"Early childhood is a crucial time for development that will have far-reaching impacts later in life," the Asia Philanthropy Circle says in a press release.
"We wanted to fund this research to better understand the needs of Early Childhood Development systems in these countries."
The group looked at programs for parenting and early childhood in China, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and found "a clear increase in government commitment to provide holistic support to children, families, and communities," per the release.
But the study also found "significant challenges to their local implementation, including the lack of financing, capacity, and knowledge in the sector, as well as other socio-economic and cultural barriers."
Among the findings: There's a "double burden" of malnutrition and stunting cases in all four countries.
In Indonesia and the Philippines, there's a rise in the number of overweight and obese children.
Inequity in access to health services for some populations, due to financial restrictions, or availability of services such as for rural areas, and the shortage of trained professionals.
There's also a need to train, retain, and recognize those in the ECD workforcesuch as healthcare providers, teachers, and social workersin order to improve the quality of services and support they
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