Читать книгу The A to Z of Early Years - June O'Sullivan - Страница 8

For 47 years I have had the privilege through my many fascinating roles, including being the first children's commissioner for England, to have a unique view of childhood today – not just for children's health, but its interface with education, social care, justice and poverty.

While it's true we have amazing children, young people and families, with wonderful, passionate staff; the tough, unpalatable reality is that overall we have some of the worst outcomes for children across health, social care, education, justice and poverty in the developed world. The failure of effective political advocacy for the best interests of children by senior people and key organisations in the children's sector; the relentless ‘hoovering up’ and commercialisation of nurseries driven purely by profit; the abysmal pay and conditions for hard-pressed staff with limited opportunities for serious academic training; and the lack of a coherent vision for the future are just some of the crucial issues affecting the sector. The impact of policies set up to protect adults are having appalling effects on the lives of babies, children and young people, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable in society and likely to affect a whole generation of children.

I've travelled widely meeting countless children, staff, parents, grandparents and professionals in early years settings. I've seen wonderful staff who really care about opening the precious little minds and giving them the springboard for resilience and success in life. Nothing in my view can be more rewarding than working with the smallest and youngest babies and children and this is shared by so many of the people I have met.

And so, the future lies in your hands! Build on the examples in this book! Think critically about the topics and issues raised. Engage with the ‘calls to action'. Take your ideas into your practice! Children are our most precious resource – they are our future, especially in the face of dramatic increases in longevity with more old people living for longer. Every baby, child and young person who can needs to have every support to become the productive adults and effective parents of tomorrow, and those who can't through disadvantage and disability should still being able to achieve their own full potential. What, then are you going to do to give our youngest children and their families the outcomes they need and deserve? I challenge each and every reader to identify five actions – no matter how small – they will take tomorrow to make a difference. Can we really afford to betray our babies again and yet again?

Sir Al Aynsley-Green (Visiting Professor of Advocacy for Children and Childhood at Nottingham Trent University and Professor Emeritus of Child Health, University College London; First Children's Commissioner for England 2005–9)