It's time to ask whether all the investment in and planning for early years care and education is helping to achieve what young children really need, says Kathy Goouch
When any group in central government turns their attention to a particular phase or field of education, it creates mixed feelings of joy and despair - that there might be an increase in funding, or that it may be manipulated for short-term political gains.
Of course, it is quite right that governments should focus on the early years. Any society will benefit from paying attention to young children and to finding ways of helping them to stay safe, to be healthy and to achieve well, so that they make a strong contribution as they grow. Any developed society would also take special care of its most vulnerable members and there is also a wealth of compelling evidence from neuroscience to support the idea of a critical period of learning in the very earliest years (Blakemore 2000).
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here