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Study led by Professor Alan Stein "uncovered significant trends relating to children being cared for away from their parents. ‘Spending more time in day care centres, over the total period was a predictor of total problem scores,’ the team, led by Professor Alan Stein, of the university's Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, wrote. ‘Children who spent more time in day care centres were more likely to be hyperactive. Children receiving more care by child minders were more likely to have peer problems.’ More time in child minding was also associated with more hyperactivity, they said." (Mail Online, ROBIN YAPP; PUBLISHED: 13:07, 16 October 2013 | UPDATED: 13:07, 16 October 2013

Children in day care more badly behaved

Daily Mail, 17/10/2013, p.8, Robin Yapp

Article states that, according to an Oxford University study, children who spend time in nurseries or with childminders are more likely to develop behavioural problems such as hyperactivity. It is stated that Oxford academics – led by Professor Alan Stein of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry – found exposure to some forms of early education contributed to bad behaviour and could be linked to emotional problems. However, the study, based on analysis of infants from almost 1,000 families, found that the strongest influence on children comes from within the home itself. Children raised in poor families with high levels of parental stress or mental health problems were said to be most at risk of developing emotional problems by the time they started school. The researchers concluded that their findings suggest that interventions to enhance children's emotional and behavioural development might best focus on supporting families and augmenting the quality of care in the home. Online version of article includes comment from Professor Kathy Sylva of Oxford University, who was also involved in the research: ‘Studies of early childcare on which I have taken the lead in Oxford have shown that early childcare before 18 months was related to slightly higher mental ability and no adverse effects. The same study showed that childcare of higher quality had a benefit for children’s learning. Overall, research shows that it is the quality of care that matters much more than whether the child is at home or in childcare.’

Also:

Children in nursery care ‘risk emotional problems’

Daily Telegraph, 17/10/2013, p.1, Graeme Paton

Radio: LBC 97.3, Steve Allen

17/10/2013, 06.27

TV: BBC One, Breakfast

17/10/2013, 06.18

Radio: BBC Radio 2, Vanessa Feltz

17/10/2014, 05:18

Is childcare doing more harm than good?
Daily Telegraph (Australia), 18/10/2013

Oxford University research into the impact of different forms of childcare has found that the strongest and most consistent influences on behaviour came from the home environment and the level of care given by mothers.

Also:

TV: Breakfast, BBC One

18/10/2013, 07:39

Parents are interviewed about their experiences of placing a child in nursery care following a brief summary of the Oxford research. They all speak positively about their children’s development. Representatives of the groups Mothers at Home Matter and the National Day Nurseries Association then debate the issue with occasional reference to the research.

Is childcare doing more harm than good?
Brisbane Courier-Mail (Australia), 18/10/2013

Is childcare doing more harm than good?
Herald Sun (Australia), 18/10/2013

Experts dismiss UK childcare behaviour concerns with claims of superior facilities
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), 17/10/2013, Rachel Browne

''The quality of care in centres still varies greatly,'' [NSW convener of Australian Community Children's Services Lisa Bryantsaid. ''The most important thing in childcare is building relationships with children. If you have a centre with a high turnover of staff, those relationships don't have time to develop. If the child is being handed to a different carer every day, that is stressful.'' President of Childcare Alliance Gwynn Bridge said the Australian long-day care system was superior to the day-care nurseries in Britain.

Do nurseries harm children or not? Either way, it's all the poor's faultThe Guardian – G2–, 21/10/2013, p.5, Bridget Christie - Comment piece on seemingly contradictory advice given to parents notes research, reported last week, by Oxford University’s department of child and adolescent psychiatry which has found that the strongest and most consistent influences on children’s behaviour came from the home environment.

Also in:

Letters to the Editor, October 21
Adelaide Now (Australia), 20/10/2013
Letter: Lindsay Dent uses the childcare research at Oxford University to argue that parents looking after children at home should get a childcare rebate.


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