Good practice in the early years

Abstract

Reviews the book, Good Practice in the Early Years by Janet Kay (2012). This is the third edition of the Sheffield Hallam team book and it addresses a range of key issues in the field of early years, with particular focus on the English context. The title is bold, yet Janet Kay’s opening chapter serves to dissipate any concerns regarding this as she interrogates head on the challenges of defining and engaging in ‘good practice in the early years’ and includes a distinct aim for the book: ‘to offer students and existing practitioners a discussion of various aspects of practice’. Alongside a wholly appropriate focus on principles and values, the editor’s introductory chapter provides a strong foundation for this eclectic text. Nine chapters follow, each focused on a different aspect of the field of early years. Overall, the book would benefit from greater engagement with surrounding literature to support claims, to model what is required of undergraduate students and to direct readers to the wider field of early childhood. Nevertheless, the text has much to offer those who are new to the field or have just begun to study within it: the range of issues covered will prove valuable and features such as case studies will support understanding about how readers might navigate those issues within the provisional context of ‘good practice in the early years’. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)