People Under Three: Play, work and learning in a childcare setting

Services for young children have gone through a period of rapid transformation in recent years, which have been paralleled by great advances in our knowledge of early child development. However, care and education in the first three years of life continues to be a neglected area.

Thoroughly updated to take account of key policy and practice changes in childcare provision, this landmark text translates child development theory and research into everyday practice. All the practical ideas in the book have been developed and tested in nurseries, family and children’s centres and include the importance of providing opportunities for adventurous and exploratory play for babies and toddlers, understanding and responding to children's emotional needs and offering personalized and sensitive care. The book also explores different ways of working with parents and the role of early years settings and practitioners in helping to keep children safe. It includes chapters on:

• Childcare policy and services
• Planning spaces for living, learning and playing
• Babies in day care
• Heuristic play with objects
• Mealtimes
• Learning out of doors
• Leading and managing a childcare centre
• Involving and working with parents
• Safeguarding children

People Under Three is an established practical text for all those training to work with young children or managing day care facilities. Focusing on the care and learning of very young children, it is designed specifically for those who look after them day by day, as well as being a useful resource for social work students and policy makers.

Sonia Jackson is Emeritus Professor of Social Care and Education at the Institute of Education, University of London, UK. Earlier, she worked as a clinical psychologist, teacher and social worker and has published extensively on early childhood education and childcare. She has a special interest in the education of children looked after away from home.

Ruth Forbes is a Children’s Centre Cluster Manager for Dorset County Council, UK. She has worked in a range of early years settings in the private and voluntary sectors, leading and managing full day care and supporting staff training and development. She is the author of ‘Beginning to Play’ and has also written and lectured on the sector-endorsed Sure Start Foundation Degree in Early Years.