This collection brings together studies and essays that represent the best work being done in early childhood research. It includes materials spanning the full range of early childhood settings and provides cutting edge views by leading educators of new methods and perspectives.

The authors draw on their extensive early years expertise to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the key issues in the field of early childhood care and education. In this timely and accessible text, students will find: · An overview of the principles of effective practice · Discussions on equal opportunities and children's rights · An examination of how children learn and the learning difficulties they may face · Investigations into what working with parents really means · A consideration of the different early years systems in operation · Summaries of key management issues and useful information on how to address them · A comparison with European perspectives on early years care and education The book covers the whole age range from 0-8 years with a special section on the 0-3 years age group. Each chapter is fully referenced to enable the reader to follow up on research or new materials. Informative and engaging, the book challenges the reader to think about how underlying theory may be reflected in practice. It will be essential reading for all students of early years care and education, and early years practitioners.

The growing prominence of ecological and social systems perspectives in the child development and family studies fields is having a significant impact on the conceptualization and delivery of early intervention services. The exclusive focus on the handicapped or developmentally delayed child is gradually giving way to a much broader focus on the family as a system. This book brings together the conceptual and empirical work of a number of scholars whose current research is at the leading edge of these shifts. Marfo's volume has an international appeal--but perhaps more significantly it affords American researchers a unique opportunity to learn more about the intervention field.

The authors find that well-targeted early intervention programs for at-risk children, such as nurse home visits to first-time mothers and high-quality preschool education, can yield substantial advantages to participants in terms of emotional and cognitive development, education, economic well-being and health.