Journal Article

Center-Based Care for Infants and Toddlers

The aeioTU Randomized Trial

two babies

By Milagros Nores, Raquel Bernal, & W. Steven Barnett

Little is known about the effectiveness of center-based high quality educational programs for infants and toddlers, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This paper reports effects from a randomized trial of a high-quality center-based early intervention on infants and toddlers in two communities in northern Colombia. Just eight months into the program results indicate large positive effects on language, cognitive development and overall development, with girls benefiting the most. No effects were found on nutritional outcomes, socio-emotional development or the home environment.

View Article

The Authors

W. Steven (Steve) Barnett is a Board of Governors Professor and the founder and Senior Co-Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University. Dr. Barnett’s work primarily focuses on public policies regarding early childhood education, child care, and child development.

Dr. Milagros Nores is the Co-Director for Research and Associate Research Professor at the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). With a profound expertise in early childhood evaluation, informing data-driven policy and programming, cost and benefits of early interventions, evaluation design, equity, and English language learners, she has established herself as a leading researcher in the field of early care and education.