Ensuring Every Child Matters
A Critical Approach
- Gianna Knowles - London South Bank University, UK
There are chapters dedicated to the five outcomes of Every Child Matters (which are: being healthy; staying safe; enjoying and achieving; making a positive contribution; achieving economic wellbeing), as well as comprehensive guidance on how to ensure the ECM standards are met. However, this book also looks at the broader scope of how children learn in early years settings and primary schools, and is written at a level that enables the reader to develop their own knowledge and understanding.
Issues discussed include:
- social justice;
- diversity and inclusion;
- the child in society;
- working with families.
Case studies are provided in each chapter, along with activities, suggestions for further reading and useful websites.
Suitable for Childhood Studies and Education Studies courses, and for teaching assistants studying for a Foundation Degree or Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) status, the content is equally relevant for teacher-training courses and practising teachers.
Gianna Knowles is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Chichester.
'There is effective use of visual organisers at the start of the chapters, and the reader is supported by the provision of a glossary, activities, suggestions for further reading and signposting of relevant websites' -
Journal of Special Education
'This is a clearly focused overview of issues that SENCOs, other teachers and practitioners need to be aware of in their professional practice' - SENCO Update
'This book is essential reading for anyone working or intending to work with children in the multi-professional environment created by Every Child Matters. Placing the child and family at the centre of the text, the author progresses the impact of Every Child Matters by asking us, as practitioners, to reflect on our own attitudes, beliefs and values and how they may be productive or counterproductive in the social justice debate current in our society. Concise, informed and practice orientated, it makes for illuminating, if on occasions, uncomfortable reading, but a text that will have a lasting impression on your interaction with children and their families' - William Cooper, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education, Manchester Metropolitan University
'[This book] is an excellent and well-timed addition to the literature on the subject, especially in relation to Early Years and primary school settings. Its publication is particularly welcome in terms of the range of issues it addresses and the advancement it offers in terms of encouraging a theoretical analysis of Every Child Matters. This text is therefore highly recommended and will be of interest to a range of audiences within the children's workforce'
- Support for Learning
'I have found this book interesting and very informative. It is presented in an easy to read format and brings the reader up to date with issues surrounding the current requirements to meet the five outcomes of Every Child Matters. This text was useful to me in my professional role as an Early Years Practitioner and as a student on the MA Education Inclusion Pathway'
- Amazon Customer Review
Every Child Matters ECM - has influenced how we work with children in the education setting, this book will provide the guidance needed on how to ensure the ECM outcomes are being achieved for families and for children. The book also shows how the young child learns in the early years setting and will help the reader develop their own knowledge and understanding of the topic.
My students used this book a lot for their assignments and will be on the essentials list this year they used it when discussing the ECM policy and it is easy reading at level four.
My childcare students dipped in and out of this book. the students raised interesting points and ideas from it.
An interesting book that allows for reflection on key areas of ECM. These themes still need to have a clear focus for students today.
All lecturers agreed that this book would deepen students' understanding of key issues relation to Education and Initial teacher training. It has been recommened in the module handbook for 2011
Although level 2 learners will find this book useful I feel it is more suited to the needs of my level 3 cohort. It will be extremely useful to them when researching and being asked to give critical feedback.
This book has been highly recommended for those completing the SCPHN/hv and SCPHN/sn course to give them a grounding in policy context relating to children.
I recommend this book for all those involved in the teaching of or duty to adhere to Every Child Matters. Each ECM element is broken down and explained with practical tasks and ideas which the reader can relate to their practice.
