This chapter gives a concise overview of the policy approaches implemented to combat educational disadvantages in the Netherlands in the past decades, and how and why the emphasis has shifted towards intervention in early childhood. Next, the chapter discusses the contested initial findings on the effectiveness of this policy shift. Finally, evidence is reported from a recent longitudinal study on the effects of the current early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy for two to six year olds, the national pre-COOL cohort study. (author abstract)