issues and concerns
A recent BBC tv special report filmed children in Uzbekistan being forced to work in cotton fields instead of going to school.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/7068096.stm
See this article in the
Observer 28 October 2007 on child labour in the third world, and links to UK businesses.
The
Unicef report: Child Poverty in Perspective: An Overview of Child Well-being in Rich Countries published yesterday, is the first study of childhood across 21 of the world's industrialised nations. The UK does not feature well in the report; see the
coverage on the BBC website, and
Madeleine Bunting's comments in the Guardian.
Sex stereotypes deter fathers from childcare roles, reports The Guardian today, quoting David Blunkett as saying: "Recruiting skilled people to work in childcare is a key priority, but it is also important to get a diverse workforce to enhance children's experiences and raise their awareness of others as role models from an early age." See more about the
Pre-School Learning Alliance report published today.
An article in today's Guardian (23 May 2005) looks at the design of the new Sure-Start Children's centre in Mitcham: "From the allotment side, the pavilions are seen to be covered by a freestanding second roof - timber slats set between steel uprights, or pillars - that acts as a sunscreen. This projects out over the back of the pavilions, forming a verandah, and allowing classes to spill out on to a timber deck in fine weather. The play of light through the slats of the timber parasol - when the sun comes out to play - is quite mesmerising, while the trees provide extra shade." Don't be put off by the terrible title
Kindergarten Copse.
'Getting more men involved in childcare is central to our strategy, but it is going to be a huge struggle,' Children's Minister Margaret Hodge, quoted in article in the Observer (6 March 2005).
Click here for article.
We are resuming this blog after a break of nearly a year. Sigrid Brogaard-Clausen is joining us to post links.
Lesley
