I am responding to the letter 'It's time to recognise BAs in early childhood' (2 August). The book Focus on early childhood; principles and realities, edited by Boushel, Fawcett and Selwyn, published 2000, observes that 'most of our European partners demand higher levels of training than Britain, by far the majority requiring at least three years of tertiary (degree-level) education for anyone employed in this sector.' However, 'a fresh generation of well-educated and thoughtful potential professionals' will hopefully not only generate higher regard for early years practitioners (unqualified, qualified to level 2 or 3, or with Early Childhood Studies degrees),...