Pia Rebello Britto

Nurturing care: promoting early childhood development.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals provide a historic opportunity to implement interventions, at scale, to promote early childhood development. Although the evidence base for the importance of early childhood development has grown, the research is distributed across sectors, populations, and settings, with diversity noted in both scope and focus. We provide a comprehensive updated analysis of early childhood development interventions across the five sectors of health, nutrition, education, child protection, and social protection. Our review concludes that to make interventions successful, smart, and sustainable, they need to be implemented as multi-sectoral intervention packages anchored in nurturing care. The recommendations emphasise that intervention packages should be applied at developmentally appropriate times during the life course, target multiple risks, and build on existing delivery platforms for feasibility of scale-up. While interventions will continue to improve with the growth of developmental science, the evidence now strongly suggests that parents, caregivers, and families need to be supported in providing nurturing care and protection in order for young children to achieve their developmental potential.

Child Development in Developing Countries: Introduction and Methods.

The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) is a nationally representative, internationally comparable household survey implemented to examine protective and risk factors of child development in developing countries around the world. This introduction describes the conceptual framework, nature of the MICS3, and general analytic plan of articles in this Special Section. The articles that follow describe the situations of children with successive foci on nutrition, parenting, discipline and violence, and the home environment. They address 2 common questions: How do developing and underresearched countries in the world vary with respect to these central indicators of childrens development? How do key indicators of national development relate to child development in each of these substantive areas? The Special Section concludes with policy implications from the international findings.

An Exploration of Cultural Identity Patterns and the Family Context among Arab Muslim Young Adults in America

While many studies have explored cultural adaptation and development and its correlates among adult Arab immigrants to the United States (U.S.), little empirical work has focused on Arab youth who were raised in the U.S., particularly Arab Muslim young adults. The present study explores cultural identity patterns and the sociodemographic and family contexts of 150 Arab Muslim American young adults ages 18–25 who completed an Internet study. The participants fell into three cultural identity groups: High Bicultural, Moderate Bicultural, and High Arab Cultural. Although all three groups demonstrated positive general family functioning, the Moderate Bicultural group was distinct in that they were less likely to be engaged or married, and they experienced less family support and more family acculturative stressors. The results highlight the importance of the family context in contributing to a stronger sense of cultural identity for young adults who fall at the intersection of Arab and American culture and Muslim faith.

Child Development in Developing Countries: Child Rights and Policy Implications

The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey was used to provide information on feeding practices, caregiving, discipline and violence, and the home environment for young children across 28 countries. The findings from the series of studies in this Special Section are the first of their kind because they provide information on the most proximal context for development of the youngest children in the majority world using one of the only data sets to study these contexts across countries. Using the framework of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in particular the Rights to Survival, Development and Protection, findings are explained with implications for international and national-level social policies. Implications are also discussed, with respect to policy makers and the larger international community, who have the obligation to uphold these rights.

Who am I? Ethnic identity formation of Arab Muslim children in contemporary U.S. society.

Identity formation is a lifelong developmental process. It is multidimensional, consisting of diverse aspects such as sex, occupation, education, cultural background, family structure, and race and ultimately emerges from an interaction between the self and the context. Ethnic identity formation, a process of developing an understanding of one`s origins with respect to a particular reference group, begins in childhood and often consolidates in adolescence. Ethnic identity is a central aspect of social development for most non-European immigrants and has been linked to psychological adjustment and the overall well-being of immigrant children and adolescents. The ecological context (i.e., the local social, political, and cultural environments) is a key influence on ethnic identity, and discord among these environments may be a conflictual milieu for the formation of ethnic identity. Growing up Muslim and Arab in the United States in this postYSeptember 11, 2001 era is complex, not just with respect to the different aspects of identity, but also because of the current political and social context, which tends to promote wariness toward Arab Muslims in the Western world. Based on an analysis of the interaction between the ecological context and the development of identity, it has been hypothesized that the psychological well-being of Arab Muslim children and adolescents is potentially at risk. As Arab Muslim children develop their ethnic identity, they are attempting to make sense of their own place within these already complex social constructs, but unfortunately we lack a comprehensive body of knowledge and a sufficient understanding of the processes and issues that these children face during the course of identity formation. The aim of this article is to introduce the nascent, albeit fascinating, body of multidisciplinary research examining issues linked with ethnic identity development of Arab Muslim children and to recommend areas of research to address the existing gaps, with the goal of understanding and promoting the healthy development of the next generation of Arab Muslim children growing up in the United States. By way of introduction, the first section of the article provides a brief historical overview of Arab Muslim immigration to the United States, but does not include a discussion of the role of Islam in other cultures, such as the African American or other Asian immigrant cultures. There may be areas of overlap as well as substantial areas of difference.

