Child-care and the psychology of development - 12

Are child-care centres good for children? How can we provide good day-care? Feminists have long argued for the provision of day-care facilities so that mothers may be free to work outside the home.

The call had enjoyed little support from politicians and experts, however.

Feminists had been seen to stand for women's interests, and psychologists and pedagogues for children's - as if the two were opposed.

Only in the early 1990s had the opinions of politicians and experts begun to change.

Yet, even so, a positive policy on day-care was still lacking.

Elly Singer's work sheds fresh and critical light on this subject.