Real Issues No. 339 - Daycare

Maxim Institute - Real Issues - No. 339 16 April 2009 www.maxim.org.nz

They didn't ask to be born

IN THE NEWS Public input into electoral law National standards consultation open

They Didn't Ask To Be Born

Should parents put their children in daycare? Responses to this question are often heated, and it doesn't help that the underlying issues tend to be both sensitive and tangled. Financial considera-tions, career concerns, a desire to see women advance in the workplace and the best interests of children all jostle for the attention of parents and policy-makers. Ultimately, however, the debate boils down to two issues. Is daycare a risky choice for our children's wellbeing? What do we, as a society, really value--parenting or parental choice, economic outcomes or child wellbeing?

This issue is back on the agenda following an article in this month's North and South magazine in which authors Peter Feeney and Lauren Porter state that 'In the past 10 years ... re-search evidence has accumulated that flags a range of risks and consequences for very young children in daycare.' A recent UNICEF report also raises concerns about the increasing use of day-care for the very young, and shows that around one-third of 0-3 year olds are in daycare in New Zealand.

It's important to note that this is not a debate about all children, but about what is best for 'very young children' or 'infants'. What is meant by 'very young' differs depending on the researcher. Feeney and Porter focus on under-threes, while others set the bar at two years old or younger. As a general rule, according to UNICEF, 'the younger the child and the longer the hours spent in child care the greater the risk.'

The risks of daycare for the 'very young' are largely to do with heightened possibilities of heightened anti-social behaviour and negative consequences for children's brain development. A Maxim Insti-tute research note stated 'that early and sustained daycare, involving more than 20 hours per week in the first 24 months, can, under certain circumstances, be detrimental to a child's development. This is because it increases the risk that babies will not develop strong bonds with their mothers in the early months, which in turn affects socio-emotional development.' This can lead to problem be-haviours like aggression. UNICEF cite a UK study that found 'high levels of 'group care' before the age of three (and particularly before the age of two) were associated with higher levels of anti-social behaviour at age three.'

The second cause for concern is that the brain of a very young child is extremely sensitive, develop-ing rapidly and in unique ways at this time. This represents an opportunity to lay foundations for the rest of life. Feeney and Porter cite UK evidence showing very young children in daycare experience persistent spikes in levels of a particular stress hormone. This is of concern given that UNICEF found that stress can harm 'the delicate architecture of the developing brain.' At the same time, UNICEF also notes that normal parental 'serve and return' interactions--like 'baby-talk,' 'gurgling' and 'the besotted rejoicing over every step in the infant's progress'--are crucial for brain develop-ment. They are 'best when [they are] embedded in an ongoing relationship between a child and an adult who is responsive to the child's own unique individuality.' A professional caregiver is unlikely to be as attentive to a child's uniqueness as a parent will be, nor will they have the same longevity of relationship.

While evidence of daycare involving risks for children's wellbeing is compelling, it can have benefits too. Our research note found that daycare for very young children can have a beneficial impact on 'language and cognitive development,' but cautioned that some research suggests that 'these ad-vantages appear to decline over time.' Where there are benefits, they are generally greatest for 'at-risk' children, who experience higher quality care at a daycare than they would at home. This how-ever, does not make daycare ideal for all children. Where parental care in the home is higher qual-ity, the comparative advantage of daycare, and its potential benefits, reduce accordingly.

UNICEF also finds agreement that older children can benefit from 'early childhood education and care.' But we should not assume that these benefits also exist for very young children. As Feeney and Porter note, their brains are at quite a different stage of development.

In addition, there are several mediating factors that can reduce or nullify the risks involved. One of these is the quality of parenting involved. Our research note found that a sensitive parent may be able to maintain good attachments with a child despite time spent in daycare. Another factor is the amount of time spent in daycare as shorter hours do not appear to carry the same level of risk. Most debate currently concerns the mediating factor of quality. High quality daycare is obviously better than low quality daycare. But what is 'high quality'? According to UNICEF, it's all about sensitive, responsive relationships between child and caregiver, usually measured by proxies like carers' qualifications and staff to child ratios. But if relationships are key, it's hard to see how most daycare centres will ever surpass the average parent.

