Explain How the Range of Early Year’s Settings Reflects the Scope and Purpose of the Sector

In the UK at the present time the early year’s sector is complex. It was not developed by government policy with specific aims, unlike in many other European countries, but it came about in response to the requirements of families which were based on changing economical and social factors. When men where serving in the armed forces in the second world war there where greater numbers of women needed in the workforce so nurseries where set up to care for the children of the mothers who had to go and work until the war came to an end, and the men returned home for their jobs, women then returned home and nurseries where closed. In the second half of the twentieth century public expenditure on the early year’s provision focused on families who had social needs and difficulties. Local authority day nurseries (family centres) catered mainly for those children who were at risk of harm, particularly in deprived areas. Within the private sector early years provision where put in place such as childminders, nannies and private day nurseries and these where regulated by the 1948 Nurseries and childminders Act, then followed by the stronger Children Act 1989 and the Care Standards Act 2000.
The playgroup movement developed where parents set up and run provision for their own children to learn through play in village halls and other community facilities during the 1960’s. There are family’s requirements from the provision for their young children and this varies. Some parents want their children in setting which offers learning services, some parents wish to stay with their children while the socialise, some parents want care for their children while they return to work, some parents want their children to be in a home based environment and some can’t afford to pay the fees for provision. This is the reason why the early year’s sector has various forms of provision to meet the need and requirements of the families.
• There are different types of childcare provision and...