Early childhood development: the foundation of sustainable development

www.thelancet.com Vol 389 January 7, 2017 9 Momentum for improving early childhood development has grown since The Lancet published the landmark Series, Child Development in Developing Countries in 2007, followed by Child Development in Developing Countries 2 in 2011. As shown in this new Series, Advancing Early Childhood Development: from Science to Scale, between 2000 and 2015 the number of scientifi c publications on topics central to early childhood development increased substantially, about a third of countries had adopted multisectoral policies on early childhood development, and there has been an increase in funding for early childhood development. Yet, few countries have institutionalised mechanisms to implement these policies, services remain fragmented and of variable quality, and programmes at scale are rare and poorly evaluated. Compelling new evidence in two areas strengthens our resolve to act to reach pregnant women and young children with holistic early childhood development services (panel). First, new research in early human development shows that epigenetic, immunological, physiological, and psychological adaptations to the environment occur from conception, and that these adaptations aff ect development throughout the life course. This knowledge calls for an approach targeting caregivers and children with eff ective interventions during sensitive times across the life course, with the period from conception to age 2–3 years being of particular importance. Second, evidence on long-term outcomes from lowincome and middle-income countries shows that a programme to increase cognitive development of stunted children in Jamaica 25 years ago resulted in a signifi cant, 25% increase in average adult earnings. Conversely, long-term follow-up of children from birth shows that growth failure in the fi rst 2 years of life has harmful eff ects on adult health and human capital, including chronic disease, and lower educational attainment and adult earning. Moreover, defi cits and disadvantages persist into the subsequent generation, producing a vicious inter-generational cycle of lost human capital and perpetuation of poverty. These fi ndings shine light on the transformative potential of early childhood development programmes in low-income and middle-income countries. Only by breaking this cycle will the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) be achieved. The past two to three decades have seen great improvements in child survival. As a result of global eff orts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, under-5 child mortality dropped by 53% between 1990 and 2015. Yet, this Series shows that the burden of risk for poor developmental outcomes remains extremely high, aff ecting an estimated 250 million children (43%) younger than 5 years in low-income and middle-income countries, and rising to over two-thirds of children in sub-Saharan Africa. These estimates are based on just two known risks for which we have global data: extreme poverty and stunting. Adding other risks to young children’s development, such as low levels of maternal schooling and physical maltreatment, substantially raises exposure to risks for poor development outcomes in many parts of the world. Nurturing interactions are crucial to mitigating these risks. A young child’s developing brain is activated Early childhood development: the foundation of sustainable development Selina Lo, Pamela Das, Richard Horton The Lancet, London EC2Y 5AS, UK

Strengthening systems for integrated early childhood development services: a cross‐national analysis of governance

While there has been substantial growth in early childhood development (ECD) services in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs), there is considerable inequity in their distribution and quality. Evidence‐based governance strategies are necessary, but currently they are insufficient for widespread, quality implementation. In particular, there is a limited understanding of the use of systems approaches for the analysis of ECD services as they go to scale. The aim of this paper is to present findings from four countries, using a cross‐national case study approach to explore governance mechanisms required to strengthen national systems of ECD services. While different sets of governance strategies and challenges were identified in each country, overarching themes also emerged with implications for systems strengthening. Study results focus on local, mid‐level and central governance, with recommendations for effective coordination and the integration of ECD services in LMICs.

