Early childhood education and care : a national policy

Abstract

In spite of the locally-available services in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), there has been no attempt to: discuss or design a national policy for the sector based on the cultural needs and the national climate; identify shared understandings and expectations of early childhood education and care, that is our “nation’s social construction of childhood” (Kagan, 2001); research the quality of the provision of available services. There has been no research on the impact of transitions children go through from homes to centres and from centres to compulsory schooling or even, the effect these settings have on children’s short and long term development. An early childhood education and care policy needs to be shaped by considering dynamic forces within the family and within society. The responsibilities of ECEC are not limited or restricted to a clearly defined body or agency and any policy in the field must take into consideration demographic, economic and social developments. By taking into consideration the changes experienced by societies and within families as they struggle to reconcile work and care commitments the far-reaching impact of a good or weak ECEC policy can be highlighted.