As yet another review of childcare policy looms, early years experts are still calling for the divide between education and care to be abolished as part of a radical rethink about what we want for children and families in the UK. Professor Peter Moss of the Thomas Coram Research Unit sets out his thoughts in our Special Report this week ('Far and wide', pages 10-11). One of Professor Moss's conclusions is that the spending review should look abroad to stimulate critical questions, and policymakers would do well to start by reading our eight-page pull-out on early education and care across the world on pages 15-22. Dr Helen Penn provides some fascinating snapshots of provision for young children in a wide range of countries, finding that the quality of what is offered is not necessarily determined by a country's wealth or social equality. See how the UK measures up.
As yet another review of childcare policy looms, early years experts are still calling for the divide between education and care to be abolished as part of a radical rethink about what we want for children and families in the UK. Professor Peter Moss of the Thomas Coram Research Unit sets out his thoughts in our Special Report this week ('Far and wide', pages 10-11).
One of Professor Moss's conclusions is that the spending review should look abroad to stimulate critical questions, and policymakers would do well to start by reading our eight-page pull-out on early education and care across the world on pages 15-22. Dr Helen Penn provides some fascinating snapshots of provision for young children in a wide range of countries, finding that the quality of what is offered is not necessarily determined by a country's wealth or social equality. See how the UK measures up.
Professor Moss also points out that the Government should consider whether to move towards a universal care and education service, and it is the economic and social benefits that could arise from this that are considered by economists at PriceWaterhouseCoopers in a new report backing greater investment (see News, page 4).
