The international community already agrees on the importance of the early moments which contribute to the full development of children under 5 years old, as well as the importance of ECD programmes to cope with social inequities and to guarantee that all children reach their maximum potential. We are assured that high quality ECD programmes will provide protection, emphasizing violence prevention, build resilience in children to handle negative stress, and equip all children and their caregivers with the knowledge and skills to support positive developmental outcomes in the 21st century. The countries in the region face several challenges and difficulties to guarantee the universal access to high quality ECD services for children under five; however, the present document demonstrates how it is possible mobilize and coordinate services with other partners in order find the best way to build and sustain services to guarantee children’s rights. However, the emphasis at this stage is the holistic approach to child development; which means that the responsibility for the development of children lies not only with their parents/guardians but with the representatives of other agencies such as health centres, ECD centres/schools, religious groups and the communities with which they interact. We encourage you to use this guide, as examples to build new and emerging national programmes to address your main challenges. Consider your children needs and characteristics to build more resilient and high quality programmes to guarantee all children in the Caribbean region the best start possible, and therefore guarantee a more sustainable and equitable society.
Aloys Kamuragiye Representative UNICEF Office for the Eastern Caribbean Area
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