England and Scotland have now both directly addressed quality for the under-threes. In England, the Birth to Three Matters framework was published by the DfES/Sure Start in November 2002. In Scotland, a consultation paper published in 2003 has now evolved into Birth to Three: supporting our youngest children. This guidance was launched by the Scottish Executive on 18 January along with a guide for parents (see Nursery World, 27 January).
England's and Scotland's Birth to Three have much in common because both teams drew on the same research and source materials about good practice.
However, Scotland has chosen a different approach to the support materials.
So what does each Birth to Three have in common and in what ways have they diverged?
Shared knowledge
Both teams commissioned a substantial research report about early child development (see box). The reviews were linked to the practical implications of such knowledge for creating good practice with babies, toddlers and very young children. The English and Scottish materials look different, but they each strongly promote that, wherever they work, early years practitioners must:
* Enable close, affectionate relationships to develop with children in out-of-home care. It is clearly stated that good quality in group care is impossible without a proper key person system.
* Value care and caring, because emotional security is a non-negotiable priority for babies and very young children. Early learning cannot be supported if personal care is undervalued. Each Birth to Three makes it very clear that care and learning (or early education) are inseparable.
* Understand early child development and the holistic nature of young learning. Practitioners should recognise that babies and very young children have already started their learning. There must be no harassment towards skills that seem more like 'proper early education'.
Different choices
It would be premature to anticipate how Scotland's Birth to Three will be promoted and supported by training. However, it is appropriate to comment on the existing differences.
The first and obvious difference is that the Scottish Executive chose to launch their Birth to Three at the time of publication. The English DfES/ Sure Start simply dispatched their pack. A series of national events was only organised once the feedback became so overwhelming that even experienced practitioners were perplexed over what to do with these materials. Later still, funding was made available for a series of training events about how to approach the structure of the materials.
Scotland has chosen to lead with an A4-size guidance booklet that is built around three key features: relationships, responsive care, and respect.
Comments about planning and the role of alert observation are underpinned by flexibility and following the child's lead. Any ideas about suitable play experiences, and the opportunities arising from routines, are woven into those 'three Rs'.
The Scottish team focused on the central importance of attachment - how early years practitioners behave towards children and their families and the environment they create for babies and very young children. It is easy to go through the guidance and literally (with a pen) highlight the main points. The importance of affectionate relationships is strong in the English Birth to Three Matters. However, given the structure of that pack, practitioners may overlook such crucial pointers to good practice.
So long as practitioners read it, the Scottish guidance booklet could strengthen individuals and teams with existing good practice. Training and in-house support will be necessary if poor practice with under-threes has become entrenched. Training and further support will also be welcome for everyone on how to deal with the dilemmas, for example when parents struggle with the reality that shared care entails shared affection.
The Scottish Birth to Three has much less detail about play activities or resources than the English pack. Birth to Three Matters offers many ideas, usually through the 'Play and practical support' and 'Planning and resourcing' sections on every component card. The Scottish team may find that early years practitioners will welcome additional guidance on suitable play experiences.
The English team, led by Lesley Abbott at Manchester Metropolitan University, focused strongly on child development and on child-focused practitioner behaviour. But they chose to present the materials through a framework of four aspects, each with four related components. This 4X4 structure, although very developmental in some ways, has caused difficulties. When training was finally made available, the content of the Training the Trainers cascade focused a great deal on 'implementing the framework'. There is more detail on ways to make obvious use of the aspects and components than on the kind of solid practice advice that stands out so clearly in the Scottish materials.
The advantage of the English pack is that there is a great deal of excellent information. However, the team chose (or the DfES determined) that the Birth to Three Matters materials would be published as 16 laminated cards fitting into a box. Unfortunately, many practitioners gave up flipping the cards to and fro, so the materials stayed in the box.
I persevered for a year and then converted a second set into a personalised ring binder format, printing the cards off the CD-Rom. This option has met with approval from early years practitioners and advisors.
Two years on
England's pack has not long passed its second birthday. It is timely to reflect on what has emerged. I draw here on my training and conference work and a great deal of listening to practitioners, advisors and fellow trainers/consultants.
The early years atmosphere in Scotland is not identical to England. But their Birth to Three team may learn from key issues that have emerged south of the border:
* The Birth to Three Matters introduction booklet and the video make it very clear that the component cards are to be used in a holistic way. Alert practitioners may notice the components arising through children's spontaneous play and an appropriate focus on care. The English team's aim was not to divide learning into separate compartments. On the contrary, they seem to have intended the cards to be used as a one-at-a-time resource and also a way to reflect on practice.
* This flexible approach, combined with the chosen structure, failed to allow for the high level of anxiety about Ofsted inspection and a paper-heavy approach to planning, observation and evidence. Some nurseries or local advisors have been tempted to create an activity-led planning and observation system that treats the 16 cards as the structure for a kind of under-threes curriculum.
* Practitioners and advisors are also concerned about how to make the under-threes 'framework' fit the Foundation Stage areas. The Birth to Three Matters CD-Rom offers an unwieldy attempt to make specific links. The Scottish Birth to Three offers more flexible links to their Curriculum Framework for Children 3-5, mainly through the emotional, personal and social strand.
* Every English component card is strong on the developmental underpinning, suitable play experiences and the importance of care and routine. Yet subsequent training materials have not been sufficiently focused to challenge the detail of poor practice. Some managers, and the hierarchy of some nursery chains, still seek to impose expectations that are developmentally ridiculous, such as 'colour of the week' for toddlers.
I recommend that early years practitioners in England take a good look at Scotland's Birth to Three. There is much in the guidance that could help early years practitioners to focus on the real priorities. I work mainly in England, but I regularly head across the border; children are no different in Scotland.
Jennie Lindon is a psychologist and early years consultant
See for yourself
* Birth to Three Matters: a framework to support children in their earliest years for England. Contact Prolog on 0845 6022 260 for the free pack including introduction booklet, cards, poster, CD-Rom and video.
* The research review by Tricia David and colleagues can be downloaded from the CD-Rom. A short research brief is free from Prolog (reference RB444) and the full review can be purchased as a booklet for 4.95 (reference RR444).
* Birth to Three: supporting our youngest children for Scotland. Contact Learning and Teaching Scotland on 0141 337 5000 to purchase the guidance booklet and posters. Alternatively access the website www.LTScotland.org.uk/earlyyearsmatters to download the guidance and related papers and to view video excerpts (no sound). The research review by Colwyn Trevarthen and his team can be accessed in summary on www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Research (go to Education and Training, enter Insight 6 into Search) or the full report by entering Colwyn Trevarthen into Search.
