ABSTRACT
This chapter details professional practice and research in the three countries of Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales. Each country has its own statutory framework and curriculum guidance for the early childhood education and care of its youngest citizens. The chapter identifies aspects of these policy documents that chime with Froebelian traditions and which draw implicitly or overtly on Frederich Froebel's legacy. Historically, in England, the development of early childhood services has been on an ad hoc basis and has been linked to social policy, with the development of services since 1998 resulting from the New Labour Government's childcare strategy of providing affordable, high quality childcare to enable parents to return to work. Scottish government has devolved powers for education and child and family policy. The Scottish education system has its own distinct characteristics and has enjoyed an excellent reputation abroad.
