View in EDS

Early Childhood Education and Care in the Western Balkans: Investing for Children, Families and Jobs

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Early Childhood Education and Care in the Western Balkans: Investing for Children, Families and Jobs
Language: English
Authors: Sofia Gomez Tamayo, Tigan Shmis, Indhira Santos, Contributor, World Bank
Source: World Bank. 2026.
Availability: World Bank Publications. 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433. Tel: 202-458-4500; Fax: 202-552-1500; Web site: http://www.worldbank.org/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 136
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: European Union (EU) (Belgium)
Document Type: Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Descriptors: Early Childhood Education, Child Care, Foreign Countries, Barriers, Access to Education, Equal Education, Educational Quality, Inclusion, Educational Policy, Economic Development, Student Development, Labor Force, Employed Women, Costs, Child Development, Sex Fairness, Enrollment
Geographic Terms: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia
Abstract: Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) encompasses publicly regulated services that provide education and childcare for children from birth until the start of primary education. ECEC plays a critical role in fostering children's cognitive, social, and emotional development, enhancing school readiness, and supporting parental employment, particularly among women. In the Western Balkans, expanding access to quality ECEC is essential not only for children's long‑term learning and well‑being but also for promoting inclusive economic growth and gender equality. Despite strong evidence of its benefits, the region continues to face persistent challenges in delivering equitable, affordable, and high‑quality ECEC services. Enrollment rates remain significantly below European Union averages, especially for children under three and those from marginalized groups, including low‑income households, Roma communities, and rural populations. Public provision has struggled to keep pace with rising demand, while private and community‑based services remain limited due to financing and regulatory constraints. This report examines these challenges, analyzes their underlying causes, and identifies policy options to strengthen ECEC systems and promote inclusive access across the Western Balkans.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679766
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED679766
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED679766
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Early Childhood Education and Care in the Western Balkans: Investing for Children, Families and Jobs
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sofia+Gomez+Tamayo%22">Sofia Gomez Tamayo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tigan+Shmis%22">Tigan Shmis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Indhira+Santos%2C+Contributor%22">Indhira Santos, Contributor</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22World+Bank%22">World Bank</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22World+Bank%22"><i>World Bank</i></searchLink>. 2026.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: World Bank Publications. 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433. Tel: 202-458-4500; Fax: 202-552-1500; Web site: http://www.worldbank.org/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 136
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: SourceSuprt
  Label: Sponsoring Agency
  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: European Union (EU) (Belgium)
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Care%22">Child Care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Education%22">Access to Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Equal+Education%22">Equal Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Quality%22">Educational Quality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inclusion%22">Inclusion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Policy%22">Educational Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Economic+Development%22">Economic Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Development%22">Student Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+Force%22">Labor Force</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employed+Women%22">Employed Women</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Costs%22">Costs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Development%22">Child Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sex+Fairness%22">Sex Fairness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Enrollment%22">Enrollment</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Albania%22">Albania</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bosnia+and+Herzegovina%22">Bosnia and Herzegovina</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kosovo%22">Kosovo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Montenegro%22">Montenegro</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Macedonia%22">Macedonia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Serbia%22">Serbia</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) encompasses publicly regulated services that provide education and childcare for children from birth until the start of primary education. ECEC plays a critical role in fostering children's cognitive, social, and emotional development, enhancing school readiness, and supporting parental employment, particularly among women. In the Western Balkans, expanding access to quality ECEC is essential not only for children's long‑term learning and well‑being but also for promoting inclusive economic growth and gender equality. Despite strong evidence of its benefits, the region continues to face persistent challenges in delivering equitable, affordable, and high‑quality ECEC services. Enrollment rates remain significantly below European Union averages, especially for children under three and those from marginalized groups, including low‑income households, Roma communities, and rural populations. Public provision has struggled to keep pace with rising demand, while private and community‑based services remain limited due to financing and regulatory constraints. This report examines these challenges, analyzes their underlying causes, and identifies policy options to strengthen ECEC systems and promote inclusive access across the Western Balkans.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED679766
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED679766
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 136
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Access to Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Equal Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Quality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Inclusion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Economic Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Labor Force
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Employed Women
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Costs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sex Fairness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Enrollment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Albania
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bosnia and Herzegovina
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Kosovo
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Montenegro
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Macedonia
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Serbia
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Early Childhood Education and Care in the Western Balkans: Investing for Children, Families and Jobs
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: World Bank
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sofia Gomez Tamayo
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Tigan Shmis
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Indhira Santos, Contributor
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 02
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: World Bank
              Type: main
ResultId 1