Towards Equal Voices

Childcare is the site of a number of interrelated and contested social, political and economic issues. The impetus for this piece of research came from a concern with how the UK government agenda for social inclusion, especially with regard to minority ethnic hard-to-reach groups, could be promoted through childcare. At the time the study was conducted (2000-2003), very little research had been undertaken specifically on the childcare needs of minority ethnic groups in Britain, despite race and social exclusion being pertinent issues. This is a comparative study into the childcare practices and needs of Chinese and Bangladeshi communities, undertaken in collaboration with a city-wide childcare partnership in the North East of England. Based on background research and in-depth interviews from eight Chinese and seven Bangladeshi households of different origins, compositions and backgrounds, it describes the diverse and dynamic nature of minority ethnic households situated within their socio-historical contexts. The thesis ends with a practical note on the policy implications for socially inclusive childcare planning.

Autorentext

Mabel Lie is a social scientist at the Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, UK. She works as a qualitative researcher in multidisciplinary teams in health services research and public health. Originally a teacher from Singapore, she has lived with her husband Andy in the UK for more than 23 years, and has two daughters.