The paper, prepared by the party's early years policy working group in England and put out for consultation until 30 May, covers a range of issues including the future of early years partnerships, training, the extent to which the Sure Start initiative is helping families in deprived areas and the type of provision suitable at different ages.
Basing its analysis on the research in the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) project, the paper says that 'centres which have the highest quality inputs have the best outcomes', underlining 'the crucial role government can play in supporting the youngest children and their families appropriately'.
In a thinly-veiled criticism of the effectiveness of the Neighbourhood Nurseries initiative, the paper states, 'Nurseries serving deprived areas can find that it is more difficult to lift children out of the cycle of underachievement, because the children are only mixing with others who have a similar family background and expectations. Enabling children from a wide range of backgrounds and with varied experiences to mix can lead to positive results all round.'
The consultation document, which is not Liberal Democrat policy but an indication of the direction of the party's thinking on early years, questions whether Sure Start should remain focused on deprived areas or be rolled out across the country. It says the initiative is only available to 'a small proportion of the 60 per cent most disadvantaged families who live in the target areas, and does not yet address pockets of deprivation in wealthier areas or many rural areas'.
The document says that while research evidence suggests that very young children fare better when cared for by a parent, family member or childminder, some will be ready for group care before others and many parents want their child to attend nursery from an early age to get used to being with other children. It questions 'whether the state should have a view about the type of childcare it promotes for children of different ages'.
The party is in favour of compulsory pre-school education and welcomes the growth of centres providing integrated education, health and social services. But the consultation document suggests that parents would prefer some uniformity in co-ordinated care. 'Turning all those which meet the criteria into integrated centres would make the system less complicated for parents.'
The document suggests that integrated centres could be promoted as a way of giving five- and six-year-olds full-time education in the foundation or 'formative stage' before they begin formal schooling at seven.
The consultation's section on training includes the most questions raised for discussion and is likely to prove the most contentious. Among the questions on training the Liberal Democrats want addressed are:
* Should all staff working in the early years sector - childminders, nannies or nursery workers - have a qualification or be working towards one?
* Should all early years settings have at least one member of staff with qualified teacher status?
* Should there be a professional body for early years workers?
* Should there be a long-term aim to create professional self-regulation for early years workers?
Responses should be sent by e-mail to c.chandler@libdems. org.uk or by post to Baroness Walmsley, Liberal Democrats, 4 Cowley Street, London SW1P 3NB by 30 May. For details of the consultation see the website www.libdems.org.uk.
