Coming from a low SES family is the most significant risk factor affecting children’s early development. There are however, also a number of other risk factors that are negatively associated with children’s early learning. These factors are where children have:
a low birth weight,
learning difficulties,
social-emotional difficulties,
a home language that is different from the language of the ECEC centre or school the child attends.
More than three times the percentage of disadvantaged children experience all of these factors compared with the percentage of advantaged children.
Children from low SES backgrounds are much more likely to experience each of the above risk factors than children from high SES backgrounds, with more than three times the percentage of disadvantaged children experiencing all of these factors compared with the percentage of advantaged children who do so (Figure 2.1).
Source:. (OECD, 2020[9])OECD International Early Leaning Survey 2018 database https://www.oecd.org/education/school/early-learning-and-child-well-being-study/early-learning-and-child-well-being-3990407f-en.htm (accessed on 6 June 2022)
Some children experience all of these risk factors, most of whom are children from disadvantaged families. In total, seven percent of disadvantaged children experience all of these risk factors, compared to two percent of advantaged children. Among the disadvantaged children who experience all of these risks, 73 percent are boys. A similar proportion (75%) of the advantaged children who experience all of these risks are boys.
Risk factors have a negative link with children’s early development, especially when more than one risk factor is present as illustrated in in Figure 2.2 below. The relationship between these risk factors and children’s learning in other early learning domains is similar, including for numeracy, mental flexibility1, working memory2 and social-emotional skills.
Sources: (OECD, 2020[9])OECD International Early Leaning Survey 2018 database https://www.oecd.org/education/school/early-learning-and-child-well-being-study/early-learning-and-child-well-being-3990407f-en.htm (accessed on 6 June 2022)
Children’s early learning and well-being have a direct and enduring impact on their later educational attainment, socio-economic status, health, well-being and civic engagement. Longitudinal studies consistently show that strong early learning is associated with lower grade retention and drop-out, higher academic achievement; healthier lifestyles and improved parenting behaviours ( (Shuey and Kankaraš, 2018[10]); (Sammons et al., 2015[4]); The benefits of strong early learning are clearly evident at school entry, at the end of compulsory schooling and later in adulthood ( (Shuey and Kankaraš, 2018[10])).
The proportion of children who have poor early development constrains the extent to which any education system can achieve success for these children and perform well as a whole.
Children who do not develop critical early skills such as emergent literacy or self-regulation, face enormous challenges in achieving well at school and in having positive outcomes during adulthood. At a system level, the proportion of children who have poor early development constrains the extent to which any education system can achieve success for these children and perform well as a whole.