Early childhood is a crucial phase in a child's cognitive and socio-emotional development. Studies have shown that social inequalities already start at this stage, and at 4 years of age, significant differences in cognitive development are detected between children from different social classes.
To ensure a healthy and prosperous future, it is critical that adequate stimulation is provided during the first 1,000 days of a child's life. This stimulation has the potential to decrease poverty, violence and ill health in the future. However, children as young as 4 years of age living in areas of less favorable economic conditions in Brazil are often cared for by people who lack the necessary skills and support systems to provide adequate stimulation during this crucial period of cognitive formation.
This lack of stimulation can lead to a delay in cognitive and socio-emotional development, which can have negative consequences throughout the child's life, such as learning difficulties, low self-esteem and mental health problems. Furthermore, lack of early childhood stimulation can perpetuate social inequalities, creating a vicious cycle of poverty and lack of opportunity.
The school
Educators have a fundamental role to play in the struggle to eradicate social inequality in early childhood. They can help raise awareness in families, ensure inclusion, receive appropriate training, work collaboratively and provide individualized attention to each child's needs. In doing so, educators can help provide children with the right environment for healthy development and help address social inequalities.
Awareness from school
Educators can help raise awareness in families about the importance of adequate early childhood stimulation. They can share information about the lasting effects that lack of stimulation can have on a child's cognitive and socio-emotional development, and the importance of investing in the early years of life.
Inclusion
Educators must ensure that all children are included and receive the same level of attention and care. This means being aware of possible inequalities and working to overcome them. Educators can provide activities and materials that are accessible to all children, regardless of their social background.
Training
Educators must receive adequate training and education to understand how to provide adequate stimulation during early childhood. They can participate in workshops and training programs that help them develop specific skills for working with early childhood children.
Collaboration
Educators can work collaboratively with other people and organizations to ensure children receive the support they need. This can include partnering with health professionals, social workers and other community organizations.
Individualized attention
Educators must provide individualized attention to the needs of each child. This can include adapting activities to suit each child's needs and providing individualized feedback to help them reach their full potential.
The society
Society as a whole has a key role to play in eradicating social inequality in early childhood, including in day care. invest in quality public daycare centers with adequate resources to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children. This could include resources to hire qualified educators and provide additional training, as well as equipping child care centers with appropriate educational materials and toys.
Society can help low-income families access quality childcare services through government programs and non-profit organizations. This can include offering subsidies to families that cannot afford private childcare or providing free public childcare for families in vulnerable situations.
Volunteering and Donations
Society can collaborate with day care centers and other organizations that work with children in early childhood, either through volunteering or donations. Donations can be educational materials, toys, books and even financial resources for improvements in the infrastructure of day care centers.
Raise awareness of the importance of early childhood
Society can help raise public awareness of the importance of proper early childhood development. This could include running awareness campaigns to sensitize the population on the impact that a lack of adequate stimulation can have on children's development.
Partnerships and collaborations
The society can work in partnership with other organizations, including businesses, governments and not-for-profit organizations, to provide additional support for day care centers. This can include providing training for educators, donating educational materials and creating mentoring programs for children and young people.
In short, society can collaborate to eradicate social inequality in early childhood, in day care centers, through investments in quality public day care centers, support for low-income families, volunteering and donations, raising awareness about the importance of early childhood and partnerships and collaborations with other organizations. All these efforts help to ensure that children have access to a safe and nurturing environment during their early years, regardless of their social class.
