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measures stress levels) show that childcare centres are stressful for very young children. Children who are cared for at home show much lower stress levels. Interactions between children and staff are brief and often mechanical as one staff member is shared between 3, 4 or 5 children. The brain of a child develops most in the first three years of life. The emotional intelligence which is developed in this time is the result of small, complex, loving interactions which occur between parents and child. It is also the basis for further development and the ability to find happiness in life. MRI’s show that failure to develop emotional intelligence at this time leaves an area of the brain ‘blank’ and this cannot be remedied later in life. The mother’s chemistry is changed through her interactions with her child enabling her to calm and soothe the child which in turn leads to the child being able to self-regulate its own emotions. Discipline and the development of a moral conscience can only occur in an environment where the child knows he/she is loved and will be forgiven. Childcare is big business and the profit motive works against the provision of quality care. Even the best childcare workers and facilities cannot provide the one-on-one, emotionally present care which is required by a very young child. Love rarely enters the equation. So, Biddulph argues, very strongly, that only in the direst of circumstances should children under the age of one be placed in childcare and in the second and third year, only for short periods of time. |
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RECOMMENDED READING |
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There has been much discussion in recent years about the availability and affordability of child care outside the home. What about the quality? The Australia Institute in its recent report entitled “Child Care Quality in Australia” surveyed a large number of child care workers in various centres around Australia in an effort to answer this question. The questionnaire asked the surveyed staff about the quality of care, the time allowed for staff to develop relationships with the children, the programs for the children and how well they accommodated the children’s needs, the quality of the equipment used, the quality and quantity of food provided, the staff turnover and staff to child ratios. The staff indicated that the ability to develop a relationship with a child and form some attachment was the best indicator of quality care. In the view of the staff surveyed this quality was ‘generally quite high’ in community based centres with the lowest quality offered in corporate centres. In fact, in all the areas surveyed, community based centres fared the best followed by private centres and then corporate centres. Interestingly when the staff were asked if they would use a centre similar to their own for their own child aged under two years, the majority who worked in community based centres answered in the affirmative. While 21 per cent of staff working in corporate operated centres answered in the negative. These child care workers had concerns about the high child to staff ratios, the negative impact of high staff turnover, the need to have ‘warm staff personality’ as opposed to those who were over qualified and the need to have a good relationship with the children. “The survey results indicated a consistent quality difference between independent, private and corporate chain centres. This suggests that it is not ‘for profit’ status itself which is the problem, but the pressure that corporate chains are under to pursue business objectives, even if it is a the expense of humanist concerns.’ |
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Raising Babies Should under 3’s go to nursery? Steve Biddulph. Harper Thorsons. UK. 2006. Available from Amazon.com.UK. R.R.P. £7.99 plus P&H. This is a self-help book written to help parents of very young children make the ‘right’ decision about their child’s care during the first three years of their life. It is written in a simple, straightforward manner and is an easy read. Biddulph begins by arguing that the big decisions in life today are between love and money. He argues that if love is put first it changes everything. In the last 20 years the number of children, under three, in day care has trebled and in the same space of time there has been an epidemic of mental health problems amongst children and adolescents. However, there is evidence that parents would prefer parental leave, flexible work hours and return-to-work security over the provision of more child care facilities. Statistics show that about 5% of parents put very young children into long day care and about 35% gradually introduce their child to day care over the second and third year. On the other hand about 60% of parents use no day care at all apart from occasional care by grandparents and close friends or relatives. Observation and cortisol testing (which |
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SUPER-SPLITTING CONGRATS!!! |
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Here a just a few of the many letters of congratulations received after our “super” win. Congratulations and well done!! There will be many women over time who will benefit from this. L.E. - NSW
Hearty congrats. I would like to mention this coup in my international newsletter on caregiving. Great work! B.S.- Canada Well done. It's pleasing to think there are still bright spots. NFAW |
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Congratulations to you and WAA on your fine result for women. National Council for Jewish Women Well done. Indeed it was you who was the major driver in this now successful campaign!!! D.O. - UNSW
This is great news and all your hard work has paid off. You are to be congratulated. D.K—Tas |
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CHILD CARE QUALITY |
