“Toddlers who spend three or more days a week in nursery are more likely to become anti-social, worried and upset, government research has found” was just one of the bylines generated last week by a report reviewing nursery care. Research into the effects of non-parental child care seems to fire more furious debate than any other issue in the UK today http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6525039.stm . The full report can be found at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/SSU2007FR020.pdf
Be aware, these people have a track record of being critical of nursery care http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4304528.stm . This report fed straight into middle England’s fear that society is falling apart because of bad child rearing practices. For example, see the great picture and story in the Express http://www.express.co.uk/news/view/3636 . I felt that the Guardian article by Madeline Bunting tried to discuss the results more profitably http://society.guardian.co.uk/children/comment/0,,2049652,00.html
I also think it’s worth perusing the unprecedented 40 pages of reader comments that followed this article. It illustrates both the range of views and intensity of feelings that this issue generates. Personally, I don’t like the argument that if children become a bit more pushy and thick-skinned by the experience of nursery then that is no bad thing in the modern world. That is not an attractive vision.
4 comments:
I bet it has a lot to do with what the nursery is like and what their life is like back at home than a blanket 'nurseries are bad' thing. From my very small sample of two (niece and nephew) one of whom goes to nursery and the other one who doesn't, I don't reckon it makes any difference. Anyway, what's the alternative? Making the lead carer (usually mother) stay at home until their youngest child is at school? Also, was there any chat about nannies?
My daughter attends nursery for 3 days a week. I think that since she has been able to walk and communicate she has enjoyed nursery greatly. They do many things there that I probably would not do at home like hiding toy animals in shaving foam and I think she has benefited from these sorts of activities. I do however feel that when she started nursery at 6 months old she was just too young and that she needed at this time one to one care.
I think that the government should increase the maternity benefits given to families so that women can more afford to stay at home a year or longer before returning to work.
I also want to say that although I think nursery is great for my daughter now, I would not want her to be there 5 days a week.
One other thought on this subject is that from 3 years old the government gives every child a number of free hours at nursery so is actively encouraging group care from 3 years old. It is a bit confusing as a parent to know where the government stands on this.
Who couldn't benefit from hiding toys in shaving foam? Maybe that's an idea for our next team building exercise.
I agree with your points Fleur. Both maternity leave and paternity leave should be extended. Which Scandinavian country is it that lets the mum and dad both have a year off in a child's first five years? I also think you're right that a good nursery has loads to offer toddlers once they have old enough to enjoy it.
I don't know about the others, but Sweden allows 18 months for both parents and then a right to flexible working. A right which many exercise, as it is a high wage economy. In terms of outcomes the key seems to be the quality of care - I guess Fleur's nursery proves this with the shaving cream surprise. Quote from polly toynbee - "Britain spends just 0.3% of its GDP on the under-fives. The only countries where birth is no longer class destiny - in Scandinavia - spend 2.4% on early-years care and development.
The newest research finds this: back in 1950, looking at very different education systems across the developed world, from comprehensive to highly selective, none did much to change the class destiny of children. But in the last 20 or so years, only Scandinavia succeeded in uncoupling children from their parents' social class. New research by Professor Gosta Esping-Andersen - whose work is much quoted by ministers - shows that only high-quality and universal early-years care explains it. But nurseries do have to be universal and easily affordable, so that the poorest families use them. They only help emotional and cognitive development if they are excellent: half of Swedish childcare staff have a three-year degree. Failure to provide this for all is widening the class divide, as middle-class children get more nursery schooling than poorer children."
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