On balance, it is fair to say that very young children will be best served by parental care. Yet these children are heading for daycare at rapid rates. We must recognise the uncomfortable truth that as a society, we don't really value children and parenting like we should. So what should we do about it?

The first and favourite solution is an extension of paid parental leave. The Families Commission has championed an extension of the paid leave entitlement to a total of 13 months so that parents can spend more time with their children. Of course, it may relieve financial pressures for some families who would otherwise be forced back to work sooner, but at best it seems like a short-term solution. Simply extending temporary paid leave from work doesn't do much to challenge underlying assump-tions that work is somehow more important than raising children. The basic problem of making ends meet on one income is not addressed simply by replacing one income temporarily. And while 13 months of full-time parenting is a good thing, it falls short of the two to three years of dedicated care that many experts are calling for.

Another proposal is to boost the quality of daycare, pouring resources into training, staff salaries and facilities. This will have to be paid for somehow--either by taxpayers, out of already shaky Gov-ernment revenues, or by daycare users themselves, which is likely to limit access to high quality services to high income families. There is also a certain redundancy to this recommendation. In-stead of trying to mimic good parent-child relationships in daycare centres, perhaps we ought to return to parents providing the care.

Finally, some will say that we should simply step back and respect parents' choices about how their children are raised. Of course, we cannot and should not mandate a particular upbringing for every child, but that doesn't mean that we can't have a debate about what is best for children, a debate that has the potential to bring about change through no other means than persuasion. It may also inform well-meaning parents who are currently unaware of the risks. This is particularly important as parenting decisions will have an impact on society as a whole.

Really valuing parenting and putting children's interests first is going to require sacrifice, particularly financial sacrifice. The level of financial sacrifice required might be too much for families who are already struggling to get by. For others, the sacrifice will be manageable, and far outweighed by the intangible benefits of raising children. The best and most lasting way to show that we really value parenting and children is for enough families to chose to make that sacrifice. It is far easier to say it than it is to do it, but as our children will no doubt remind us when they are teenagers, they didn't ask to be born. As the adults in this situation, it is up to us to do the right thing.

Read Maxim Institute's Research Note 'The effects of early and sustained day-care during the for-mative years for infants' http://www.maxim.org.nz/index.cfm/policy___research/article?id=747

Read UNICEF's 'The Child Care Transition' http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/rc8_eng.pdf

PUBLIC INPUT INTO ELECTORAL LAW

The Government has announced its programme of electoral law reform, and it includes three sepa-rate opportunities for public input via submissions. The programme will concentrate on the way election campaigns are carried out and how they are funded, with the intention of producing 'fair and enduring' law that avoids the flaws of its predecessors. A website has been established for the reform, and it includes the timetable of the reform, background information and papers, and advice about how to make a submission. Good electoral law is vital for a healthy democracy, so it is impor-tant that the public use their opportunities for input. The first step in the process will be the release of an Issues Paper in May.

Visit the Electoral Finance Reform website http://www.justice.govt.nz/electoral-finance-reform/home.asp

NATIONAL STANDARDS CONSULTATION OPEN

Consultation will begin next month on the new literacy and numeracy standards, according to Minis-ter for Education, Anne Tolley. The standards are being introduced in all English and Maori lan-guage schools from 2010. The aim is to give parents and teachers information that will help them gauge how children are progressing and what areas they need improvement in. A Standards Refer-ence Group has also been formed to work with the Ministry of Education to draft the standards. The consultation will be divided into two streams, one for families' to have a chance to say what informa-tion they would find useful regarding their children's progress, and one for the education sector to discuss how the standards will work and be assessed. The consultations will take place between 25 May and 3 July in various centres around New Zealand.

Read information from the Ministry of Education about the national standards and the consultation process http://www.minedu.govt.nz/theMinistry/Consultation/NationalStandards.aspx

TALKING POINT

Nothing you do for children is ever wasted. They seem not to notice us, hovering, averting our eyes, and they seldom offer thanks, but what we do for them is never wasted.

Garrison Keillor

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Maxim Institute's regular email publication, Real Issues, provides thought-provoking analysis of de-velopments in policy and culture in New Zealand and around the world.

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