Birmingham's pre-school childcare during the Second World War

Wood, Lorraine Alison (2022). Birmingham's pre-school childcare during the Second World War. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

This thesis examines pre-school childcare provision in Birmingham during the Second World War. As well as providing a local dimension to an understudied area of education, it adds to our understanding of the home front, women’s history and the relationship between theory and practice in childcare provision at this time. It investigates childcare facilities available for working mothers by the outbreak of the hostilities and how these increased to meet wartime demand for work. An innovative project carried out by Canadian child psychologist, Dr William Blatz and his team at Birmingham’s Garrison Lane Nursery Training Centre was an important new childcare facility. The thesis analyses the impact of nursery school education on the experiences of children, staff, families and the local community by interrogating a range of primary sources, including Canadian records not previously utilised by historians, official records such as central and local government reports, Mass Observation reports, newspapers and other printed material. These primary sources are problematic as they were primarily produced by men in positions of authority, so they have been interpreted to uncover the perspectives and experiences of mothers, childcare practitioners and children. The thesis argues that Birmingham became an epicentre of progressive educational practice in childcare during the Second World War, which helped to shape national guidelines at the time and after the war.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):