keduanya. Besarnya kemiripan antara harapan yang anak hadapi di lingkungan yang berbeda, merupakan kesempatan terbaik untuk mereka meraih keberhasilan (Nilsen, 2017).…”