Childhood can only be understood in relation to the multitude of social factors which surround it.

This book is written for students of degrees and foundation degrees in Early Years, Early Childhood Studies and related disciplines. It offers an introduction to the study of childhood and the different contexts within which childhood exists. The text encourages students to re-think childhood, exploring it from different contexts whether looking at the child within the family, global perspectives or the child′s own perspective. It enables readers to begin to understand childhood in relation to society and to develop the skills to look at childhood from a critical standpoint.