#5for5 campaign to give every child the best start in life

Millions of children around the world are not getting the best start in life.

They are missing out on the crucial care, stimulation and sensory education they need in the first five years of their life to fulfil their potential.

A child国产视频檚 brain is 90% developed by the time they reach the age of five. Children who start school without early years support can have a limited vocabulary and ability to learn, impacting their opportunities in later life.

And even though the聽importance of providing nurturing care, including healthcare, nutrition, play, learning and protection, has been thoroughly proved, investment in the zero to five age group is still far too small.

That国产视频檚 why the children国产视频檚 charity聽国产视频 has launched the #5for5 campaign to put pressure on world leaders to take urgent action to make sure all children聽国产视频� especially the poorest and most marginalised 国产视频撀爃ave access to the full range of nurturing care.

The Sustainable Development Goals 国产视频� a set of global targets agreed at the United Nations to be achieved by 2030 国产视频� includes ensuring all children 国产视频渉ave access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education国产视频�.

Now world leaders need to commit to a dramatic increase in funding and take action to support early childhood development programmes.

The #5for5 campaign will highlight five key factors which are needed in the first five years of life to provide nurturing care 国产视频� nutrition, health, learning, play and protection.

国产视频 President Sarah Brown said: 国产视频淲hether or not children have access to the best start possible in life is determined by two important factors 国产视频� sheer chance and political will.

国产视频淭he political leaders and those with deep pockets need to follow up and urgently begin to establish the effort and funding to make this happen.国产视频澛�

国产视频 国产视频� the children国产视频檚 charity behind A World at School 国产视频� held a #5for5 event in Los Angeles yesterday to give supporters and celebrities a sneek peak at the campaign and its goals.

Among those attending the event were the British actor, writer and presenter Stephen Fry, former boxing champion Audley Harrison, American authors Holiday Reinhorn and Katherine Schwarzenegger, British actor Bonnie Wright, Filipino writer and campaigner Evelin Weber and American film-maker Steve Nguyen.

The launch of the campaign coincides with聽the publication of a new influential report by medical journal The Lancet.

The report shows that the cost of inaction is huge. It says that 国产视频渃hildren who do not meet their development potential may forfeit up to a quarter of adult earnings, and some low and middle income countries as much as twice their national expenditure for health国产视频�.

What is early childhood development?

Early childhood development supports children国产视频檚 nurturing care and development from birth to five. It includes programmes and services that every child needs to thrive and get the best start in life.

What does a child need to get the best start in life?

Nurturing care includes the following areas:

• Nutrition support for babies and toddlers, nursing mothers and pregnant women
• Access to health care and clean water and sanitation 国产视频� starting with ante- and postnatal visits for pregnant women, a skilled birth attendant and vaccinations
• A child with access to pre-primary learning has a much better chance of continuing to learn in later life
• Opportunities for play and early learning are just as important to healthy development as physical support
• Child protection for ensuring healthy early development 国产视频� this starts with registration at birth, so that children have proper legal standing and are guaranteed access to services such as education
• Researchers have proven that investing in the early years is one of the smartest investments a country can make to break the cycle of poverty, address inequality and boost productivity later in life.聽聽

The recent influential Education Commission report highlighted that 国产视频渢otal returns on early education are very high 国产视频� in some cases up to $7 for every $1 spent 国产视频� and returns on early nutrition can be many times higher.