Understanding urban childhoods and the lives of children under 3

The potential benefits of early childhood education and care (ECEC) for young children’s development are now well established. However, many children do not attend formal childcare, and little is known about how children under the age of three spend their time with their caregivers. As part of a book chapter on urban childhoods and use of ECEC, we would like to explore how children under three growing up in Bradford spend their time. This includes who takes care of them besides their parents, what they do at home with their caregivers, whether they attend any informal or formal childcare provision, and how they engage with outside space. This will be used to develop an overview of what is known about these children’s lives, and what needs further exploration.