GLOBAL GUIDELINES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

OVERALL PHILOSOPHY, GOALS, AND POLICIES

• Assess the extent to which it has carried out previously made commitments to support the education and development of young children
• Develop and implement a range of policies to advance the provision of an interrelated and flexible continuum of early childhood services
• Allocate resources from national governments, development agencies, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and private and voluntary groups to provide quality services
• Collaborate reciprocally across nations to advance the interests of young children and families.

• Environment and Physical Space of Settings for Children
• Curriculum Content and Pedagogy
• Early Childhood Educators and Caregivers
• Partnership With Families and Communities
• Services for Young Children with Special Needs
• Accountability, Supervision, and Management of Programs for Children

• Services with equal attention to all children
• Linkages among programs and services for optimal effectiveness and utilization of resources
• Recognition of the value of those who care for and teach young children, including working conditions and appropriate remuneration
• Intergenerational approaches whenever feasible
• Empowerment of communities, families, and children
• A mechanism for adequate and uninterrupted funding
• Cost analysis, monitoring, and evaluation of program quality.

ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL SPACE

• The environment and physical space is free from physical hazards, including unsafe equipment, pollution, and violence.
• The environment provides basic sanitation, safe and nutritious food, potable water, and adequate ventilation, and promotes good health practices.
• The environment provides the child with a sense of well-being, belonging, security, and freedom from fear.
• Equipment and the physical structure are regularly maintained and cleaned.

• There are opportunities for frequent and positive child-child and child-adult interactions.
• The environment stimulates children to play, explore, and discover.
• There are opportunities for children to engage in active play and movement.
• The environment is aesthetically pleasing and attractive to the child. There is a variety of colors, textures, surfaces, visual dimensions, and perspectives.
• There is an abundance of materials that promote problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity for children with different talents and abilities.
• Outdoor play equipment and space provide a variety of movement possibilities.
• The environment contains opportunities for the creation and extension of play, such as constructions, gardening, natural habitats, and walking paths.
• There are resources from the child’s local environment for the child to use, including readily available natural materials.
• The space is effectively organized so that materials for play and artistic expression are readily accessible to the child.
• The environment contains materials for children to construct their own play things. And children participate in the creation and organization of an evolving environment.

CURRICULUM CONTENT AND PEDAGOGY

• A sense of trust
• A personal identity and sense of mastery
• Positive self-concept and resiliency
• Skills in communication and literacy
• Critical thinking to solve problems and make decisions
• Skills, attitudes, and imagination necessary for construction of their own knowledge of different aspects of the world
• Skills in collaboration and social responsibility
• Understanding, appreciation, and acceptance of responsibility for the environment
• Human values and capability in dealing with moral dilemmas and nonviolent solutions to problems
• A sense of identity and pride in their own cultural, linguistic, and social background, as well as respect for diversity.

• A plan exists for fostering children’s learning.
• Flexible, comprehensive plans that are oriented to the child, family, and cultural contexts are implemented.

• The curriculum in early childhood programs gives children the opportunity to master information and practice the skills that they need in order to function effectively in society.
• The early childhood curriculum emphasizes content that is connected to real world experiences, values, hopes, dreams, and expectations of families and communities. Young children are active contributors to the curriculum.

• Educators/caregivers must develop a supportive teaching and caring relationship with children.
• Educators/caregivers must possess a basic understanding of pedagogical principles that provide guidelines for practice.
• Educators/caregivers have an expansive repertoire of methods upon which they can draw to recognize the children’s own learning strategies and support the learning of every child.

• Educators/caregivers use local and natural materials as resources for teaching and learning.
• Adequate curriculum materials and equipment are provided that are appropriate to the children’s special needs and that maintain the integrity of their own culture, such as art, music, dance, and drama.

• Each child’s strengths and assets are recognized. Individual progress is monitored and shared with parents and families in appropriate ways.
• Young children learn the skills of self-evaluation and their learning is evaluated, not only in terms of knowledge, but also in terms of their learning processes and performance.

• The program is evaluated regularly, using criteria that consider the overall contributions and relevance of the program to every child and the society.
• The program is comprehensively and continuously evaluated in terms of its attainment of local, regional, national, and international standards for excellence in the care and education of young children.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS AND CAREGIVERS

• Has a knowledge of child growth, development, and learning
• Is able to apply knowledge of child growth, development, and learning into practice
• Has knowledge of the use of space, materials, and time in order to adapt them appropriately to the needs of the children and in relation to the program that is being implemented
• Is able to communicate effectively with children, colleagues, and families
• Has the ability to work collaboratively and in partnerships with others
• Is able to understand and implement an effective program
• Is able to use a variety of learning materials
• Has the ability to reflect on his/her practice and make any appropriate changes.

