A graph that speaks for itself...
450 infant mental
health professionals in 56 countries, who were Members of the World
Association for Infant Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, responded
to a confidential postal survey sent to 902 listed members.
Dr. Penelope Leach described the study to
a professional audience in London. Respondents were asked to indicate
anonymously the kinds of care they considered likely to be best for
infants from birth to three and a half years, assuming that all kinds
of care specified "were of excellent quality by their community's
standards, and equally available and affordable to all". They were
asked to say "on the basis of their experience of normal infants,
what kinds of care, in sequence from birth to three and a half years
would be likely to be best from the child's point of view."
Reporting the results Leach said: "Taking infants' viewpoint, these
respondents do not think more day care is a priority, and they certainly
do not support demands for more places for babies because however excellent
that day care might be, they think it's best if they are cared for by
their mothers.
"Asked for how long, if at all, they considered it 'very important'
for infants to have their mothers available to them 'through most of
each 24 hours', most said more than a year (the mean is 15 months).
Asked whether there is a further period during which it is 'ideal' for
infants to be cared for 'principally by mothers', most said more than
2 years (the mean is 27 months).
After discussing unexpected results in relation to fathers, she reported
that "While these respondents do see group day care as something
that can be positive for a child, all believe that a very little of
it goes a very long way. Only 2% of respondents select full day, and
3% half day, group attendance as their care-arrangement of choice at
18 months and that rises only to 6% and 30% respectively at 30 months.
"When non-familial day care while the custodial parent worked outside
the home was presented more realistically as a necessity rather than
a choice, individual care by a childminder was preferred by over 95%
in the first year, by 85% at 18 months and by 55% at 30 months. Thereafter
62% thought group care the better option.
"Finally respondents clearly regarded half day and full day group
care as dramatically different from children's viewpoint. Although over
95% considered that part time group attendance would be a positive experience
for children over three years, 25% considered that full time attendance
would be too much.
Leach commented "Those findings suggest that there are many professionals
in infant mental health who believe that children's best interests would
be served by patterns of early child care diametrically opposed to those
politicians promise, policy-makers aspire to provide and parents strive
to find." She concluded by asking "Are we making child care
policy and developing its practices without listening to concerned professionals?
Or are professionals unable or unwilling to make themselves heard?"
Leach P. Attachment: facing the professional demands of today's research findings. Anna Freud Centenary Lecture. 30 November 1995.
Reported in Early Development and Parenting, Vol. 6 (2), 47-58 (1997)
This study was carried out in collaboration with Elliott T. Barker, M.D., D.Psych., F.R.C.P.(C), Canada and with the support of Mary Ainsworth, U.S.A.
"Those findings suggest that there are many professionals in infant mental health who believe that children's best interests would be served by patterns of early child care diametrically opposed to those politicians promise, policy-makers aspire to provide and parents strive to find."
"Are we making child care policy and developing its practices without listening to concerned professionals? Or are professionals unable or unwilling to make themselves heard?"