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Maybe you knew it all along, but it doesn’t hurt to have data. The RAND corporation (www.rand.org) recently released a research brief entitled, “Proven Benefits of Early Childhood Interventions,” detailing the most effective practices and features of early intervention programs, based on an in-depth literature review and analysis.

Key findings include:

• Early childhood intervention programs yield benefits in academics, behavior, educational progression and attainment, delinquency and crime, and labor market success.
• Interventions carried out by better-trained caregivers and smaller child-to-staff ratios appear to offer more favorable results.
• Where measurable in monetary terms, researchers calculated that well-designed early childhood interventions generate a return to society ranging from $1.80 to $17.07 for each dollar spent on the program, depending upon the length of follow-up.

The RAND study focused on programs that offered parent education and support including home visits, center-based services, or a combination. A summary of the briefing can be found at http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9145/index1.html.

Effective center-based programs as evaluated by the RAND report included Carolina Abecedarian Project, Chicago Child-Parent Centers, Head Start and Early Head Start, Early Training Project, High/Scope Perry, Houston Parent-Child Development Center, Infant Health and Development Porgram, Project CARE, and Syracuse Family Development Research Program. Home Visiting or Parent Education programs included DARE to be You, Developmentally Supportive Care, HIPPY USA, Incredible Years, Nurse-Family Partnership Program, Parents as Teachers, Project CARE, and Reach Out and Read.

Submitted by Kirsten Haugen

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