Jacqueline Barnes is Professor of Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London, UK, based at the Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Social Issues. Professor Barnes is one of the directors of the national evaluation of the UK government’s Sure Start local programmes initiative.After qualifying at the University of Wisconsin to be an educational psychologist she returned to the UK and was awarded her PhD in Psychology from London University in 1983.In the 1980s she developed the Early Years Behaviour Checklist with Naomi Richman, a widely used measure of the behavioural problems of young children in group settings.  She also worked at Harvard in the USA, returning afterwards to London University.  Her current research interests are: evaluation of early intervention programmes related to children’s health and development and parenting; community characteristics and the environment as they relate to family functioning and children; and the use of child care in the early years, particularly factors associated with mothers of returning to work after having a new baby.

1 Introduction. 2 The Families and Neighbourhoods Study. 3 An introduction to some of the families. 4 Is this where I want to belong? 5 What can we do? Where can we go? 6 Local friends - a unique role? 7 Discipline and control. 8 Children out and about. 9 Is it "better to belong"? 10 Conclusions and implications. References. Appendix 1 The survey. Appendix 2 The qualitative study. Index.

• List of pictures, figures and tables ixAcknowledgements xiii1 Introduction 12 The families and neighbourhoods study 153 An introduction to some of the families 414 Is this where I want to belong? 515 What can we do? Where can we go? 836 Local friends – a unique role? 1157 Discipline and control 1438 Children out and about 1759 Is it better to belong to the neighbourhood? 20310 Conclusions and implications for the future 235References 247Appendix 1: The survey 257Appendix 2: The qualitative study 269Subject index 283Author index 289

Jacqueline Barnes is Professor of Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London, UK, based at the Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Social Issues. Professor Barnes is one of the directors of the national evaluation of the UK government’s Sure Start local programmes initiative.After qualifying at the University of Wisconsin to be an educational psychologist she returned to the UK and was awarded her PhD in Psychology from London University in 1983.In the 1980s she developed the Early Years Behaviour Checklist with Naomi Richman, a widely used measure of the behavioural problems of young children in group settings.  She also worked at Harvard in the USA, returning afterwards to London University.  Her current research interests are: evaluation of early intervention programmes related to children’s health and development and parenting; community characteristics and the environment as they relate to family functioning and children; and the use of child care in the early years, particularly factors associated with mothers of returning to work after having a new baby.

1 Introduction. 2 The Families and Neighbourhoods Study. 3 An introduction to some of the families. 4 Is this where I want to belong? 5 What can we do? Where can we go? 6 Local friends - a unique role? 7 Discipline and control. 8 Children out and about. 9 Is it "better to belong"? 10 Conclusions and implications. References. Appendix 1 The survey. Appendix 2 The qualitative study. Index.

• List of pictures, figures and tables ixAcknowledgements xiii1 Introduction 12 The families and neighbourhoods study 153 An introduction to some of the families 414 Is this where I want to belong? 515 What can we do? Where can we go? 836 Local friends – a unique role? 1157 Discipline and control 1438 Children out and about 1759 Is it better to belong to the neighbourhood? 20310 Conclusions and implications for the future 235References 247Appendix 1: The survey 257Appendix 2: The qualitative study 269Subject index 283Author index 289

Jacqueline Barnes is Professor of Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London, UK, based at the Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Social Issues. Professor Barnes is one of the directors of the national evaluation of the UK government’s Sure Start local programmes initiative.After qualifying at the University of Wisconsin to be an educational psychologist she returned to the UK and was awarded her PhD in Psychology from London University in 1983.In the 1980s she developed the Early Years Behaviour Checklist with Naomi Richman, a widely used measure of the behavioural problems of young children in group settings.  She also worked at Harvard in the USA, returning afterwards to London University.  Her current research interests are: evaluation of early intervention programmes related to children’s health and development and parenting; community characteristics and the environment as they relate to family functioning and children; and the use of child care in the early years, particularly factors associated with mothers of returning to work after having a new baby.

1 Introduction. 2 The Families and Neighbourhoods Study. 3 An introduction to some of the families. 4 Is this where I want to belong? 5 What can we do? Where can we go? 6 Local friends - a unique role? 7 Discipline and control. 8 Children out and about. 9 Is it "better to belong"? 10 Conclusions and implications. References. Appendix 1 The survey. Appendix 2 The qualitative study. Index.

• List of pictures, figures and tables ixAcknowledgements xiii1 Introduction 12 The families and neighbourhoods study 153 An introduction to some of the families 414 Is this where I want to belong? 515 What can we do? Where can we go? 836 Local friends – a unique role? 1157 Discipline and control 1438 Children out and about 1759 Is it better to belong to the neighbourhood? 20310 Conclusions and implications for the future 235References 247Appendix 1: The survey 257Appendix 2: The qualitative study 269Subject index 283Author index 289