There appears to be a will common to all political parties that they are prepared to invest in punishment rather than prevention. This is presumably because the latter is of the moment and is the stuff of point-scoring and political self-advertisement, whereas the long- term view will span the life of many governments and so always land up as someone else's problem - although the Labour government has done more to better the lives of young children than any before them, and has shown a real vision, beginning with Sure Start.
However, the current crisis with overcrowding in prisons appears to be costing us all a million pounds a week as criminals jostle for space in the cells. A great shame there had not been more space for them and their parents in decent children's centres when they were toddlers. It's highly probable that a better, focused system of provision in their early years would have lessened the chances of them developing into delinquents.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
