Starting Strong : Early Childhood Education and Care Improving the quality of and access to early childhood education and care has become a major policy priority in OECD Member countries. The early years are increasingly viewed as the first step in lifelong learning and a key component of a successful educational social and family policy agenda. Countries have adopted diverse strategies to policy development in this field strategies which are deeply embedded in particular country contexts values and beliefs. In particular early childhood policy and provision are strongly linked to cultural and social beliefs about young children the ro