An argument is presented for a comprehensive and universal system of care and education for preschool children outside the family. Current institutional arrangements in the United Kingdom for government provision of education and care for young children are discussed and proposals are made for alternative ways of providing this service. It is suggested that certain traditional views of the family and its role in society are outmoded and that the position of children in society has changed. Subsection topics are: the family, children, history of provision for young children in Britain, aims of nursery education, the divided system (i.e. division between nursery care and nursery education), alternative systems, and problems of implementation. The conclusion emphasizes that problems cited are not unique to Britain but are common to almost all industrial societies. The realities of the high cost of outside care and education are also underlined. (BF)