Anderson conducted a study in 1992 in Sweden and concluded that children with the highest cognitive development were those who entered day care before the age of 1. Those with the lowest cognitive development did not have any day care at all. However Sweden is renowned for low staff-child ratios in day care centres and is unlike most other places. This means the results cannot necessarily be applied elsewhere, but also stresses how important the quality of day care is.
Some believe that there is no difference at all in children’s cognitive development whether or not they have experienced day care. Harvey agreed with this after her recent study of 6000 children in 1999. She also said that more important than the fact that the child goes into day care is the realisation that the day care must be of good quality in order that cognitive development is not negatively affected.
Researchers such as Williams 1987 suggest that children do not suffer cognitively when
their mothers work is because women who go to work may provide better quality care
when they come home since they are more content with themselves.
Operation Headstart was established in the US in the 1960’s, and involved disadvantaged pre-school children receiving day care education. When children in this programme entered school, they showed more advanced cognitive behaviour than other children. Headstart showed that day care was certainly not detrimental and may well have been beneficial, for example as adolescents less became delinquents, were reliant on welfare and more were enrolled in colleges.
The one thing these studies have in common is that it is the quality of care that is vitally important. If the child has already formed an attachment with their mother figure, and they are well stimulated and experience minimal staff turnover, then the effects of day care on both cognitive and social development can be positive. According to Scarf (1998) this is certainly the case for children from low income families who may be stimulated more whilst in day care than at home. However, places with high staff turnover, who encourage passivity and offer little stimulation can result in slowing cognitive development.
In conclusion as Schaffer (1998) suggests day care should be recognised as presenting opportunities for social advancement, provided that the care is consistent, and is matched with maternal sensitivity.