• Exhibits personal characteristics that demonstrate caring, acceptance, sensitivity, empathy, and warmth toward others
• Has the ability to work collaboratively and in partnership with others
• Exhibits a personal commitment to lifelong learning
• Is an advocate for children and their families.

• Respects the child
• Respects the child’s culture and the family practices
• Shows courage to act on behalf of the child and to speak up for the protection of the child
• Is able to frame moral/ethical responses that transcend the immediate issue.

PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

• Promote partnership and positive constructive relationship with families and community
• Provide opportunities for families to participate at different levels, based on their strengths and life experiences
• Support the development of positive, constructive relationships between educators/caregivers and children, between children, and between educators/caregivers and families
• Provide support for families, either directly or through links with other community resources.

• Information about the philosophy, policies, procedures is shared in a variety of ways.
• There are ongoing discussions and conferences between educator/caregiver and family concerning the child’s progress and other issues of concern to family in a language understood by parents.
• When feasible, opportunities are provided for children to become familiar with the setting and for educators and caregivers to become acquainted with the families prior to a child’s participation in the program.
• An informal/formal review is conducted summarizing events of the year.
• Resources are available for families to support child development and learning.

• There are procedures for protection of the child.
• There are procedures to protect the confidentiality of information about the family.
• Experiences foster self-esteem and self-confidence in all the participants in the setting.
• Moral/spiritual/ethical experiences in the curriculum reflect and promote values of individual families.

• Guidelines are established for parent participation and involvement in the setting.
• Information is made available to parents on aspects of child development and learning.
• Materials and/or information sessions are made available to parents that are suitable for the culture and geographical location.
• Materials for parents are developed for the community and adapted to the sociocultural and geographical location.

• The setting exhibits respect, tolerance, and acceptance of all forms of diversity, including culture, ethnicity, age, language, religion, gender, social economic status, family composition, and special needs.
• Opportunities are provided for ongoing training of educators and caregivers to enhance knowledge and understanding about issues of diversity.
• Materials and strategies ensure participation and engagement of families with diverse characteristics.

• Information on the expectations of the setting and the curriculum is disseminated to families.
• Opportunities are provided for children to become familiar with the setting and educators and caregivers to become acquainted with the families, prior to the beginning of the program when feasible.
• Connections between home and the setting are encouraged and maintained.

• Opportunities are provided for families and community representatives to observe program activities.
• Activities and materials are provided to help families support learning at home.
• Collaboration is established with families for monitoring children’s progress and assessment.
• Collaboration is established with families and community representatives for program planning, management, and evaluation.
• Families and community representatives participate as advisers and/or decision makers.
• Opportunities are provided for volunteering, such as assisting in the classroom and contributing parental expertise skills to the setting when feasible, or enabling families to construct educational materials for use with the children.

• Collaboration is established with psychologists, social workers, health visitors, businesses, public services, schools, religious groups, leisure services, and family associations.
• Support is provided for families in need.

YOUNG CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

• Genetic factors (e.g., recognized syndromes)
• Biological/health-related factors (e.g., poor nutrition, prenatal drug exposure, low birth weight, vision/hearing problems)
• Neurological factors (e.g., learning disabilities)
• Psychosocial factors (e.g., mental and behavioral disorders)
• Sociocultural conditions (e.g., bias based on race, ethnicity, language, immigration/refugee status)
• Particular environmental conditions (e.g., abuse, neglect, extreme poverty, trauma).

• Concentrate on providing funding and other resources to adequately meet these special needs
• Finance ongoing program development, implementation, and evaluation
• Create and enhance societal acceptance of children with special needs
• Organize preservice and inservice professional training for teachers and other service providers to cater to all levels of special educational needs
• Support families and communities in coping with children’s special needs
• Emphasize early identification and intervention.

• Both female and male children have equal access and equity in types and levels of support.
• Children from low-income groups have access and equity similar to that of high-income groups.
• Children from all types of communities (e.g., urban, rural) have similar access and equity.
• Children have access and equity irrespective of their religious, ethnic, language, or cultural affiliation.
• Policymakers include equal access and equity standards in public policy.
• Information about opportunities for access and equity of services are made available to all groups through culturally relevant and effective media channels.

• Policies and funding for educating mothers and educators/caregivers about proper nutrition and health practices is available to both reduce the incidence of special needs and to provide support.
• This includes providing parents and community members with information to enable them to make appropriate decisions about children’s health care.

