Meeting report on WHO Member States consultation: framework on Early Childhood Development in the WHO European Region (2020)

The WHO Regional Office for Europe convened a consultation of Member States on the Framework on Early Childhood Development (‎ECD)‎ in the WHO European Region on 25−26 February 2020. In 2018, the Regional Office consulted with ECD experts to gain up-to-date understandings of the needs of young children in Europe and adequate monitoring of, and response to, developmental difficulties. This process concluded with the recommendation for a European framework on ECD, which subsequently was developed following external-expert and WHO peer reviews. The objectives of the consultation meeting were to discuss and agree Member States’ comments on the framework and share Member States’ experience of gaps in, and challenges to, promoting ECD in their countries. This report outlines discussions around the framework and concludes with agreement by Member States on the need for a European framework on ECD and support for the framework drafted by the WHO Secretariat.