tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51052052024-03-14T02:31:38.378+00:00Early ChildhoodThis blog is concerned with policy issues and practices relevant to the field of early childhood studies. It is hoped that it will be of interest to students, researchers and practitioners alike.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger426125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-1250954163934562072012-02-03T11:51:00.000+00:002012-02-03T11:51:55.840+00:00Free nursery places may not help children's education, watchdog finds | Education | The Guardian'School' cannot compensate for Society however education is a misnomer; it is schooling they are talking about as education is not assessed. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/feb/03/free-nursery-places-children-education">Free nursery places may not help children's education, watchdog finds | Education | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-714983624116146902011-11-23T12:25:00.000+00:002011-11-23T12:25:27.362+00:00Parenting classes don't tackle child poverty, says former Sure Start boss | Society | The Guardian<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/nov/22/child-poverty-commission-milton-keynes">Parenting classes don't tackle child poverty, says former Sure Start boss | Society | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-6910809062297762702011-05-09T12:24:00.000+01:002011-05-09T12:24:43.727+01:00Singing to children may help development of language skills | Life and style | The Guardian"'Even better than just singing, though, is to teach songs with actions and encourage your child to dance along to the music, they will learn balance, co-ordination, body awareness and rhythm,' he said."<div><br /></div><div>Froebel's Mutter- und Kose-Lieder, anyone?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-44677690640024140622011-04-30T11:16:00.000+01:002011-04-30T11:16:55.492+01:00ScoccaUniforms for pre-school children: is the choice really between rearing "drones" or "shoppers"?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-20422894364038092812011-04-13T20:53:00.001+01:002011-04-13T20:55:36.938+01:00Your baby can't really read!Pa<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">rents and educational organizations including </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> are seeking an end to the deceptive marketing practices used to advertise so-called educational products such as the video flashcard product marketed in the USA as "Your Baby Can Read". Ummm... no. It can't. Moreover, "[i]</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">f parents follow </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Your Baby Can Read</span></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">’s viewing instructions, their baby will have watched more than 200 hours by the age of nine months—spending more than one full week of 24-hour days in front of a screen." This when the recommended amount of screentime for children below aged two is zero hours, full stop.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Read more: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://www.momsrising.org/blog/your-baby-can%e2%80%99t-really-read-and-doesn%e2%80%99t-need-to/#ixzz1JR1BW5hQ" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #003399; cursor: pointer; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.momsrising.org/blog/your-baby-can%e2%80%99t-really-read-and-doesn%e2%80%99t-need-to/#ixzz1JR1BW5hQ</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-90626465312905953262011-03-30T10:18:00.000+01:002011-03-30T10:18:33.459+01:00BBC News - Early years development measures to be scaled backSome mixed messages in reaction to welcome news of a reduction in the number of EFYS 'benchmarks' in England. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12894236">BBC News - Early years development measures to be scaled back</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-4217115781029817612011-03-08T09:29:00.000+00:002011-03-08T09:29:52.698+00:00Unlike Thatcher, Cameron is preserving awkward history | Polly Toynbee | Comment is free | The GuardianCohort studies and policies for children in the UK. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/07/thatcher-cameron-birth-cohort-studies">Unlike Thatcher, Cameron is preserving awkward history | Polly Toynbee | Comment is free | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-66376599640919261962011-03-06T13:24:00.000+00:002011-03-06T13:24:46.590+00:00Sure Start cuts to hit poorest hardes | Society | The GuardianSure Start under threat. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/mar/03/sure-start-funding-cuts-poor-areas">Sure Start cuts to hit poorest hardes | Society | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-13703247753108514752011-03-03T09:03:00.000+00:002011-03-03T09:03:04.673+00:00A parent's guide to the early years foundation stage.An interesting blog concerned with what it says in the title - the EYFS <a href="http://parentsguidetoeyfs.wordpress.com/">A parent's guide to the early years foundation stage.</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-57480664229961119082011-02-23T13:13:00.000+00:002011-02-23T13:13:37.467+00:00BBC News - Save the Children attacks child poverty figureMore data on child poverty in the UK from Save the Children. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12544372">BBC News - Save the Children attacks child poverty figure</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-17559363198429143782011-02-11T10:31:00.000+00:002011-02-11T10:31:01.870+00:0060% of poorest children fail to reach good level of behaviour, says study | Society | guardian.co.ukMarmot reports highlights class differences in children's health and development. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/11/poorest-children-fail-good-level-behaviour">60% of poorest children fail to reach good level of behaviour, says study | Society | guardian.co.uk</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-1712298072587230552011-02-09T15:23:00.000+00:002011-02-09T15:23:24.786+00:00Nursery charges rise twice as quickly as wages | Society | The GuardianWomen go back to your homes. That's one conclusion that can be drawn from the rising cost of child care in the UK <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/09/nursery-charges-rise-childcare">Nursery charges rise twice as quickly as wages | Society | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-49782693929604937812011-01-23T15:24:00.000+00:002011-01-23T15:24:14.941+00:00This government talks about empathy while cutting the cuddles already there | Zoe Williams | Comment is free | The GuardianZoe Williams criticises the cultural deprivation assumptions that lie behind Graham Allen's report on early intervention. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/20/empathy-cuddles-graham-allen-early-years">This government talks about empathy while cutting the cuddles already there | Zoe Williams | Comment is free | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-57526445664590753262011-01-19T15:09:00.000+00:002011-01-19T15:09:52.595+00:00BBC News - Benefit cuts 'threaten to increase babies in poverty'The number of babies born into poverty in the UK is set to rise. