Importance of Early Learning Experiences
Monday-Friday
8:30am-2:30pm
Additional hours by appointment only.
387 East Haddam-Moodus Rd.
P.O. Box 572
Moodus, CT 06469
Phone -
(860) 873-3296
Fax -
(860) 873-3243
© 2011 East Haddam Youth & Family Services
P.O. Box 572, Moodus, CT 06469
(860) 873-3296
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For every Child:
- By age 3, roughly 85% of the brain's core structure is formed (Bruner, Goldberg, and Kot,1999).
- [It is] in the first weeks and months of life that the foundations for later learning are laid down. Or are not. (Zero to Three,1992)
- "Every child gets one chance at their first 1000 days. We don't want to squander that."
Governor M. Jodi Rell, Governor's Early Childhood Summit, January 15, 2008.
For Children with Special Needs or Those at Risk:
- For special needs, early tailored intervention is more effective (Shonkoff & Phillips, Eds., 2000).
- "Policies that seek to remedy deficits incurred in early years are much more costly than early investments wisely made, and do not restore lost capacities even when large costs are incurred. The later in life we attempt to repair early deficits, the costlier the remediation process."
James H. Heckman, Ph.D., Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2000
The Bottom Line:
- Economic studies suggest overall return rate for investment in early childhood development is 14-15%, after adjusting for inflation (Farrell, 2002).
- Across effective programs, return on investment ranges from $2-$17 for each dollar invested (RAND, 2005).
- "The real question is how to use the available funds wisely. The evidence supports the policy prescription: Invest in the very young." (James Heckman, 2002).
For the Community:
- Studies show children receiving quality early care have:
Better performance in school
Improved jobs and earnings prospects
Less risk of jail time
Less use of social service programs
Better health outcomes
(Parlakian, 2002 and Farrell, 2002)
