ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the efficacy of child-oriented educational intervention programs for the well-being of young children. It considers the general approaches taken by the programs, the outcomes of interest, and the types of children served. The chapter presents what is known about the efficacy of early intervention programs. It also considers results by the types of children served by particular programs — children who are handicapped, children of low birthweight, economically disadvantaged children, and offspring of teenaged mothers. High-quality, educationally oriented programs make a difference in the lives of poor children. Regrettably, such programs represent only a fraction of the centers and family day-care homes serving poor children. Not only do poor children benefit from the provision of early childhood education, but their development may also be accelerated from programs focusing on their mothers. Early intervention programs confer benefits to mothers as well as to children.
