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Reports in several newspapers and on broadcast news are suggesting that the goverment is about to change its strategy on provision of childcare for children aged under two years. This is in response to mounting evidence that children placed into long hours of nursery daycare are being adversely socially affected, with aggression and anti-social behaviour the long term consequences.
An alternative strategy might be to increase a mother's paid maternity entitlement from the current six months to one year. And according to the Guardian (see links below), childcare experts are urging the government to increase their support of nannies and childminders for this age group, rather than making more funding available for nurseries catering for this age group.
Two major factors contributing to the very youngs' experience in a normal nursery setting are the high turnover of staff, which prevents long term relationships being built up, and the ratio of staff to the children in their care.
Three excellent articles, discussing the emerging changes in thinking and the reasons for them, can be found in the Guardian Online. Find them from the links below.
Fear on nursery care forces re-think
Nursery Tales, parts one and two