But he said until now very little was known about the effect of paternal depression on early child development.

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Mr Reiner also had a word with Newsweek, which agreed to publish a special issue about early child development.

ECONOMIST: American democracy

This year has seen two national conferences on early-child development and a session on the subject at the meeting of the National Governors' Association.

ECONOMIST: American democracy

This investment will focus on our existing infrastructure of federally-funded programs such as Early Head Start, and the Child Care and Development Fund to expand services and boost their quality.

WHITEHOUSE: The White House

"It's more thought of as child care for when the parent needs it as opposed to the child's development and really helping prepare for early literacy skills that are going to be the foundation for school, " said Chang, director of Attendance Works, a Maryland-based initiative that mentors districts in fighting absenteeism.

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Mr Andrews announced in his speech that he would be reviewing the child development assessment profile for those youngest pupils entering the foundation phase for early years education.

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Inspectors who understand early learning and the ways in which different types of setting can aid a child's development need to be used to ensure there is quality control.

BBC: Review for early learning goals

She also brought in Christina Groark and Robert McCall, two experts in early-childhood development from the University of Pittsburgh, to evaluate conditions at the orphanages before and after Whole Child provides training.

FORBES: Magazine Article

And campaigners say she lay down many of the priorities still adopted by the contemporary early-years movement, which recognises the first three years of a child's life as crucial for its development.

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