‘From a floor to a drawer’ A story of administrative upheaval: A post Meade reflection on early childhood policy

This paper provides firstly, a brief analysis of the politics of early childhood in relation to the swings and roundabouts of National and Labour Party Government policies. Secondly, with a particular focus on the Labour Government 1984-90, there is a new look at the phases that led to the Meade Report and beyond it. Thirdly, it is timely, as the possibility of a return to National style politics for early childhood looms larger, to foreshadow the implications of this in the 1990's.