An analysis of the factors affecting access to the early childhood education and care: a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis

Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is critical for fostering a child's cognitive, emotional, and social development, laying the foundation for future academic success and well-being. However, a staggering 175 million children globally are deprived of access to pre-primary education, a key factor in promoting long-term achievement. To increase enrollment and meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 4.2, which aims to ensure universal access to quality early education by 2030, addressing the barriers to ECEC is essential. A comprehensive systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis were conducted to identify these barriers. The research spanned the years 1993-2023, utilizing the Scopus and Web of Science databases, and followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines for transparency and rigor. Thematic analysis, performed using NVivo 14 software, classified studies into various categories of influencing factors. The findings were organized into two overarching themes: Demand-side and Supply-side factors, further subdivided into 22 specific sub-themes emerging from detailed content analysis.