By Dr Hannah Mortimer
(Q Ed, 1.50, ISBN: 1-898873-34-8, 0870 3806615)
Reviewed by Ann Langston, early years consultant
Dr Hannah Mortimer states that the aim of Trackers 0-3 is to provide 'a bridge between' information from her other works (Playladders checklist, Mortimer, 2000) and the Birth to Three Matters framework, 'providing confidence to workers (so) that they can indeed track progress in a more holistic way'.
The concept of a bridge makes sense, and if practitioners already use the system referred to, this booklet may be useful. However, there are some areas which should be approached with caution.
The period between birth and three years is one of extensive development, and the way Trackers presents this could be quite confusing for someone not familiar with the author's other materials, trying to consider children's development as it is set out in the Birth to Three Matters framework. It would have been more helpful to make direct reference to the 'Development matters' sections from the Birth to Three Matters cards, so that users could see the framework reflected fully, rather than having to focus on the more global statements used.
The booklet is very small, and while the author suggests that it can be added to and annotated there is little room provided for it. This could lead to it being seen as a checklist approach, rather than one which documents each child's rich learning journey between birth and three years of age.
However, if this book encourages practitioners to observe children and think about individual needs and ways to record progress, it could be useful in fulfilling the stated aims.
