Sharing Child Care in Early Parenthood

Malcolm Hill's book "The Social Life of Children" explores how parents share responsibility for caring for their pre-school children with others, including social networks, formal groups, and paid carers. It provides insights into public attitudes about children's needs, the rights and responsibilities of mothers and fathers, and how children think and feel. It identifies potential consequences for children's social adaptability resulting from these care patterns and suggests that people working with under-fives could benefit from adapting their activities and services to children's previous experiences and families' differing expectations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 374 pages
Publication date: 13 February 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Malcolm Hill delves into the intricate dynamics of parental responsibility in caring for their pre-school children, exploring the diverse ways in which parents collaborate with other individuals, including social networks, formal groups, and paid carers. He also examines the motivations behind parents' choices and adjustments in these arrangements, shedding light on a wide range of perspectives held by the general public regarding children's needs, parental roles, and the emotional experiences of children.

The book highlights significant variations in the social relationships within families and in perceptions about who can serve as acceptable substitute caretakers for children under different circumstances and for specific purposes. These disparities are intertwined with attitudes and life-conditions influenced by social class.

Through its comprehensive analysis, the book identifies potential consequences for individual children's social adaptability arising from these care patterns. It proposes that professionals working with under-fives can benefit from adapting their activities and services to align with children's prior experiences of shared care and to accommodate families' diverse expectations regarding groups for children.

Weight: 857g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032438115