Unit 1 pp.

26–27
CHAPTER 1: An Introduction to Working with Children (topic 12)

VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF NURSERY CARE

Create your own questionnaire to carry out a survey of families with children aged up to
eight to find out:

● what care is/was used for their children from 0–3 months, 3–6 months, 6–12 months,
12–18 months, 18 months–2 years, 2–3 years, 3–4
years.

● find out what factors influenced their choices and ask them to place them in order of
importance.

● ask about the advantages and disadvantages to the children of the chosen care.

● ask about the advantages and disadvantages to the parents of the chosen care.

Remember to think carefully about the structure of your questionnaire/survey. You

may want to give a set of options for answers (make sure you cover all possibilities)
or put part of it into a tick-chart format. Think about the time available to parents to
complete your form and ease of use. You could do your survey by interviewing
parents, which would allow you to ask extra questions if you needed to.
Analyse your results to find similarities and differences for each of the categories. Produce
your results in a graph, pie chart, diagram, PowerPoint presentation or poster.

© Hodder Education 2008

Unit 1 pp. 26–27
CHAPTER 1: An Introduction to Working with Children (topic 12)

VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF NURSERY CARE

The following websites link to articles about the role of nursery in the lives of young
children and the impact on their development.

● http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/
article1751563.ece – this article comments on the findings of Steve Biddulph, ‘a
psychologist and best-selling parenting guru’ based in Tasmania. Read about his views
on nursery care in the second and third paragraphs of this article.

● http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/libby_purves/
article1728761.ece – this article comments on the attitudes of parents towards nursery
care. In particular, read the last five paragraphs on parents’ views.

After reading the two articles above, carry out the following exercises.

1 Write a summary of the views expressed in these articles.

2 As a student hoping to be employed caring for other people’s children, what arguments
would you put forward to explain the benefits of nursery care for children age (a) 0–2
years and (b) 3–5 years? Make reference to theory and research studies wherever
possible to support your answer.
3 What is your response to the statement that nurseries use ‘unqualified, unintelligent
workers, often with poor English’?

© Hodder Education 2008