Young children, parents and professionals

High quality early childhood provision has been shown to make a substantial difference to children's later performance in school, and throughout their lives. This book explores the needs of and relationships between children, parents and professionals and puts forward practical ways in which these needs can be met. Margaret Henry presents a model which proposes three care-giving dimensions of behaviour through which parents and professionals can not only help young children to develop, but can also help one another's development. Evidence of positive change comes both from her own research in family day care and from the work of her students, practising teachers and child care personnel. Their examples involve often hard-to-reach parents - those who are tired, employed, alienated and culturally or ethnically diverse. There are practical suggestions here for professionals and parents interested in enhancing their relationships with one another and improving the outcomes for young children.