UNESCO

UNESCO

                The United Nations has many branches and departments that work in many areas of global concern.  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has led the international efforts related to developing an integrated Early Childhood Education and Care system since the 1950’s. The mission of the organization has been and continues to be to help develop global policies that support learning during the early years.  Their work has helped establish a better understanding of children’s development worldwide.  While I had heard of UNESCO, I did not have a clear understanding of the work they do until I began to research the site for this assignment. The information is comprehensive.  It incorporates research articles as well as videos that report out on current projects and initiatives.   The way the site is organized makes it easy to zero in on a particular country or issue.

                I learned that one of the major undertakings of UNESCO was to study ways to integrate early care and education.  A global initiative, “Caring and Learning Together “promoted the idea that many of the inequalities young children are subjected to can be decreased when the two elements are coordinated. 

                My frame of reference has been limited to early childhood policy in the United States.  I learned about other countries which I found very interesting. I read a policy brief on supporting home-based early care services in New Zealand.  This was especially interesting to me because I operated a family child care for 12 years.  The regulation of family child care homes in New Zealand originally was a function of the Department of Social Welfare.  It was more custodial than educational in nature.  In 1986, that changed when the regulation switched to the Department of Education.  The system is very different from what we have in the United States.  It is government funded as well as regulated.  Homes are clustered together and the providers have an Education Coordinator who provides support professional development and monitors their compliance.  Realizing the this type of child care if often preferred by families with young children, the government was forward thinking when they involved the Department of Education  since it supported adding the educational piece  in a home-based model.  It has been very effective and provided a needed service for working parents.

                Another policy brief I read about looked at how preschools have changed in Singapore.  Early on, preschools were privately owned and run for profit.  When the government reviewed the situation, it was determined that this was not the most effective way to provide early care and education.  A shift in how services were provided to families came about when the Ministry of Education became involved.  Child care facilities were able to be run more efficiently and the overall quality improved.

                The variety of videos available on the UNESCO website was very interesting.  There were videos that are clearly for early childhood professionals as well as ones that are geared for parents.  I viewed one that looked at how the early educational needs of young children were met in a small village in Kenya.  Resources were extremely scarce yet the children were engaged in learning on many levels.  I found it very interesting too that there was a strong emphasis on family engagement. 

                I enjoyed reviewing the UNESCO website. The wealth of information available has greatly expanded my view of early care and education globally.  I would encourage early childhood professionals to become familiar with it and visit it often.

References

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, website

                http://www.unesc0.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-

                systems/early-childhood