Early Childhood Education and Care has been a major political priority for the European Union and other international bodies over the past decades, a priority founded on the view that investments in the early years of life can produce more positive results for children, families and societies. According to research findings, early childhood is critical to a child's cognitive, emotional, linguistic and social development. The development achieved at this stage will lay the foundations for success at school and in the workplace, as well as for the
child's physical and mental health. This paper discusses policies aimed at quality preschool education and care. It is a theoretical approach based on written data from individual countries and international organizations. The main conclusion of this paper is that the improvement of the quality of ECEC systems constitutes a major challenge for modern nations, including Greece.