Childcare risk study attacked

By ANGELA GREGORY

Babies under 9 months who are placed in childcare for at least 30 hours a week are likely to have impaired intellectual development, a study says.

The study, by the American National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, showed that these children by the age of 3 did not perform as well in school readiness tests as other children.

But New Zealand Childcare Association chief executive Rose Cole said the study was alarmist.

The study found that 3-year-olds from an average home environment, in average quality childcare, whose mothers did not work by the ninth month scored at the 50th percentile on a school readiness test.

The test assessed knowledge of colours, letters, numbers, shapes and comparisons. Children whose mothers were employed for extended hours by the ninth month scored at the 44th percentile.

Study co-author Jane Waldfogel, of Columbia's School of Social Work, said it was a significant difference.

It might be a good thing for mothers to stay home longer or go back to work only part-time in the first year, she said.

Mrs Cole said New Zealand childcare centres were well regulated and could not be compared with the range available in the United States, she said.

Childcare workers here had to maintain standards and early childhood education was an important part of their training.

Mrs Cole said New Zealand research showed that quality early childhood care was good for children.

"And for some children parenting can be harmful."

Mrs Cole said parents should check childcare centres with the rigour that they would use when buying a house, or to hire staff.

The Childcare Association provided checklists to help assess quality.

nzherald.co.nz/health