(a) DefinitionsIn this section:
(2) Early childhood development
The term “early childhood development” means the development and learning of a child younger than 8 years of age, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development and approaches to learning that allow a child to reach his or her full developmental potential.
(3) Early childhood development programThe term “early childhood development program” means a program that seeks to ensure that every child has the conditions for healthy growth, nurturing family-based care, development and learning, and protection from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect, which may include—
(A)
a health, safe water, sanitation, and hygiene program that serves pregnant women, children younger than 5 years of age, and the parents of such children;
(C)
age appropriate cognitive stimulation, especially for newborns, infants, and toddlers, including an early childhood intervention program for children experiencing at-risk situations, developmental delays, disabilities, and behavioral and mental health conditions;
(D)
an early learning (36 months and younger), preschool, and basic education program for children until they reach 8 years of age or complete primary school; or
(E)
a child protection program, with an emphasis on the promotion of permanent, safe, and nurturing families, rather than placement in residential care or institutions, including for children with disabilities.
(4) Relevant Federal departments and agenciesThe term “relevant Federal departments and agencies” means—
(5) Residential care
The term “residential care” means care provided in any non-family-based group setting, including orphanages, transit or interim care centers, children’s homes, children’s villages or cottage complexes, group homes, and boarding schools used primarily for care purposes as an alternative to a children’s home.
(b) Statement of policyIt is the policy of the United States—
(1)
to support early childhood development in relevant foreign assistance programs, including by integrating evidence-based, efficient, and effective interventions into relevant strategies and programs, in coordination with partner countries, other donors, international organizations, international financial institutions, local and international nongovernmental organizations, private sector partners, and civil society, including faith-based and community-based organizations; and
(2) to encourage partner countries to lead early childhood development initiatives that include incentives for building local capacity for continued implementation and measurable results, by—
(A)
scaling up the most effective, evidence-based, national interventions, including for the most vulnerable populations and children with disabilities and developmental delays, with a focus on adaptation to country resources, cultures, and languages;
(c) Implementation
(1) In generalNot later than 1 year after January 1, 2021, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development on behalf of the President and in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall direct relevant Federal departments and agencies—
(A)
to incorporate, to the extent practical and relevant, early childhood development into foreign assistance programs to be carried out during the following 5 fiscal years; and
(2) ElementsIn carrying out paragraph (1), the Administrator, the Secretary, and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies as appropriate shall—
(A)
build on the evidence and priorities outlined in “Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity: A U.S. Government Strategy for International Assistance 2019–2023”, published in June 2019 (referred to in this section as “APCCA”);
(B)
to the extent practicable, identify evidence-based strategic priorities, indicators, outcomes, and targets, particularly emphasizing the most vulnerable populations and children with disabilities and developmental delays, to support inclusive early childhood development;
(C)
support the design, implementation, and evaluation of pilot projects in partner countries, with the goal of taking such projects to scale;
(D) support inclusive early childhood development within all relevant sector strategies and public laws, including—
(E)
improve coordination with foreign governments and international and regional organizations with respect to official country policies and plans to improve early childhood development, maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition care, basic education, water, sanitation and hygiene, and child protection plans which promote nurturing, appropriate, protective, and permanent family care, while reducing the percentage of children living outside of family care, including in residential care or on the street; and
(d) Annual report on the implementation of the strategyThe Special Advisor for Children in Adversity shall include, in the annual report required under section 2152g of this title, which shall be submitted to the appropriate congressional committees and made publicly available, a description of—
(1)
the progress made toward integrating early childhood development interventions into relevant strategies and programs;
(2)
the efforts made by relevant Federal departments and agencies to implement subsection (c), with a particular focus on the activities described in such subsection; and
(e) Interagency task forceThe Special Advisor for Assistance to Orphans and Vulnerable Children should establish and regularly convene an Interagency Working Group on Children in Adversity which, among other things, will coordinate—
(1)
intergovernmental and interagency monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of the activities carried out pursuant to this section;
(2)
early childhood development initiatives that include children with a variety of needs and circumstances; and
(3)
United States Government early childhood development programs, strategies, and partnerships across relevant Federal departments and agencies.
(Pub. L. 87–195, pt. I, § 137, as added Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XII, § 1283(b), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3985.)