Kitty Stewart – författare

Early education and care has become a central policy area in many countries. As services expand rapidly, it is crucial to examine whether children from disadvantaged backgrounds receive provision of the highest possible quality.

In this original, topical book, leading experts from eight countries examine how early education and care is organised, funded and regulated in their countries. Bringing together recent statistical evidence, the book gives an up-to-date picture of access to services by different groups, providing rich insights on how policies play out in practice, and the extent to which they help or hinder disadvantaged children to receive high quality provision.

An equal start? reveals the common tensions and complexities countries face in ensuring that early education and care is affordable, accessible and of high quality. Its critical examination of the potential for better policies ensures that An equal start? will be of interest to academic readers as well as policy makers and practitioners.

When New Labour came to power in 1997, its leaders asked for it to be judged after ten years on its success in making Britain ''a more equal society''. As it approaches the end of an unprecedented third term in office, this book asks whether Britain has indeed moved in that direction.

The highly successful earlier volume "A more equal society?" was described by Polly Toynbee as "the LSE''s mighty judgement on inequality". Now this second volume by the same team of authors provides an independent assessment of the success or otherwise of New Labour''s policies over a longer period. It provides:

· consideration by a range of expert authors of a broad set of indicators and policy areas affecting poverty, inequality and social exclusion;

· analysis of developments up to the third term on areas including income inequality, education, employment, health inequalities, neighbourhoods, minority ethnic groups, children and older people;

· an assessment of outcomes a decade on, asking whether policies stood up to the challenges, and whether successful strategies have been sustained or have run out of steam;

chapters on migration, social attitudes, the devolved administrations, the new Equality and Human Rights Commission, and future pressures.

The book is essential reading for academic and student audiences with an interest in contemporary social policy, as well as for all those seeking an objective account of Labour''s achievements in power.

When New Labour came to power in 1997, its leaders asked for it to be judged after ten years on its success in making Britain ''a more equal society''. As it approaches the end of an unprecedented third term in office, this book asks whether Britain has indeed moved in that direction.

The highly successful earlier volume "A more equal society?" was described by Polly Toynbee as "the LSE''s mighty judgement on inequality". Now this second volume by the same team of authors provides an independent assessment of the success or otherwise of New Labour''s policies over a longer period. It provides:

· consideration by a range of expert authors of a broad set of indicators and policy areas affecting poverty, inequality and social exclusion;

· analysis of developments up to the third term on areas including income inequality, education, employment, health inequalities, neighbourhoods, minority ethnic groups, children and older people;

· an assessment of outcomes a decade on, asking whether policies stood up to the challenges, and whether successful strategies have been sustained or have run out of steam;

chapters on migration, social attitudes, the devolved administrations, the new Equality and Human Rights Commission, and future pressures.

The book is essential reading for academic and student audiences with an interest in contemporary social policy, as well as for all those seeking an objective account of Labour''s achievements in power.