Thematic Reviews

The OECD thematic reviews identify key elements of successful ECEC policies in OECD countries and partner economies. The reviews offer an international perspective of ECEC systems; discuss the strengths and opportunities of different approaches;  and provide policy orientations that can help promote equitable access to high-quality early childhood education and care.

The new and ongoing OECD Policy Review on “Quality beyond Regulations in ECEC” will support countries to better understand different quality dimensions in ECEC. Find out more / Plus d'informations

To date, five reports have been issued from these reviews:

Starting Strong V (2017)

Starting Strong IV (2015)

Starting Strong III (2011)

Starting Strong II (2006)

Starting Strong I ( 2001)

Country Studies

The OECD provides countries with policy advice and in-focus comparative data in ECEC. These are tailor-made, independent reviews of countries’ policies and practices in response to individual country priorities.

Find out more

The OECD has consolidated a rich bank of data containing country-specific ECEC information.

International Data Development

The OECD develops international data on ECEC to provide insights on how different ECEC systems are organised across  the world.  As part of this work, the OECD is developing two  studies that will assist countries to improve quality,  equity and outcomes in the early years.  

Starting Strong 2017 - Key OECD Indicators on Early Childhood Education and Care

TALIS Starting Strong Survey

International Early Learning and Child Well-being Study (IELS)

Recent publications

 ‌

Quality Early Childhood Education and Care for Children under age 3

The experience of children under age 3 with early childhood education and care (ECEC) is crucial for their learning, development and well-being and for parents’ return to work. This thematic report focusses on ECEC for children under age 3, an option of TALIS Starting Strong in which four countries (Denmark, Germany, Israel and Norway) participated. The report answers many questions that are important for parents, actors in the field, and policy makers.

Providing Quality Early Childhood Education and Care

Helping our Youngest to Learn and Grow: Policies for Early Learning

Engaging Young Children - Lessons from Research about Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care

Measuring process quality in early childhood education and care through Situational Judgement Questions 
OECD Education Working Papers, No. 217

Leadership for quality early childhood education and care 
OECD Education Working Papers, No. 211

Starting Strong Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 Conceptual Framework
OECD Education Working Papers, No. 197

Curriculum alignment and progression between early childhood education and care and primary school: A brief review and case studies
OECD Education Working Papers, No. 193

Structural characteristics and process quality in early childhood education and care: A literature review
OECD Education Working Papers, No. 176

OECD ECEC Network

The Network upholds the mandate of the Education Policy Committee to assist countries to develop effective and efficient policies for education and learning to meet individual, social, cultural and economic objectives.

Download the flyer

Télécharger le prospectus

Find out more

Related OECD Work

Education at a Glance includes a chapter on Early Childhood Education and Care that
looks at how ECEC systems differ around the world. 

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an international survey which aims to evaluate education systems by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students. PISA 2015 findings show that an investment in early education pays dividends in student’s performance at age 15.

Education GPS is the OECD source with the latest internationally comparable data on education policies and outcomes.

The OECD Child Well-Being Portal is a platform for conducting policy-oriented research on children, enhancing child well-being and promoting equal opportunities among children.

The OECD Family Database and its Child Well-Being module currently include 70 indicators under four main dimensions: (i) structure of families, (ii) labour market position of families, (iii) public policies for families and children, and (iv) child outcomes.

21st Century Children looks at the nature of modern childhood and the ways in which schools and communities can work together to protect and guide children while still allowing them the flexibility to make their own mistakes.

The Future of Education and Skills 2030 project aims to help countries find answers to what knowledge, skills, attitudes and values are needed for today's students to thrive and shape their world, as well as how instructional systems can effectively develop them.

Other useful links

Contact the ECEC team