Parents of two-year-olds in England are being asked for their views on the development check, due to be introduced for children between two-and-a-half and three.
The survey, which will question up to 2,500 parents of two-year-olds, is being carried out by parenting club Bounty with the Pre-School Learning Alliance.
The Bounty online opinion survey asks what parents think about the plans to introduce the development check for all children who use registered childcare settings.
The survey asks parents to rank in order of importance statements on the sort of information that the check should cover, including: ‘the progress report should identify any early concerns or issues’, ‘it should indicate whether extra support or intervention by professionals is required’, and ‘the progress report shows evidence of best practice in the setting’.
It also asks parents to choose what they think the main focus of the report should be, based on different areas of learning and development in the EYFS.
Parents are also asked how they would feel if they were told in the report that their child was ‘developmentally behind’ other children, and whether they would prefer it if reports only focussed on children who are lagging behind at 24 and 36 months.
It also asks parents to consider whether they think the progress report will help to identify special educational needs or behavioural problems, as well as whether they believe there could be a possibility of misdiagnosis, due to developmental differences in young children.
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said, ‘The Government believes that monitoring two-year-old children in an early years setting will help early years and childcare practitioners to better support families whose child may be experiencing a delay in their learning and development.
‘However, as the consequences of getting it wrong could cause undue anxiety to thousands of parents, we’re keen to hear their views.’
The Pre-School Learning Alliance will publish the results early next year.
The Bounty online opinion survey asks what parents think about the plans to introduce the development check for all children who use registered childcare settings.
The survey asks parents to rank in order of importance statements on the sort of information that the check should cover, including: ‘the progress report should identify any early concerns or issues’, ‘it should indicate whether extra support or intervention by professionals is required’, and ‘the progress report shows evidence of best practice in the setting’.
It also asks parents to choose what they think the main focus of the report should be, based on different areas of learning and development in the EYFS.
Parents are also asked how they would feel if they were told in the report that their child was ‘developmentally behind’ other children, and whether they would prefer it if reports only focussed on children who are lagging behind at 24 and 36 months.
It also asks parents to consider whether they think the progress report will help to identify special educational needs or behavioural problems, as well as whether they believe there could be a possibility of misdiagnosis, due to developmental differences in young children.
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said, ‘The Government believes that monitoring two-year-old children in an early years setting will help early years and childcare practitioners to better support families whose child may be experiencing a delay in their learning and development.
‘However, as the consequences of getting it wrong could cause undue anxiety to thousands of parents, we’re keen to hear their views.’
The Pre-School Learning Alliance will publish the results early next year.