GOVERNANCE, INTER-SECTORAL CO-ORDINATION AND FINANCING

OF ECD IN JAMAICA

Organisation of American States Meeting

Maureen Samms-Vaughan

May, 15, 2007

                                                                          

Standard – Staff

JAMAICA

• Population of 2.7 million

• Over 400,000 children birth to 8 years

• Children 0-8 form 17.4% of total population and 49% of childhood population

Current Status of ECDEducation Indicators

• 96% of children 3-5 years enrolled in ECD programme

• 88% of these programmes privately owned, 12% government run

• Less accurate data for 0-3 years

• Less than 10% of children in ECD

Current Status of ECDHealth Indicators

• Under 5 mortality rate decreased by one third since 1996

• Immunisation rates in excess of 90%

• Falling undernutrition ratesStunting : 3.6% Wasting : 2.4%

• Obesity now a concern: 5-7% of 5 year olds

BRIEF HISTORY OF ECE IN JAMAICA

The Beginning: Meeting Community needs

• Formal EC services began in Jamaica in the 1930’s

• Women were needed to work on plantations

• There was no safe place for their children

• First school was organised by a church

The Proliferation

• Community demand grew

• Schools for 3-5 year olds mushroomed throughout the country

• Many with the support of community churches / Other private sector groups

The Advocacy

• In the 1940’s, early childhood advocates lobbied the government to have an input

• It was to take 10 years

The Recognition

• In 1950, first supervisor for infant schools appointed by the Ministry of Education

• Next came the provision of government subsidies for schools which met certain criteria

The Quality

• Quality concerns regarding teachers emerged first

• In 1960’s first teacher training programmes for caregivers developed

• More general concerns regarding quality of the environments

• 1996 saw the development of the first standards document for pre-schools

The Integration

• 1995 UNICEF Strategy Meeting, co-ordinated ECD programme first discussed

• Pilot project developed guided by Integration Advisory Committee

• Recommended integration of Day-Care and pre-schools • At about same time, review of EC sector commissioned by

Planning Institute of Jamaica• Review identified much ECD activity, however, services

poorly co-ordinated with duplication of effort and waste of resources

• A national co-ordinating body for ECD recommended***

Regional Activities

• 1997 Caribbean Plan of Action for ECD developed

• To provide a comprehensive guideline for the planning, development and evaaluation of programmes to provide children with the best possible opportunity to learn and develop from the earliest stage

The Local Research(1999-2003)

Typical Pathway for the Poor Child I

• Born to younger, less knowledgeable parents

• Unstable parental relationship eventually leading to absent father in home and single motherhood

• Child shifting

• Parental stress

• Harsh discipline

Typical Pathway for the Poor Child II

• Less nourished• Poorer health• Less likely to read books• Less stimulating material in home• Parents less able to assist with stimulation

and education• Poorer quality early childhood institutions

Research Overview I

• Factors affecting outcome globally

• Socio-economic status

• Parental education

• Parental stress

• Reading books

• Early childhood experience

Research Overview II

• Factors affecting most outcomes

• Nutritional status

• Supervised activities

• Home learning environment

Research Overview III

• Efforts to improve child outcomes must be comprehensive

• These efforts must begin early as time worsens effects

Reading Scores by No. of Possessions in Home:Pre-School to Grade 3

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Pre-School Grade I Grade 3

0 to 2

3 to 4

5 to 6

7 to 10

Teacher Reports of Aggressive Behaviour:

Pre-School to Grade 3

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Aggression PS Aggression 3

The Current Status of ECD in Jamaica

Where are we now?

Main Stakeholders of ECD programmes

• 400,000 children 0-8 years• Parents and family members• 2,700 Schools/ Day Care for children 0-5 years• 5,000 Early Childhood teachers• 80 Education Officers• Training Institutions• Early Childhood Unit• Numerous sponsors and supporters: Churches, Private

Sector, NGO’s• IDPs : UNICEF, IDB, World Bank• Early Childhood Commission

The Early Childhood Commission (ECC)

• The Early Childhood Commission established by an Act of Parliament in 2003

• Received strong bi-partisan support for its establishment

• Chairman appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and with the support of the Leader of the Opposition

Legislated Functions of ECC I

• Advise the Cabinet through the MOE on policy matters relating to ECD, including initiatives and actions to achieve national ECD goals

• Assist in preparation of plans and programmes concerning ECD

• Monitor and evaluate implementation of plans for ECD and make recommendations to the Govt.

• Act as a co-ordinating agency to streamline ECD activities

Legislated Functions of ECC II

• Convene consultations with relevant stakeholders

• Analyse resource needs and make recommendations for budgetary allocations for ECD

• Identify alternative financing through negotiation with donor agencies and liase with donor agencies to ensure efficient and effective use of donor funds

• Regulate early childhood institutions

• Conduct research on ECD

ECC Mission Statement

An integrated and co-ordinated delivery of quality early childhood programmes and services, which provide equity and access for children 0-8 years within healthy, safe and nurturing environments.

