Learn from the mistakes of others

Age-of-entry into childcare has been largely overlooked as a factor that may impact infants' settling into childcare, especially within the first year of life. On the basis of attachment theory and the development of stranger anxiety at about 8 months, the authors hypothesised that infants who enter care prior to 6 months will settle more easily than infants placed into childcare after 8 months. Data will be presented on 46 infants who were placed into care prior to 6 months of age and 52 infants placed into care between 8-14 months of age. The groups did not differ in terms of demographic background. Each mother completed the Daycare Experience Questionnaire (DEQ, Skouteris & Dissanayake, 2001), which consists of both open-ended questions and Likert-type scales pertaining to the settling process of the infant into childcare. The findings revealed that infants placed into childcare before 6 months settled faster and were happier on arrival and during their time at childcare. The results will be discussed in relation to factors that facilitate infant's well-being in childcare, and the implications for the mother's transition back into the workplace.