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Top Takeaways is a series of recaps from important conversations, town halls, webinars and virtual events about early learning.

On Jan. 7, The Hunt Institute hosted a conversation to discuss the growing science of early learning and its implications for policymakers.

Javaid Siddiqi, president & CEO at The Hunt Institute, welcomed the following panelists for a discussion which Dan Wuori, director of early learning moderated.

• Ellen Galinsky, chief science officer at the Bezos Family Foundation
• Myra Jones-Taylor, chief policy officer at ZERO TO THREE
• Patricia Kuhl, co-director of the University of Washington鈥檚 Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences

Below are our top four takeaways from the conversation.

1. Yes, quality early childhood education does lead to more successful lives as adults. recently released the report: The Science Behind It, which confirms this connection between early education and outcomes later in life. Kuhl said the significance of this report is twofold: One, the data are sufficient to answer the question of how early education drives adult success, and two, it鈥檚 worth the time and effort to answer.

A short film highlighting the National Academies report titled will be released in the coming weeks.

2. Quality structures and relationships are needed for better outcomes. 鈥淔or so many years,鈥� Galinsky said, 鈥渨e haven鈥檛 really known what it was about quality, what were the ingredients of quality that really made a difference.鈥� The Academy was finally able to define it in a meaningful and measurable way.

The key is in both structure and process. 鈥淲hat happens to children depends on the relationships with the people that they鈥檙e with,鈥� Galinsky said. To illustrate, Galinsky recalled findings from a study with family child care providers, 鈥淭he people who wanted to be providing family child care and continue to learn about it, were the people who did the best job.鈥�

Along with intentionality, Galinsky listed taking the child鈥檚 perspective, prompting curiosity and having an opportunity mindset as qualities of a framework that leads to successful relationship building. Her colleagues and partners at go in-depth about building these essential life-skills early on.

3. Quality care yields long-term benefits. These experiences early in life build not just children who learn in school, but people who are more successful in life in terms of health and behavior. 鈥淚f the brain is in a sensitive period where experience is directly affecting the architecture of the brain, then good experience grows that brain in positive ways,鈥� Kuhl said. 鈥淧oor experiences, bad experiences, adversity, lead you in the opposite direction.鈥�

Unfortunately, not all children are exposed to the same level of quality care. Access and affordability are persistent barriers. 鈥淭his unequal playing field disallows this experience that we know is valuable for a certain percentage of the children, and that鈥檚 got to be addressed,鈥� Kuhl said.

4. Increased investments are needed. 鈥淎s a nation, we are not emphasizing this enough,鈥� Jones-Taylor explained. 鈥淲e are not creating enough policies to support what we know; the science is telling us what young children need.鈥�

For instance, only 30 states have adopted an , which recognizes a provider鈥檚 achievement of attaining information on brain science and his or her intention to apply it in their daily work. 鈥淭his should be the ground floor,鈥� Jones-Taylor said, 鈥淲e need to make sure that early educators and caregivers are prepared and trained and have all of the support so they can deliver on the promise of this research.鈥�

Disclosure: The Bezos Family Foundation provides financial support to Early Learning Nation.

This story originally published on Early Learning Nation and is now archived on 蜜桃影视. Learn more here.