Structure of ECC IBoard of Management

• Chairman• Executive Director• Child specialists -

Paediatrics - Nursing - Mental Health - Child Development - Nutrition - Education

• Ministry Representatives - Health - Education -Local Govt.

- Labour - Finance

• Disability group Rep• PIOJ Rep Private Sector Rep.• CDA Rep Parenting Organisation Rep• JECA Disability group Rep• Opposition Party Rep

Structure of ECC IIOperational Arm

• Executive Director and AA to ED• Director of Finance and Accounting Clerk• Systems Administrator• Co-ordinators* - Regulation & Monitoring

- Training & Development- Community Intervention

(Parenting) - Public Education & Information - Research & Targetting

• Receptionist & Filing Clerk• Support Staff: Driver & Office Attendant

* Sub-Committees of Board act as advisory bodies

Regulation and Monitoring

Objective: To develop a legal and regulatory framework for ECI

Regulation and Monitoring:Accomplishments I

• Passage of The Early Childhood Act and the Early Childhood Regulations (2004)

• Development of Standards documents with 12 standards for early childhood institutions and performance criteria

- Staff - Programme- Behaviour Management - Physical Environment- Equipment & Furnishings - Health- Nutrition - Safety- Child Rights/Protection - Parent Participation

- Administration - Finance

Standard 3 – Interactions with Children

Standard 3 – Interactions with Children

• Standard Statement: Early childhood staff has the characteristics training, knowledge, skills and attitude to promote positive behaviours and reduce difficult and challenging behaviours in children

• Rationale: Even in these early years children are already beginning to understand their own emotions and behaviour as well as those of the people they interact with every day. In fact, many children imitate the behaviour of the older children and adults around them. The staff of the ECI is responsible for creating a caring and positive environment that encourages good behaviour in children

Standard 3 - Requirements

• The ECI staff is pleasant and caring; respects and values children as individuals and helps them to develop self-esteem.

• The ECI staff responds appropriately to children’s affections and responds promptly to their hurt and distress

• The staff encourages children to express their emotions in positive ways and assists children to understand other people’s emotions.

• Staff encourage children to use good manners and assist children in learning to work with each other as well as to be independent

• No form of physical punishment is allowed in ECIs, including slapping, pinching, shaking and putting in unusual positions etc.

• No form of emotional abuse or neglect is to be used to discipline children. Only appropriate forms of discipline e.g. time out, are allowed in ECIs.

SELF-ASSESSMENT / MONITORING DOCUMENT

Category Needs Improveme

nt

Acceptable Good

V Supervision of classroom behaviour

Children’s groups are either over controlled (children not allowed to interact) or under controlled (no order, children’s groups out of control).

Supervision is non-punitive. Supervision ensures a safe and learning environment, but also allows children adequate verbal and nonverbal interaction with each other and with staff members.

Supervision allows individual attention within the group setting. For example, there is greater supervision for children with challenging behaviours, while being aware of the needs of the entire group.

V Emotional Atmosphere

Staff seems angry agitated, unapproachable, unpleasant and/or use loud or other inappropriate voice tones.

Staff has a calm and relaxed attitude; are warm, smiling and pleasant and use eye contact and a moderate tone to children.

Additionally, staff exhibit the same characteristics to families and visitors.

V Physical affection

Staff do not show physical affection to children, and rejects children’s expression of affection.

Staff show appropriate physical affection to children, and return children’s expression of affection. Staff encourages physical affection among children.

Staff identify, label and affirm appropriate physical affection among children for the group.

Regulation and Monitoring:In Progress:

• Development Plan to assist institutions to attain registration status

• Development of a nutrition programme for ECIs to contribute to national school feeding policy.

• Development of an ECD Strategic Plan, ECD Policy and National Plan of Action

Training and DevelopmentObjective: To develop a cadre of trained personnel for EC sector and ensure an

appropriate child centred early childhood curriculum

Training and Development:Accomplishments

• MOU signed between ECC and NCTVET for the development of revised training programmes (Levels I & 2) and new programmes (Level 3)

• Annual National (Regional) conference on ECD bringing health, education, social, legal etc. personnel together to educate and co-ordinate ECD activities

• Hosting of in service training conferences for EC practitioners and EC Education officers

- Legal & Regulatory Framework- HIV/AIDS & Violence in ECI- Screening & Early Identification

Training and Development:In Progress:

• Development of career path in ECD, through articulation of programmes (JBTE)

• Development of a licensing system for ECD practitioners

• Manpower survey to plan training needs• Development of EC Curriculum (DGMT)• Development of Inspector Training Programme

Community Intervention

Objective: To co-ordinate and develop EC programmes at a community level

Community Intervention I(Focussed on Parenting)

Accomplishments:

• Establishment of multiagency, multi-sectoral parenting sub-committee

• Collation of information on parenting programmes to identify gaps and make recommendations

.

