Indeed, there is increasing evidence that children from more disadvantaged backgrounds can profit more from good early childhood programmes than more advantaged children Inter-generational effects. To the extent that programmes of early childhood care and development affect subsequent education, the evidence suggests that they will also have an effect on fertility and population growth. Especially in the case of programmes of parental education, the immediate effects on one child will carry over to the raising of additional children. Thus research supports our assertion that it is important to support children zero to three in their development, and important to make sure that the care they receive from parents, older siblings and extended family members, daycare providers, and others is supportive of their full, healthy development. A young child's health is often greatly affected, or determined by, the Care that child receives.
Care includes much more than keeping the child safe and free from harm.
All of these behaviours are a part of supporting the development of young children. The type of caregiving behaviour which is required depends to a large extent on the child's developmental age and the health and nutritional risks the child is facing. For example, during the first year of life the child is at the greatest risk of mortality. While growth faltering may be the result of inadequate nutrition, there is clear evidence to suggest that it is also linked to the way young children are fed. The interactive caregiving provided during the feeding process can have a profound effect on the child's later development.