Measuring and Improving Quality in Early Childhood Environments - Report on the International Consultation

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret

This report presents findings from an international consultation hosted in Leiden, Netherlands, in September 2014, convening early childhood experts and stakeholders to advance consensus on measuring and improving quality in early childhood environments. It addresses the challenge that quality is highly valued yet not consistently ensured globally, summarizing frameworks, monitoring and evaluation status, and cross-framework convergence. Discussions focus on culturally and situationally relevant measurement, scalable assessment of process quality, and using indicators within national systems to support improvement rather than penalization.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Meeting purpose and context

Key discussion questions

Meeting approach and presentations

Points of convergence in measuring quality

What should be measured

Linking setting and system quality

Measuring and Improving Quality in Early Childhood Environments Report on the International Consultation Hosted in Leiden, the Netherlands, September 2014 Measuring and Improving Quality in Early Childhood Environments To protect children’s rights and promote their development, quality in early childhood settings is essential. Across the global early childhood community, there is consensus that quality is both immensely important and unfortunately, not adequately ensured. Reflecting the broad support for attention to quality, ISSA, UNICEF, UNESCO and the Bernard van Leer Foundation, in partnership with the World Bank and the Brookings Institution, joined forces to call attention to the importance of measuring and improving quality in early childhood environments. An international consultation was convened in Leiden, the Netherlands in September 2014, bringing together early childhood experts and stakeholders representing different regions of the world, who have experience in the measurement and improvement of quality of early years services. The meeting aimed to identify points of consensus in measuring quality and future directions for increasing the strength, innovation and cultural applicability of quality measurement. There has recently been increased attention to measuring quality on many levels, from independent researchers developing methods, to governments and international organizations interested in measuring quality at scale. Although several new and innovative approaches to measuring and addressing quality in early childhood settings have been developed in recent years, they are not widely or consistently used. The meeting provided a venue for the participants to take stock of new ideas in measuring early childhood quality and to explore setting up a global network around the issue of quality in early childhood settings and systems. Two papers were prepared in advance of the meeting: a summary of existing frameworks on quality measurement that were generated by large groups of stakeholders; and a review of the existing status of monitoring and evaluation frameworks and their implementation especially in low-resource countries. From these reviews, several questions emerged. These questions formed the backbone of the discussions during the meeting: 􀁸 What are the points of convergence across frameworks? 􀁸 How can we measure quality in ways that are culturally and situationally relevant? 􀁸 How can we meaningfully measure quality, especially process quality, at scale? 􀁸 How can measures of quality be used within national systems to foster improvement? 􀁸 How can an international network further support improvement efforts? The meeting format combined presentations with small group work to discuss what is critical to measure; how it could be measured; and what principles or themes should underlie quality measurement, especially in regards to how the measures can be used for improvement. Presenters were asked to share summaries of their work relevant to the measurement of quality, including new measures of early childhood settings and systems developed for use in low-income settings; measures of new dimensions of quality, such as the role of nature and architecture in quality; and approaches to understanding systems-level impacts on quality, including policy and regulatory approaches. Points of convergence in measuring quality The group was in consensus that quality in early childhood settings could be reliably measured and on what should be monitored. There was also consensus on the need to link setting and system quality and that the data collected should be used for improvement purposes and not to penalize. 􀁸 What should be measured? Groups were asked to reflect on the presentations from the meeting and identify areas of quality measurement that could be considered a “core”of quality that would cut across all settings including center, school, home and community –based provisions. Eight

FAQs

Why was quality in early childhood settings considered essential in the consultation?

The report states that protecting children’s rights and promoting development depends on essential early childhood quality. It also notes global consensus on quality’s importance, alongside insufficient assurance across settings.

What major themes guided discussions on measuring quality?

Participants focused on convergence across frameworks, cultural and situational relevance, scaling measurement of process quality, and using quality measures within national systems for improvement. They also discussed how an international network could support ongoing efforts.

Which broad areas were proposed for inclusion in early childhood quality measures?

Eight areas were generated: environment and physical setting; family and community engagement; personnel; interactions; structural support; inclusiveness; program structure and curriculum; and health and hygiene, including nutrition and mental and physical well-being.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret