Introduction To Early Childhood Studies

'This multi-professional book is just what is needed for students and practitioners, as it raises important issues and challenges, and invites dialogue and reflection in a reader friendly way' - Tina Bruce, Freelance Consultant. The second edition of this best-selling textbook provides students and practitioners with a broad introduction to the main theories and issues within the field of early childhood studies. The book adopts a multi-disciplinary approach and pulls together all the key themes involved in the study of young children and childhood, and successfully demonstrates how these can be translated into real-life practice. Written by a team of leading academics and practitioners, this is a lively and engaging textbook, illustrated throughout, with student-friendly features such as 'real-life' case studies and guides for further reading. The chapters cover all key aspects of the curriculum, including: the sociology of childhood; child health; child development; and, the realities of working with children. This thoroughly updated and revised new edition also includes completely new chapters on research with children and leadership in early year settings. It is a core text for all those involved in the study of childhood, particularly undergraduates in the fields of child social care; social work; and, social policy and education. It is also an invaluable resource for practitioners and policy makers working with children.