Pre-school childcare in England, 1939-2010 : theory, practice and experience / Angela Davis.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Davis, Angela, 1981-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Child care--Great Britain--History.

Child care.

History.

Great Britain.

Physical Description:

xi, 242 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Manchester : Manchester University Press, 2015.

Summary:

Pre-school childcare in England, 1939-2010 is an innovative study of the relationship between child development theories, childcare practices and children's experiences. Looking at childcare outside the home in four different forms: day nurseries, nursery schools and classes, playgroups, and childminders, the book navigates how both individual families and wider society managed the care of young children in the context of dramatic increases in the employment of mothers. The book demonstrates that three principal arguments shaped the experience of all those involved. The first was that care for the under-fives was the responsibility of individual families, not the state. The second was that young children were best off at home with their mothers. Thirdly, it was desired that any care that was offered to the under-fives should be cost effective. Pre-school childcare explores how these beliefs influenced statutory and voluntary provision. The book's importance also lies in its innovative approach. Through its use of a new body of oral history interviews with childcare workers and users, the book charts how the debates surrounding child development influenced the provision and practice of care and the consequences on those involved. Childcare remains an issue fraught with controversies and in the public eye. Through its consideration of the relationship between current perspectives and past attitudes, Pre-school childcare will be valuable reading for students, researchers and practitioners working in early years' services and related disciplines, and for those interested in twentieth-century British social history. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Introduction 1

2 The Second World War 25

3 Day nurseries 74

4 Nursery schools and classes 118

5 Playgroups 160

6 Childminders 188

7 Conclusions 221.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 231-233) and index.

ISBN:

9780719090653

0719090652

OCLC:

894938041