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12217868">BBC News - Benefit cuts 'threaten to increase babies in poverty'</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-75018941443069139092011-01-14T13:41:00.000+00:002011-01-14T13:41:28.941+00:00BBC News - Many children's centres 'under threat of closure'Bad news for some UK children's centres. Early years' provision always seem to suffer disproportionately relative to other sectors of the education system in recessions and fiscal crisese. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12182994">BBC News - Many children's centres 'under threat of closure'</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-63785445723780167642011-01-01T12:16:00.000+00:002011-01-01T12:16:39.871+00:00Face it if you dare. This is the end of the children's decade | Polly Toynbee | Comment is free | The GuardianPolly Toynbee predicts a grim year ahead for disadvantaged children in the UK. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/31/end-childrens-decade-coalition?INTCMP=SRCH">Face it if you dare. This is the end of the children's decade | Polly Toynbee | Comment is free | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-10682190159224424292010-12-14T10:10:00.000+00:002010-12-14T10:10:39.188+00:00Labour's pre-school reforms 'failing to raise standards' - TelegraphThis research has already been reported on. This news item refers to an article just published in Oxford Review of Education. The researchers claim that as five year olds do not understand this or that, Sure Start is a failure but this research is not an evaluation of children who have attended Sure Start but of the attainments of all five year ols in their sample. <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8199247/Labours-pre-school-reforms-failing-to-raise-standards.html">Labour's pre-school reforms 'failing to raise standards' - Telegraph</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-81503810097452052982010-12-05T13:34:00.000+00:002010-12-05T13:34:09.868+00:00Frank Field must not let the unthinkable happen to Sure Start | Polly Toynbee | Comment is free | The Guardian'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; ">Poverty is not the main reason why people are poor' writes Polly Toynbee of Frank Field's review of poverty. Field takes the view that it is not a more equitable distribution of income and wealth that will eliminate poverty but moralisation. This Victorian view has the advantage of being cheap but fails utterly to comprehend the link between poverty and the way people adapt to it through culture - the lifestyle choices they make. Polly's is a well informed critique and once again she points to the consequences of the cuts for SureStart. </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/03/frank-field-poverty-unthinkable-sure-start/print">Frank Field must not let the unthinkable happen to Sure Start | Polly Toynbee | Comment is free | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-83506833625687332992010-12-05T13:25:00.000+00:002010-12-05T13:25:27.523+00:00£26,000: the salary you need just to cover childcare | Money | The GuardianOECD puts child care costs as highest in the countries it surveys. It is predicted that the cuts recently announced will have a large impact on lower income families' child care costs. No doubt there will be a knock on effect and the private businesses that have sprung up to provided child care and early years education will also feel the consequences of a decline in the numbers who can afford their fees. £<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/dec/04/childcare-salary-government-cuts/print">26,000: the salary you need just to cover childcare | Money | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-82914354663654119382010-11-02T08:26:00.000+00:002010-11-02T08:26:18.021+00:00Poorer children twice as likely to start school with behaviour problems - gap may have widened over last decade - Sutton TrustSutton Trust Research states -or restates - the obvious but Former Labout minister, Frank Field was arguing on the radio this morning that it was deficient culture not economic circumstance that was to blame. The solution then is moralisation not a reduction in levels of poverty. We have heard this before - over the last two hundred years! <a href="http://www.suttontrust.com/news/news/poorer-children-twice-as-likely-to/">Poorer children twice as likely to start school with behaviour problems - gap may have widened over last decade - Sutton Trust</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-10800636272302147062010-10-29T10:16:00.000+01:002010-10-29T10:16:52.960+01:004-Year-Old Can Be Sued, Judge Rules in Bike Case - NYTimes.comHow can society expect a 'reasonably prudent' 4-year-old to behave, and what might the limits be of such a child's culpability in the event of foreseeable mishaps? This is a particularly tragic case - a girl riding her bike into a woman, who - as a result of the hip fracture thereby sustained - died some three weeks later. I suspect the answer to this question is culturally-specific, as well as changeable over time. What say you?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-42848704148837823592010-10-20T23:51:00.000+01:002010-10-20T23:51:49.441+01:00MEPs back 20 weeks' maternity leave on full pay | World news | The GuardianI heard someone, an MEP I think, on the radio this morning arguing for this on the grounds we need women in Europe to have more children otherwise there will be more immigrants. There are many better arguments I am sure for extending maternity leave but Europe is haunted by far-right orchestrated opposition to migration and this seems to be infiltrating child and family policy debates. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/20/meps-vote-increase-maternity-leave">MEPs back 20 weeks' maternity leave on full pay | World news | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-69688965489479362992010-10-18T06:35:00.000+01:002010-10-18T06:35:34.057+01:00Investing in young childrenThe fiscal crisis of the State in the US forms the context of this evaluation of early childhood programmes including Head Start conducted by The Brookings Center on Children and Families <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;">and The National Institute for Early Education Research.</span></span>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-26627232202460382162010-10-15T12:29:00.000+01:002010-10-15T12:29:09.007+01:00Response: The great majority of nurseries meet Ofsted's stringent standards | Comment is free | The GuardianPurnima Tanuku responds to article on under twos at nursery <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/oct/14/nurseries-standards-ofsted-childcare">Response: The great majority of nurseries meet Ofsted's stringent standards | Comment is free | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5105205.post-84681026013366226942010-10-04T15:56:00.000+01:002010-10-04T15:56:39.211+01:00The great nursery debate | Life and style | The GuardianAn article which explores the question of what do child care experts think about the advisability of nursery for the under twos. As with most social science topics, opinion is divided. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/02/nurseries-childcare-pre-school-cortisol">The great nursery debate | Life and style | The Guardian</a>Kevin J. Brehonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452609884286774912noreply@blogger.com0