The paper investigates practitioners' perspectives on the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) and its use for looked after children (LAC) in England. The paper considers what practitioners in one Local Authority (LA) think now that the funding has passed its infancy. Specifically, does EYPP funding help 'close the gap' for LAC? Q-methodology was used…

Supporting parent-child relationships is vital for children's social and emotional development, future health and well-being. As children now spend significant amounts of time attending early childhood education and care settings, it is opportune that interventions be designed for educators to promote and nurture parent-child relationships. The…

The profound injuries caused by child maltreatment are well documented in the neurological, attachment, cognitive, and developmental literature. In this review paper, we explore the potential of early childhood education (ECE) as a community-based resilience intervention for mitigating the impacts of child abuse and neglect and supporting families…

The Refuge is an after-school care programme in the southeastern USA that caters to the academic and psychological needs of impoverished African-American children. This study evaluated the Refuge through interviews with staff, small group discussions with children and persistent observation. By evaluating the after-school care services they…

This article reports findings from a qualitative interview study that examined the provision of integrated kindergarten education for children with disabilities from the perspectives of general education teachers implementing integrated kindergarten programs. Analysis of interviews with eight informants led to the identification of two broad…

Describes the pilot work and resulting project of the Muppet Club Project, designed to increase the effectiveness of available support mechanisms for emotionally and behaviorally disordered children by means of three elements: early identification of needs, making the most of existing resources in the community, and setting up activity groups for…

Examined social work practices relative to the dynamics of educational environment in one midwestern school district. Results, which indicated both the need for and the efficacy of such services, support policy that sanctions and legitimizes human service delivery in schools and establishes guidelines for appropriately funding services and for…

A survey was conducted across five educational authorities in Britain concerning the new Code of Practice's influence on special education. It found marked variations in rates of statementing (identification of special needs), proportion of statemented pupils in mainstream schools, and funding arrangements for special needs. Findings have…

Summarizes the findings of quantitative research syntheses to show the variability and unpredictability of special education interventions. Concludes that special education cannot operate on the basis of lawlike relationships but rather must mediate its interventions through what is known about effective schooling that emphasizes the context of…

Brain research has strengthened our understanding of the first five years of a child's life as a critical period. Quality early care is important to the healthy development of young children, and their later success in school. Concurrently, many families depend on childcare outside the home. Programs that have knowledgeable and skilled staff,…

Examines some factors contributing to the success of art as a therapeutic tool with children with autism and considers some reasons why art is not more in evidence in schools. Considers benefits of art therapy and the role of art education as part of the British National Curriculum. Outlines the skills that experienced teachers of children with…