CARING FOR CHILDREN: a foundation course in child care and education. Penny Tassoni (Heinemann Child Care, 11.99, 01865 888080). Reviewed by Jennie Lindon, early years consultant.
This book specifically supports the CACHE Foundation Award in Caring for Children. This award and others similar in content and aims are much needed to provide a realistic introduction to working with young children, especially when there is so much pressure nationally to bring more people into this line of work.
The goals for Penny Tassoni's book, like the course it supports, were to give a sound spread of information, so that prospective early years practitioners can understand the main aspects of child development, care of children and working together without being overwhelmed by too much detail. This book achieves this important goal.
The material covers the seven CACHE units in a way that is easy to follow without being patronising - always a risk with basic texts. Students with no experience of children should be able to follow the clear links that the author makes between what early years practitioners should know about, should do and why.
The format of the book, with plenty of headings and boxes will help readers, and tutors on foundation courses, to home in on key areas of good practice. The layout for each double page also provides a sound framework from which students could build their further knowledge. There are also plenty of straightforward examples.
The one style feature that I felt did not work was the glossary at the end of each section. I think in this foundation text, terms are better defined where they are used within the text.
