Relationships between staff and children underpin all childcare work and are overwhelmingly the most important factor in meeting children's needs, but the emotional demands that this can make on adults are rarely acknowledged. The now statutory requirement for nurseries to operate a key person system intensifies these pressures.
There is no doubt that having a key person is beneficial for young children in daycare, but it is also certain that it is not always an easy or comfortable role for staff to take on, especially those who are less mature or less experienced.
Dr Leach's guide examines the emotions - happiness, tenderness, jealousy, frustration and more - involved in the day-to-day relationships in a childcare setting. She looks at the caregiver's need for support from managers and colleagues, and at the delicate interplay between carer and child in all aspects of the nursery day. The link with the child's family is also examined.
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