Effective interventions and strategies for improving early child development

Investing in early child development is a smart and essential strategy for building human capital, reducing inequities, and promoting sustainable development, argue Bernadette Daelmans and colleagues

How evidence can be used to inform policy: A case study of early childhood evidence-based policy development

SummaryAlbeit science is clear in its support for early childhood, the developmental outcomes for young children, globally, are poor. It is hypothesized that evidence-based policies may be a potential mediator of the application of science to improve the lives and well-being of young children. However, the question arises — at what stage of policy formulation can evidence be infused into the process? The aim of the present study was to test the applicability of the infusion of evidence into the very initial stages of policy development by using a systematic analytical approach. A policy analysis and review protocol, generated from the early childhood and social policy science literatures, was applied to the early childhood (ECD) policy formulation for Lao PDR. The results of the analysis indicated, that while several certain aspects of ECD are addressed in the country, notable gaps need to be addressed. The analysis resulted in a set of recommendations to inform the subsequent stage of policy development. The application of this analytical methodology to use evidence to inform policy, the advantages, challenges and issues for further consideration are discussed in this paper.RésuméQuoique la science soit claire comme soutien aux jeunes enfants, les résultats sur le développement des petits enfants sont, globalement, pauvres. On a élaboré une hypothèse qui signale que les politiques basées sur des évidences peuvent être un médiateur potentiel de l’application de la science pour améliorer la vie et le bien-être des petits. Cependant, la question se pose: À quelle étape de la formulation des politiques, l’évidence peut-elle être infusée dans le processus? L’objectif de cette étude est d’examiner l’applicabilité de l’infusion de l’évidence dans les étapes très initiales du développement des politiques en employant une approche analytique systématique. Un protocole d’analyse et révision, généré de la littérature sur la petite enfance et la science politique sociale a été appliqué à la formulation de politiques d’éducation préscolaire (ECE) pour la République Démocratique Populaire (RDP) Lao. Les résultats du tel analyse ont indiqué que tandis que plusieurs certains aspects de l’ECE sont abordés dans le pays, des disparités notables doivent être adressées. L’analyse a eu comme conséquence un ensemble des recommandations d’informer l’étape suivante du développement de la politique. En ce document, l’application de cette méthodologie analytique pour utiliser lévidence pour informer des politiques, avantages, défis et issues pour un examen plus approfondi est discutée.ResumenAunque los cientificos apoyan de modo inequivoco el apoyo para el desarrollo temprano, en términos globales la mayoría de los niños no logran su máximo potencial. Proponemos como hipótesis que politicas basadas en evidencia pueden servir como un mediador efectivo para mejorar las vidas y el desarrollo de los niños. Sin embargo, surge la pregunta: ¿Cómo y en que momento debe aplicarse esta evidencia en el desarrollo de las políticas? El propósito de nuestro estudio es probar la aplicabilidad de esta inclisión de evidencia en el inicio de un proceso de desarrollo de políticas, usando un acercamiento sistemático y analítico. Un protocolo de análisis, fundamentado en la literatura de ciencias naturales y sociales orientadas al desarrollo temprano fue utilizado en el proceso de formulación de políticas de desarrollo infantil temprano de la Republica Popular Democrática de Lao PDR. El análisis de contenido puso en evidencia las fortalezas así como las lagunas relacionadas con el desarrollo temprano en este pais. El análisis genero recomendaciones que informaran las subsiguientes etapas en el desarrollo de las políticas. La utilización de esta metodologia, sus ventajas, los retos y las consideraciones para su futura aplicación en otros casos serán discutidas en este articulo.

Is early childhood relevant to peacebuilding

The general themes of early childhood and peacebuilding barely intersect, whether in scientific research, policy or practice. Yet recent studies emerging from different disciplines such as neurobiology, developmental psychology, family studies, intercultural contact and conflict resolution are beginning to point to the potential value of multifaceted approaches that can draw connections between early childhood and peace at various levels, such as family, community, or beyond, whether defined negatively as ‘absence of violence’ or positively as ‘a condition of security, justice and dignity within and between groups’. Such a comprehensive perspective is promising, in terms both of developing a better understanding of the myriad factors involved and of achieving impactful interventions.