1. Early Education and Care: an anti poverty strategy? Naomi Eisenstadt 1

2. Ameliorating the impact of poverty, or fewer poor children Child development goals Regular attendance Highly qualified staff ½ day enough to get the cognitive and social boost Starting from 2 years Makes the biggest difference for the poorest children But: Poverty bad for children, employment best route out of poverty Anti poverty, gender equality goals: female labour market participation Flexible Affordable Extended hours Starting from soon after birth But: Poor quality can do damage Educational attainment critical for long term child outcomes

3. Ongoing tension: quality and flexibility For the mother and father in employment Flexible Affordable Warm and friendly staff Reasonably close to home or work place Home based or group based care Links to other community services For the child How old? – 0-2 – 2-3 – 3 and 4 How many hours per day? Days per week? Staff ratios 3

4. Dylan two and a half new born 4

5. What we know from research Babies need: – Constant human attention sensitive to needs (attunement) – Physical and emotional care – Interactive play – Esp in group care, attention to hygiene Two year olds need: – Stable relation relationships – Opportunities to play and interact with others – Predictable routines – Opportunities to be physically active From birth, exposure to language, communication and conversation absolutely essential 5

6. In group settings three and four year olds need.... A good balance of staff led and child led activities Open ended questions, sustained shared thinking Behaviour policies that encourage children to talk through areas of conflict Parental interest and involvement in centre activities Centres with strong leaders and long serving staff with a strong knowledge of child development 6

7. But the home learning environment much more important, especially on literacy 7

8. Impact still evident at age 11 from Melhuish E. C. (2011). Preschool matters. Science, 333, 299-300. 8

9. What happens in the home learning environment that matters to outcomes ? Telling stories, rhymes and songs Reading, visits to the library, visits to shops On going conversations about day to day activities Counting, letter games, messy play Encouraging language and authoritative discipline Flexibility in day to day routines and activities 9

10. Balancing the tension between flexibility for parent and quality for child Evidence on long term outcomes on benefits of early childhood education and care based on 4 or 5 days a week attendance No evidence that attending full time provided better outcomes than part day five days In the UK (and in Scotland) over ½ of children in poverty live in a household where at least one adult is in employment Most poor working families not in full time work, so childcare needs variable 10

11. Best for young children; best for working parents Home learning environment Flexible for parents Child centred and responsive for young children Requires very strict ratios; home safety measures, support for home carers Group care Regular predictable routines for children Stable relationships Experience of groups and behaviour expectations before school 11

12. Can we deliver a mix of domestic and group care? Cadre of well trained and supported childminders Group care starting around 2 years, even if parent working part time, attendance 4-5 days, half day session Time out of group care covered by home childcare Requires complex organisation, relaxation of home care ratios for short periods, and overall management and administration by providers: parent buys combined package 12

13. Childcare reform recommendations Affordability: limit on maximum of family income on childcare, ensures poorest families get most support Availability: Scottish Govt commitment to 30 free hours per week, very expensive to deliver; will it come at cost of quality? Funding mechanisms: make it simpler, what about supply side funding? Focus on early learning: need to factor in costs of Siraj recommendations, hard choices Needs of the very young: greater emphasis on childminders, and support for family care if chosen Governance arrangements to oversee delivery; balance of local circumstances and needs, and national standards and entitlements 13

14. In summary Ideal provision for children and parents: Generous maternity/paternity leave, protecting the first year Regular attendance in ½ day group childcare, delivered by well trained and well paid staff Hours outside of group delivered by well supported home carers (childminders) Employment policies that contribute to family well being Meeting recommendations very high cost, and additional costs in improving the work force....but we need to start. 14

15. References Sound Foundations: a review of the research evidence on quality of early childhood care and education for children under three. (Mathers et al) Oxford University and Sutton Trust, January 2014. Students’ educational and developmental outcomes age 16 Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE 3-16) Project Research Brief (Sylva et al) Department for Education, September 2014 Early Childhood Matters: Evidence from the Effective Pre-school and Primary Education project. (Sylva, Melhuish, Sammons, Siraj-Blatchford, Taggart), Routledge. 2010 15