The effectiveness of early childhood development programs. A systematic review.
Early childhood development is influenced by characteristics of the child, the family, and the broader social environment. Physical health, cognition, language, and social and emotional development underpin school readiness. Publicly funded, center-based, comprehensive early childhood development programs are a community resource that promotes the well-being of young children. Programs such as Head Start are designed to close the gap in readiness to learn between poor children and their more economically advantaged peers. Systematic reviews of the scientific literature demonstrate effectiveness of these programs in preventing developmental delay, as assessed by reductions in retention in grade and placement in special education.
Anderson
Laurie M
LM
Division of Prevention Research and Analytic Methods, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Anderson, Shinn, Carande-Kulis), Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. LAA1@cdc.gov
Shinn
Carolynne
C
Fullilove
Mindy T
MT
Scrimshaw
Susan C
SC
Fielding
Jonathan E
JE
Normand
Jacques
J
Carande-Kulis
Vilma G
VG
D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003071:Cognition; D003153:Community Health Services; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D011203:Poverty