Excerpt: “Far too often, children miss out on quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Cultural barriers and a lack of information limit enrollment, while some families simply cannot afford it. The data show that vulnerable children are most affected, with substantial socio-economic gaps in ECEC participation in most countries, especially for children aged 0 to 2. In eight out of 28 OECD countries, these gaps have widened for children aged 3 to 5. What is more, disadvantaged children often receive lower-quality ECEC services. Evidence suggests that overall quality is only improving in a handful of cases. Many OECD countries can, and should, do better. The importance of ECEC cannot be overstated. It is a cost-effective way to close achievement gaps before they widen and become entrenched. Unlike interventions aimed at addressing inequalities later in life, high quality ECEC promotes the development of foundational skills like language, literacy and numeracy essential for later success. Early years policies, if co-ordinated and evidence-based, can reduce the need for expensive remedial education and social services in the future.”