ISSA Initiates ECD Policy Roundtable

On 14 October 2009 in Bucharest, Romania, a Policy Roundtable on Early Childhood Development (ECD) Investing in Early Childhood: The Most Effective Use of a Nation’s Resources was organised by the Romanian Ministry of Education, Research and Innovation and ISSA in partnership with UNICEF, Open Society Institute, and the Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development. The event was a curtain-raiser for ISSA's 2009 10th Anniversary Conference. Participants in the roundtable included leading policy makers and representatives of partner agencies from 14 CEE/CIS countries, as well as guests from other parts of the world.

The objectives of the Roundtable were to:

• Inform and support decision makers, by examining the rationales for investing in quality ECD services for all young children.
• Identify compelling examples of successful investments in integrated early childhood services and public/private partnerships that helped countries expand and improve their services; explore what made these investments in early childhood services more effective than others.
• Discuss possible funding mechanisms and how to mitigate negative effects of the current global financial downturn on children’s services.
• Formulate recommendations which may be used to advocate for increased investments in accessible, high quality, equitable early childhood care and education.

Presentations from senior experts from diverse fields associated with early childhood development were followed by discussions in which delegates were invited to react to points raised by the experts and to relate them to their knowledge of their own country contexts. Delegates showcased examples of successful investments in integrated early childhood service approaches, as well as models of successful private-public partnerships. 

A Draft Communiqué with outcomes of Roundtable discussions, including a set of recommendations, was presented at the ISSA Conference and will be later circulated to a wider audience of regional and national stakeholders, after more feedback is collected from participants in the roundtable and the conference.

• Roundtable Communique DRAFT
• List of Participants in the Roundtable
• Roundtable Proceedings Presented at the 2009 ISSA Conference
• Handbook of ECD Experiences, Innovations, and Lessons from CEE/CIS
• Link to keynote speeches presented via video by Nobel Laureate, Prof James J. Heckman, at the Roundtable and the ISSA Conference
• Nathan A. Fox, Distinguished University Professor, Department of Human Development, University of Maryland (USA)   Presentation is available here.
• Stuart Shanker, D Phil (Oxon), Director, the Milton & Ethel Harris Research Initiative, Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy, Pscychology, & Education; Director, The Canada-Mexico-Cuba Research Initiative; Co-Director, The Council of Human Development; Past President, The Council of Early Childhood Development (USA) Presentation is available here