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Leveraging advances in science to inform a mindset shift in early childhood policy and practice

Jack P. Shonkoff · 1 Aug 2022

Abstract

The early childhood field is at a critical inflection point in a changing world. In the wake of a devastating pandemic that has exacerbated longstanding inequalities and disrupted vital services, the demand has intensified for fresh thinking about how to strengthen the foundations of healthy development in the face of significant adversity. In this context, the current framework for early childhood policies and programs across the globe is guided by three core concepts of development: (1) the impact of early experiences on brain architecture; (2) the importance of responsive, ‘serve and return’ interactions between young children and the adults who care for them; and (3) the disruptive effects of toxic stress on the developing brain and early learning. Building on this strong knowledge base, the rapidly moving frontiers of the biological sciences now underscore three additional concepts that offer a deeper and broader framework for science- informed investment in the early years of life. (1) Connecting the brain to the rest of the body. Extensive evidence of the interactive effects of excessive adversity on multiple biological systems (e.g., neural, immune, metabolic), beginning in utero, underscores the highly interrelated origins of early development and lifelong health. The time has come to move beyond coordination of services across sectors as an endpoint and to design policies and programs to strengthen the early roots of effective learning, adaptive behavior, and both physical and mental health informed by a common, integrated, science framework. (2) Variation in Sensitivity to the Environment. Science confirms what caregivers know—all children have similar basic needs but respond differently to adversity and support, even in the same family. At a population level, children who experience significant adversity are at greater risk for later problems in development and health, but long-term predictions for individuals based solely on adverse experiences are highly inaccurate and can lead to false labeling. (3) Timing and critical periods. Research on sensitive periods in developing immune and metabolic systems, as well as in brain circuits, calls for greater attention to the prenatal period and first 2-3 years after birth. All policies and programs that affect well-being during pregnancy and infancy present opportunities to promote a lifetime of well-being. Advances in our understanding of the complex interactions among genes, environments, and developmental timing provide a compelling opportunity for leveraging 21st-century biology to inform more effective strategies for promoting early childhood development. Aligning that rapidly moving science with the lived experiences of families and decision makers across a diversity of sectors and cultures offers a powerful pathway forward in the quest for healthier and more equitable contexts in which families raise young children.