Question: Some parents think that childcare centres provide the best services for
children of pre-school age. Other working parents think that family members
such as grandparents will be better carers for their kids. Discuss both views and
give your opinion.
Essay 1 (band 9)
Some argue that when parents are at work, close relations provide the best care to
young children, while others believe day care centres offer a better service. It is agreed
that while some relatives take care of youngsters extremely well, childcare professionals
offer a better overall service. This essay will first discuss the merits of family members
looking after ‘pre-schoolers’, secondly, an analysis of childcare centres’ services,
followed by a reasoned conclusion.
Many parents in full-time employment prefer to leave their young ones with
grandparents and siblings when they are at work. This is often a trust issue, as the
parents feel their child will be safer with someone from within the family nucleus. For
example, a recent study showed that 62% of working mothers prefer a member of the
immediate family to provide care when they are working. However, most kin are not
trained childcare professionals and may not have the skills required to fully nurture a
child.
Daycare centres may be a better option due to the fact that most of their staff are highly
skilled professionals. Many of their staff are highly trained and have diplomas in child
development. For instance, if you want a job in a Montessori school, they will insist that
you are fully qualified, with many of their staff having degrees in early years
development. In spite of this, there have been recent high-profile cases of abuse within
these establishments which makes some parents wary.
In summary, although there are some issues involving trust, as long as parents vet each
school properly, the high level of service provided by daycare professionals trumps that
of unqualified family members.
Essay 2 (Band 4.5)
Nowadays, childcare centres are a very hot topic and many parents are talking about
their controversial issue. It is without precedence that so many mums and dads are now
in the global working marker, caused in part by the remarkable phenomena of
globalization that creeps in to society with ever more vigilance day by day.
I think that it is a crying shame that so many loving mothers and fathers have to leave
their baby with a childcare centre. The baby will pine and crave for the affections of its
mother and this may lead to the baby have developmental issues, such as learning and
behavioral difficulties further down the line in later life. Moreover, these centres have
been shown to be shoddy operators with many incidences of malpractices, such as
neglect and physical and mental abuse damaging forever the true spirit of the infant.
So what about the grandparents? Many grandparents look forward to the day they can
relax and put their feet up without the distraction of unruly children. However, many
grandparents are totally committed to the welfare of their grandchildren and love to see
their loved ones, lighting up their sense of personality in an unambiguous fashion.
In conclusion, it is no wonder how many parents have to leave their children at home
while they try to pay off mortgages and credit card bills brought about by the current
geo-political set up and burgeoning financial system of developing countries. I for one
will stay at home with my kids and will therefore not require the service of professionals
or next of kin.