Research by the Labour government shows that its own pro-nursery (British for “daycare”) policy is harming a generation of children.

Labour's drive to put toddlers in childcare so mothers can go out to work is damaging a generation, the Government's own research showed yesterday.

Young children who spend long hours in nurseries are more disruptive and anxious than infants mainly looked after at home by their mothers. The earlier they go to nursery, the worse their behaviour becomes.

Toddlers left in daycare for at least 30 hours a week are "significantly" more likely to bully other children, tease them, call them names and demand their own way.

But they also became worried and upset. They were more prone to pouting, frowning and stamping their feet if asked to try a new activity and to worry about not getting enough food, drink or toys.

The study also found that the longer children attended nursery, the greater the tendency to behave selfishly and disruptively.  The age at which the child first entered daycare was not significantly correlated with behaviour.

On the positive side, some children who spent time in nursery seemed to gain in social and co-operative skills.

The children rated as more cooperative, sociable and confident were not usually the same children who were rated as more anti-social or worried/upset,” the report noted. “Thus, some children showed increased positive behaviours with time spent in group care while others showed increased negative behaviours.

The annual conference of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers is now considering a motion deploring the drive to full employment and the attendant push to consign young children to nursery.

This study, conducted by researchers from the University of Oxford and the Institute for Fiscal Studies, comes to light barely a week after a far-reaching American study of children and daycare reported similar findings.

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