Early Child Development: From Measurement to Optimal Functioning and Evidence-Based Policy

In the early years of life the environments that interact with a child-including families schools and communities-play a key role in the childs brain development. Early child development and overall childrens developmental trajectories have long-term implications for health happiness and earning potential as these children become adults. Importantly failing to reach developmental potential contributes to global cycles of poverty inequality and social exclusion. There is little public understanding of the importance of a childs first years and the critical developmental opportunity to reach optimal functioning. As such global data on early child developments are crucial to inform the public and demand evidence-based policies and high-quality programs for children around the world. This book includes initiatives assessing the impact of programs and interventions related to childrens health education and participation that inform evidence-based policies worldwide. Importantly this book raises global awareness of the importance of childrens first years of life and the crucial role of child-environment interactions where the child lives plays and grows. The culturally diverse content comprises international representation of studies and classifications tools. International experts contributed high-quality reviews that collate valuable information and guide the adoption of a rights-based approach in early child development globally.