Dissertation

York St John University

Faculty of Education and Theology

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Why do parents send their children to nursery?

Jessica Moreno

129066420

Module: Research Study 3CF070

Word Count: 9,010

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Abstract

This paper begins with a brief history of childcare in the 19th century and how it has changed with time. The research was carried out in a private nursery in a low-income are in Yorkshire. It analyses reasons as to why parents start their children at nursery and possible factors that may influence this decision. The paper considers the amount of time the child spends at the nursery, how old they were when they first attended in terms of the developmental effects it may have on the child and possibly the parent. This report also evaluates the literature on the benefits provided by the government in order to promote childcare provision. Studies about early year’s provisions have been mainly American studies, however, in other countries including the UK, the results of these studies show that they are mot culture-specific. Studies carried out in the past on pre-school children (3 years of age +) show consistency whereas studies carried out on children aged 0 to 3 find that there are some positives effects as well as negatives.

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Contents

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5

Literature Review…………………………………………………………………………………………………………7

EPPE Study……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….14

Government Intervention………………………………………………………………………………………..…16

Headstart……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…..18

Surestart……………………………………………………………………………………………………….………18, 19

Cognitive Development………………………………………………………………………………………………20

Methodology…………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..24

Qualitative Research……………………………………………………………………………………………..25, 30

Semi-Structured Interviews…………………………………………………………………………………………27

Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….30

Ethics…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..32

Personal Reflection……………………………………………………………………………………………………..33

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..36

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..40

APPENDICE A…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..42

APPENDICE B……………………………………………………………………………………………………………43

APPENDICE C……………………………………………………………………………………………………………44

TABLE A Hornby (1990)…………………………………………………………………………………………....13

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Introduction

Historically, the origin of nursery dates back to the 18th century in Europe, with welfare objective. Their actions were intended to shelter and protect disadvantaged children. According to Cochran (1998), day care arises from the 19TH Century, also with assistance function, in order to minimize the high rate of infant mortality, its main purpose was to provide hygiene, feeding and protection for children from low-income families.

With the industrialization process in the second half of the 19th century, with the inclusion of women in the labour market and the process of urbanisation, the attendance in nursery was expanded, not only to meet the children of the mothers who were not workers who leave them while they worked, but also to ensure the quality of the workforce. Particularly, as nurseries have become something advantageous for entrepreneurs creating more satisfied mothers that therefore produced better work. Thus, the nursery is not justified by objectives related to the development of the child, but related to the needs of families, especially those of the mothers having support in the care and education of young children.

In addition to industrialisation, and as a result of the changes in the role that women play in the family, the production of knowledge about the needs and potential of the child, has contributed to that, beyond the needs of the family, particularly mothers, if you also consider the needs of children, Yes, even small, they are subjects of education and care in institutions for this purpose.

The women's movement in the years 1970, claiming nurseries, was instrumental in the emergence of the nursery as an institution to care for and educate children (ibid). As an institution, it represents a right, a right of the child and the worker, a conquest of organised civil society with the purpose of promoting child development, especially with regard to their needs and educational skills. This had as a consequence had a significant demand for day care for working mothers and that didn't work out, because these had few resources in the domestic space to ensure the socialisation of the child.