Changing perspectives on early childhood: theory, research and policy

..................................................................................................................4 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................4 I. A DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVE ..................................................................6 The formative years of life.............................................................................................6 A critical... or a sensitive period? .................................................................................8 Implications of neuroscience .........................................................................................9 A time of vulnerability...and resilience?.....................................................................11 II. A POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE ..........................................12 Compensating for disadvantage and equalising educational opportunities .................12 Evaluating long-term outcomes from early intervention .............................................12 Early childhood and human capital..............................................................................14 Human capital, ethics and politics ...............................................................................15 III. A SOCIAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ...............................................16 ‘Developmentally appropriate practices’ in context ....................................................17 Diversities in early childhood ......................................................................................18 A social and cultural process .......................................................................................20 Constructions and reconstructions of early childhood.................................................21 Quality, critical perspectives and the politics of early childhood................................22 IV. A HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE..................................................................23 A new, universal paradigm ..........................................................................................23 Implementing child rights in early childhood..............................................................27 Participatory rights in theory and practice ...................................................................29 Rights and evolving capacities.....................................................................................31 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................33 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................35