Is nursery the right place for your child?

Consequently, we have discussed a wonderful array of topics over the past 15 years. The rationale for the Margaret Horn debate is to have a space where we can talk openly and honestly about the early years especially as our story is no fairy tale with a happy ending. Sometimes reframing the problem can point to more promising solutions and our most compelling stories can kickstart some action.

Our question this year, draws on lots of work that has been done about the role of nurseries to support families to work but is underpinned by the research that says that nurseries don’t really work for children unless the quality is brilliant. In an economic situation which is squeezing families, one would think that the infrastructure provided by accessible childcare should be strengthened and the affordability issue should be addressed so more people can work to survive the economic crisis and help the country grow, given the level of job vacancies.