Another year draws to a close in which the early years sector has been the scene of activity and change. Even in this run-up to Christmas we have seen CACHE's bid to run one of the sector skills councils replacing the National Training Organisations turned down, and the sale of one of the top ten UK nursery chains, Just Learning, to Alchemy, famous recently for trying to buy Rover. There will be much to fight for in 2002. Nursery World will continue to campaign against the regulation which says that childminders can smack children and smoke in front of them...