To date, the immediate and lasting
positive effects of quality care on language, cognitive development, and school achievement have been confirmed by converging findings from
large,
reasonably representative longitudinal studies and smaller, randomized trials with long - term follow - ups.1, 2,9 - 13 Contributors to this knowledge base include meta - analytic reviews of interventions and
large longitudinal studies conducted in several countries.1, 2,14,15 Comprehensive meta - analyses now establish that
effects of early care decline, but do not disappear, and when initial
effects are
large, long - term
effects remain substantial.1, 2 Null findings in cognitive and social domains in a few studies may
reasonably be attributed to the limitations inherent to their designs, samples, and measures.