The World Forum Foundation, in partnership with the Economic Opportunity Institute, organized a trip for Washington business leaders, politicians, and educators to study the delivery of high quality early learning in Finland and the United Kingdom in early October 2007.
The purpose of the tour, funded by the Gates Foundation, was to inform a new initiative to upgrade early childhood services in Washington state. While in London and Helsinki, tour participants met with public officials, advocates, researchers, union officials and business leaders. In addition, they visited several child care programs in each country.