Your Opinion: Letters

SMILES ON THE TRAIN

Stephanie Evans (Letters, 1 May) must have been unlucky if another passenger scowled at her daughter on a train journey from London to Cumbria. Here in West Cumbria my wife and I have taken numerous children (our own and her charges) on train trips for 30 years, and have never encountered anything other than smiles from other passengers.

When we took eight three-year-olds from our pre-school on the train through Bransty Tunnel to mark its 150th anniversary some years ago, everyone smiled, even though the girls squealed loudly in mock terror once we had entered the tunnel!

Locally, no-one bats an eyelid at the presence of young families on the train. Prams and pushchairs are helped on and off without anyone having to be asked.

I am surprised that Ms Evans has allowed the poor attitude of one person to influence her choice of travel. Perhaps she would like to catch the train from Carlisle to Whitehaven and see how most people view children travelling.

Tony Potts, chairman, New Rainbow Pre-School, Whitehaven, Cumbria and chairman of Copeland Rail Users' Group

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SERVING UP PROBLEMS

Our nursery's Ofsted inspector recommended that at lunchtimes we should place the food, such as a bowl of potatoes, chicken casserole and other accompaniments, in the centre of the table and let children serve themselves. Is this the latest 'do good' phase we are in, or have people lost sight of common sense?

While I firmly believe young children should be encouraged to make choices in the food they eat, I do not believe they should be eating whenever they feel like it or eating whatever they want. Nor do I believe it is advisable for such young children to serve themselves lunch to the extent that our inspector recommended. What would happen if a child was injured by hot sauce? Or all the potatoes were dropped on the floor? They couldn't be replaced quickly, so children would lose out.

I believe inspectors who are advising such practice have not worked in a childcare setting where lunch time is a little different from home due to the numbers of children eating together.

I much prefer the Mediterranean approach to mealtimes. In Italy, for example, children are encouraged to lay the table and help where applicable, but the food is served to them. It mostly consists of one main course made from high-quality, often organic ingredients. Staff and children eat together just as the child does at home. The quality of food being served and the social element is what is important, rather than a two-year-old serving his own potatoes, chicken and peas.

Judith Baxter, St Mary's Nursery, Hexham, Northumberland

NVQ FOR MATURITY

I am perplexed by the explanation of NVQs given by John Calder (Letters, 27 March). Statutory requirements state that at least 50per cent of staff must be qualified. But if trainees who sign up for these courses are not mature and have not had years of experience, as suggested by Mr Calder, who or what is going to give them the expertise and knowledge they need by the time they achieve NVQ status?

The majority of them are fresh out of school or college and, in enlisting themselves on these courses they perhaps think their NVQ is a 'soft option' with Government funding and will suffice while nothing else beckons. It is sad that they do not yet know whether they want to dedicate their lives to caring for children. To ask an employer, as Mr Calder suggests, to support them with their expertise and knowledge is expecting a lot!

In contrast, the mature person who wishes to return to work, maybe after successfully bringing up their own family, is not Government-funded on NVQs, but can bring a wealth of maturity to the workplace as well as breadth of knowledge.

Why can't the Government fund the maturer workforce instead and provide nursery settings with a more experienced and possibly a more dependable workforce than the current one? This would give the NVQ qualification a broader respect than it currently holds.

Sharman Allerton, by e-mail

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