Background

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is assuming importance for the holistic development of very young child. Many would also attribute such an early childhood education as preparatory ground for schooling in the later years. 

When it comes to growth of ECCE activities, it can be seen that the situation is far from satisfactory, especially in terms of coverage of Anganwadis, their functioning, quality of care and support provided to children. Universalisation of child care services is still a distant dream especially for low income and poor families of rural and urban slum areas. 

It is in this context that AeA identifies early childhood care and education as a critical investment for the holistic development of children from poor families. AeA supported projects undertake setting up of Balwadis where they do not exist and also support education activities of very young children so that they attain age appropriate developmental milestones.

Scope

AeA visualizes ECCE interventions in two inter linked components. One, to address communities and build awareness on the need for early childhood care through improved care giving practices at home that would enable children to attain growth and development milestones of children from birth to three years. 

Secondly, to support comprehensive childhood education at childcare centres (Balwadis, Anganwadis etc) for children of 3-5 year age. These two require strategies that are complimentary in nature.

Objectives

• To enhance community awareness on care giving practices for the very young child (from birth to three years)

• Address holistic development of young children through quality early child hood care and education (ECCE) practices through centre based interventions, and

• Facilitate conducive policy environment that focuses on childhood care and development. 

Strategies

• Awareness building among communities on child care and child development in all AeA's NGO partner areas through systematic processes

• Build community ownership and responsibilities towards government run child care centres (anganwadis, balwadis etc.)

• Capacitate a cadre of trained professionals in childhood care and education who would engage in running Balwadis (crèches) as self employment in urban and rural areas, and

• Policy advocacy on issues of early childhood care and education with a special focus on universalisation of services by the government.

Focus Areas

• AeA India is currently engaged in developing comprehensive understanding on various issues of ECCE and interventions through systematic study and documentation of practices and experiences of resource agencies. Such a study would inform core areas of intervention and scope of our work in this area

• AeA would engage with partners on the need for quality ECCE interventions and develop organisational capacities in ECCE at the partner level

• AeA would facilitate development of cadre of entrepreneurs (young women) who would be trained systematically in ECCE practices so that they would be able to set up fee based child care centres (Balwadis/crèches) that would cater to the needs of parents in urban slums and in rural areas, and

• AeA would promote and support practitioner networks and think tank on ECCE and address issues of policy advocacy through them.