It's easy to get bogged down in domestic concerns and to ignore the wider global picture of children's services. So two members of the Nursery World team were privileged to attend the World Forum on Early Care and Education last week in Belfast (see News, page 6).
There, the scale of the challenges and the pace of change in children's services were apparent from the talks by representatives of many different countries.
Here in the post-industrial world, we may feel that money is in short supply and that the mental well-being of our children is a major concern. But in the emerging world, the lack of money and the effects of conflict and environmental catastrophe present enormous problems.
Uganda has 1 million Aids orphans; Aceh in Indonesia, worst hit by the tsunami, has 140,000 orphans; staff:child ratios in Kenya can be 1:50; there will be an estimated global shortage of 18 million teachers by 2015.
However, there were also inspiring stories of progress - huge investment in childhood centres in Malaysia; a new curriculum in Fiji; a peaceful community for children in Iraq.
And delegates were united in their belief in play and the importance of the learning environment.
- EYP event grows
The Children's Workforce Development Council's Early Years Professional event is shaping up to be an exciting affair, with new children's minister Dawn Primarolo speaking and more than 770 delegates registered so far. The free event takes place on 14 July in Birmingham, supported by Nursery World. To register, visit www.greengagelive.com/event/eypsevent09.
