Constructing the Child

A History of Canadian Day Care

by Donna Varga

Donna Varga discusses Canadian day care since the 1890s, placing particular emphasis upon the influence of developmental psychology.

How should children be cared for in day care centres? What kind of care should they receive and who should provide it?

Donna Varga explores these questions as she considers the ideologies and practices that have shaped day care in Canada over the past 100 years. She explains how the emergence of developmental child psychology changed day care from a simple service for working women to a complex system primarily concerned with the moral development of the child.

Constructing the Child tracks the emergence of an orthodox child care ideology in the course of the 20th century, and argues that this orthodoxy now inhibits further developments.

An Our Schools/Our Selves book.

About the Author

Donna Varga

DONNA VARGA is an assistant professor in the Department of Child and Youth Study, Mount Saint Vincent University. She has published articles on historical issues in day care, childrens play teacher education and parent education.'

Subjects (BISAC)

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