• A multi- or trans-disciplinary team is composed of the parents and staff relevant to meeting the particular child’s needs.
• There is an identified person for planning, coordinating, and monitoring the delivery of services.
• Policymakers request written, individual plans for all children.
• Policymakers require review and revision of such plans on a regular basis.

• At least one staff member and/or service provider in a setting has the skills to identify the special needs of children.
• Staff members and/or service providers are able to individualize and make appropriate modifications for education and care.
• Staff members and/or service providers are able to establish ongoing relationships with parents/guardians and families in meeting the needs of their children.
• Staff members and/or service providers should be skilled in dealing with policymakers, as well as community agencies, when collaborating to meet children’s needs.

• The ratio of adults to children allows individual needs of all children to be met.
• Adaptive equipment and materials to facilitate special needs children’s full involvement in the environment is provided.

• Services are delivered to the greatest extent possible within an inclusive environment of special needs children and non-special needs children.
• Families are involved in decision making, planning, delivery, and assessment of services.
• To the maximum extent possible, the child with special needs is actively included in the life of the community.

• Staff and service providers demonstrate awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the developmental, cultural, religious, and gender variables associated with the special needs children they serve.
• Staff and service providers facilitate acceptance and inclusion of all children, regardless of differences in developmental level, culture, religion, or gender.
• Advocacy for programs and services for all children with special needs is pursued.

ACCOUNTABILITY, SUPERVISION, AND MANAGEMENT

• Enhancing the relationship between educator/caregiver and children
• Providing a professional climate that encourages competence and sound pedagogical practices
• Enhancing the sense of shared partnership between early education and care programs with families and communities, and fostering, to the greatest degree feasible, local and regional decision making regarding early care and education policies
• Ensuring high-quality services to children and families
• Ensuring the well-being of all children as a shared responsibility of the government, community, professional organizations, families, and educators/caregivers.

• Governmental expenditures for children under school age are adequate to provide quality services and the supervision and monitoring of programs.
• There are clear, identifiable legislative and executive structures (e.g., government ministries and parliaments) and collaboration among and across different levels of government for establishing policy; and the jurisdiction for implementing quality services for young children and families.
• There are concrete mechanisms for solicitation of input from the community, families, and professionals responsible for the education and care of children.
• There is informed decision making and policy development based on quality research concerning implementation of early education and care services.
• Processes are established for community-based dialogue about how the needs of children are addressed to ensure quality program services.
• Mechanisms are established for community-wide assessment and evaluation of programs and services.
• Processes are established for determining community expectations and guidelines for quality programs and services.

• Quality standards are stated, published, and disseminated to policymakers, and professionals in related fields and provide the basis for governmental policy guidelines.
• Standards for quality are derived from research, successful past professional practice, and the goals for ensuring the future education and well-being of young children and their families.
• Adequate professional training and qualification systems are in place to ensure that those who work with young children and their families have the knowledge and skills to optimally carry out their responsibilities.
• Resources are available to support families in meeting the needs of their young children (e.g., health services, information services about programs, public spaces for play, libraries).
• Resources are available to support program services and educators/caregivers in meeting the needs of children (e.g., pre- and inservice training, program improvement, capital improvement).
• Mechanisms are established to ensure that community resources are shared among programs and that coordination of available resources takes place.

• Results of research studies are widely accessible through conferences, internal distribution, clearinghouses, and other professional development programs.
• High-quality educational materials are developed, reviewed, evaluated, and made available to members and constituencies of professional organizations and governmental information dissemination centers.
• Professional associations make available information and contacts for individuals and groups to secure funding for appropriate projects and activities, and to be effective advocates on behalf of children and families.
• Professional organizations are represented on significant government committees and are in the position to influence decisions regarding governmental policies and programs.
• Recommendations and position papers of professional organizations are incorporated into the laws, regulations, and accountability systems of early education and care programs.
• Effective alliances are formed among professional organizations to establish and reach the goals of providing education and care to the world’s children.

• Educators/caregivers are responsible for planning and implementing high-quality early education and care programs in partnership with parents and community and in compliance with governmental policy guidelines and professional standards disseminated by professional organizations.
• Information and referral procedures to other community programs and services are established.
• Procedures to support children's transition to formal schooling are established.
• Educators/caregivers are encouraged to meet higher program standards for accreditation or special recognition, such as influencing changes in guidelines, laws, or regulations.

The ACEI Global Guidelines Assessment was revised in 2006. It is provided as a Microsoft Word document.