Community Intervention II(Focussed on Parenting)

In Progress

• Development of parenting policy• Identification and analysis of existing parenting

programmes with a view to making recommendations • Development of parenting trainer programmes (PP)• Development of strategy to reduce corporal punishment

use at home and school• Establishment of PTAs• Establishment of a governance system for ECI• Taking to Scale the Roving Caregivers Prog.

Public Education and Information

Objective: To provide the public with information on ECD and on

the work of the ECC

Public Education & Information I

Accomplishments• Numerous public fora organised /

participated in to sensitise public to ECD (n=8,000)

• Multiple messages aired on radio• Multiple articles in print media• Public education programme regarding

registration of ECIs: 200 communities, 10,000 persons

Public Education & Information II

In Progress

• Production of quarterly newsletter for practitioners• Development of ECD material for parents• Development of plans for Media Workshop to encourage

highlighting of ECD• Development of GIS system (EBSP)• Develop strategies to increase participation of corporate

Jamaica and NGO’s in the ECD• Encourage establishment of Day Care and After School

Care for public and private sector employees and at tertiary institutions

Research & Targetting

Objective: To provide accurate information on ECD for effective planning

Research and Targetting

Accomplishments• Development and funding of proposals to support

ECD programmes (J$ 10 million, US $ 500,000)

- Evaluation of screening tools for early identification

- Evaluation of pre-school readiness test - Development of professional programmes to support national screening programme

Research and Targetting:In Progress

• Development of ECD Indicators for monitoring purposes

• National Survey of ECI

• WB Grant: -Determine type of care received by 0-3

- Feasibility of including ECD in well care clinics - Cost of making ECI accessible to children with disabilities

- Feasibility of cash transfer system - Determination of cost of ECD services - Development of governance and policy framework for ECD

Financing of ECD programmes

Objective: To analyse resource needs, make budgetary recommendations and identify alternative funding for ECD

Financing

Accomplishments• Annual donor forum• Grant funding

In Progress• Obtaining information to make adequate

and accurate representation to government on investments in ECD, broken down 0-3 and 3-5 years

Financing (cont.)

Questions to be answered to determine ECD costs:• How much is government spending on ECD?

(budget analysis)• How much is private sector investing in ECD?

(national survey of schools)• How much are parents paying for ECD services?

(national survey of parents)• What type of services are 0-3 years currently

receiving?• What type of services do parents wish?

ECC Life Cycle Plan

• Antenatal Period (Health Serv.)

• Birth (Health Serv.)

• 0-3 (Health & Education Serv.)

• 4-6 (Education Serv. – Basic & Pre school)

• 6-8 (Education Serv. – Primary)

Antenatal Period

• Maternal nutrition

• Maternal Education on parenting, brain development and ECD *

• Identification of women at medical and psycho-social risk *

• Identification of Domestic ViolenceReferral to Support Services

Birth

• Parental education on parenting, brain development and child development *

• Child Health and Development Passport *• Physical examination of babies for medical and

developmental risk• Evaluation of families for psycho-social risk *

(Instrument currently being developed) Home Visiting Services

Well Child Visits

• Physical checks * - Growth - Nutrition

• Immunisation• Parenting Support Services through Anticipatory Guidance

on Child Development and Behaviour *• Developmental and Behavioural Screening**

-Early ID of children with developmental and behavioural disorders (Instrument currently being developed)

• Psychosocial Risk Screening- Day Care- Home visiting (Taking to Scale of RCP)

Pre-Schools

• Links with Health Sector• High quality pre-schools• Readiness Evaluations & Referral for Services*• Parenting Support Services *• Transition to Primary

ECC Impact

• A single co-ordinating body responsible for all aspects of ECD has been able to build on the work of early childhood advocates and move the ECD agenda ahead rapidly Much is happening in ECD

The Lessons I

• The importance of public support and demand

• The importance of community supports

• The importance of advocates working together to achieve a common goal

• The importance of persistence and patience

The Lessons II

• Access provided the large numbers that could not be ignored; quality was addressed later

• The importance of IDPs

• The importance of good local data

• The importance of international research

• The importance of political will

The Present

• The Jamaican story is instructive in its reflection of a combination of a participatory process of community involvement, stakeholder advocacy, IDP support and political will.

• ECD is now firmly rooted in the government’s laws.

• 3 pieces of legislation for ECD passed in 2 years

The Future

• There is still a far way to go, but progress is consistently being made.

• Advocacy continues to be important to further progress