Local authorities and many other agencies are trying to turn into reality the admirable intentions of the Act, but they have serious difficulty in finding people with the right level of education and understanding to do the work. Children do not develop and learn in isolation. It is the interaction between these systems which produces the environment in which the child grows and develops. The study of young children must inevitably take into account these diverse influences and in the last decade this has been reflected in the increasingly multi-disciplinary nature of research in early childhood. That is why many different departments are involved in the planning, teaching and management of the BSc in Early Childhood Studies programme.
Students enrol for many reasons.
They may be seeking answers to questions about children's development and the impact of cultural traditions or economic forces. Others may have had work or life experiences which have led them to want to study human development in greater depth. Some will want to equip themselves with the knowledge and understanding necessary to contribute to policy development and planning in children's services. Some people may already be convinced that they wish to work with young children and their families but not necessarily have a particular career path in view. What students find is that they are undertaking their studies at a time of tremendous change and development as children's rights receive more attention world-wide and research provides exciting new insights across all disciplines within the field of early childhood studies.