They have demystified the dichotomy that has fractured the early childhood field for so long. They know it is not child care and education, but rather child care is education. Research clearly tells us that early experiences matter. It's not important where it happens or what the building is called, what matters is what happens once the children arrive. Child care is a fundamental part of the community.
People are often reluctant to talk about child care as education.
We worry that the term education is too limiting. These beliefs are not part of the traditional purpose of education, although this too is changing. Also, because child care includes babies and toddlers, traditional education terms don't seem to fit. We must step up efforts to ensure funding to improve the quality of those places where babies and young children go before they enter primary school and the places where school-age children go at the end of the school day. We must also keep up our efforts to bring health resources into child care, particularly health consultants who can help ensure health and safety as well as health promotion.