The Potential of Additional Investment in Early Childhood Development in Montenegro

Highlights

Growing scientific evidence confirms the importance of early childhood (from conception to starting school) on the future outcomes of young people and adults. Positive experiences in those first years establish the child’s foundation for physical, mental and emotional development. Furthermore, a positive start in life enables individuals to live more fulfilled and productive lives. Development in the early years lays the groundwork for adults’ human capital, work force participation and capacity for civic participation that determine the prosperity, well-being and future of the societies and countries they live in.

The economic aspect of the early childhood development has also been analysed for decades through modelling the return on investment, cost benefit analyses, calculation of cost of inaction or through longitudinal studies aimed at estimating the impact of early interventions on social status, health conditions and future earnings. Evidence shows that the long-term returns on investment in early childhood development programmes are positive, and the benefits are manifold (better educational and health outcomes, lower crime rates, higher earnings, lower costs for social programmes, etc.).

Investing in early childhood development is not simply investing in children, but also in the future of entire societies. Such investments are the smartest and most profitable investments any society can make.

Analysis of current investment in early childhood development in Montenegro was undertaken in the context of the Nurturing Care Framework.

This publication was developed as part of the Action “EU and UNICEF for Early Childhood Development in Montenegro”.