Early years, childcare and Every Child Matters

Does every child really matter in the early years? Early years ideology focuses strongly on the holistic needs of the individual child, although the extent to which this rhetoric has been realised in practice can be questioned, due to the chequered history of provision, and generally low status of the workforce. This chapter will look at some of the key developments in provision and practice by providing a brief history of early years and childcare, considering the current position in relation to the ECM agenda, exploring key challenges for the workforce, providing illustrations from practice, and concluding with a discussion of issues and dilemmas.