In India, where parents' contributions are minimal, the national Government finances most ICDS activities, except for food, which is paid for and administered by state governments. On the other hand, in Kenya's Early Child Education programme, the national Government finances only the training of caregivers, while local governments provide and maintain care centres and parents pay the caregivers' stipends. In Thailand, loans paid back to village loan funds, which are financed by an NGO, are funnelled into a capital fund to support early childhood development programmes in the community. Although new monies are needed to guarantee every child the best possible start in life, adequate care for babies and toddlers does not necessarily call for massive expenditures or the creation of new programmes. Resources to improve the cognitive development of young children through stimulation, play and affection can be found within the community.
Volunteers trained in early childhood development are the backbone of the programme.
Each volunteer, a respected woman from the community, works with five families. She spends time in the homes, teaching parents how to help their children grow physically and develop mentally. A multisectoral approach, in which health, education, nutrition and development components come together, can add to a programme's cost-effectiveness. But more important than saving money, this convergence of services focuses on the whole child rather than a compartmentalized child and, in so doing, reinforces and complements how a child develops. ECD's positive influences resonate throughout a society.