Unicef is advocating for increased investments for child development workers in the Philippines.

Child development workers benefit individual children by giving them good foundational skills and support for their physical and emotional development and promote economic growth by preparing a strong and productive workforce, improving equity, and reducing expenses needed for catch-up programs.

According to a survey by Unicef and the Early Childhood Care and Development Council, many child development workers lack the necessary skills to provide high-quality early childhood education.

Only 48 percent of the respondents in the study were college graduates, and just over 50 percent had attended fewer than two trainings. Only 22 percent had permanent posts.

The average salary for non-permanent child development workers was around P5,000, but informal surveys by Unicef reveal that in disadvantaged areas, some day care workers receive an honorarium of as low as P1,000 a month.

Attending early childhood education is essential for young children to have the best possible start in life. Parents are encouraged to enroll their three- to four-year-old children in ECE to access quality pre-primary education that lays a strong foundation for learning.