Competent System

In light of rapid changes in the early years sector in Ireland since 2000, questions arise about the professionalism of childminders (family day carers), the vast majority of whom are exempt from regulation. Fewer than 0.1% (<120) of childminders are registered with Tusla, the national regulator, despite the National Childminding Initiative, (NCMI) which has promoted professional, high quality childminding. To investigate current attitudes to NCMI's process of professionalisation (Brannen and Moss [2003]), among childminders and parents, a cross-sectional study was designed using a mixedmethod approach. Specifically an anonymous online survey was conducted with 325 participants, followed by a qualitative World Café forum for 40 members of Childminding Ireland, the national childminding body. Findings from both phases of research revealed many of these childminders were well-qualified and engaged, with a sense of professional identity, seeking a distinctive approach to support childminding. Moreover, both childminder and parent participants value the distinctive characteristics of childmindingclose relationships, a nurturing pedagogy, a rich, home environmentto a greater extent than markers of professionalism. These findings call for an innovative approach to childminding in Ireland, one that facilitates an organic development of agentic, professional childminding as part of a competent ECEC system.

Nonostante stia emergendo un consenso sempre maggiore, nel dibattito internazio-nale, sul fatto che servizi educativi per l&#39;infanzia accessibili e di qualità elevata con-tribuiscano in modo cruciale a ridurre le disuguaglianze sociali e culturali, le condi-zioni di contesto entro le quali tali servizi operano-che risultano essere determi-nanti nel promuovere il successo, o al contrario nel decretare l&#39;insuccesso, di tali iniziative-sono raramente prese in esame. Lo studio di caso sul sistema integrato dei servizi educativi per la prima infanzia della Regione Emilia-Romagna, condotto nell&#39;ambito del progetto Europeo INNOSI 1 , intende colmare questa lacuna analiz-zando in prospettiva sistemica le sperimentazioni e le pratiche innovative elaborate da tali servizi per rispondere in modo proattivo ai nuovi bisogni di bambini e fami-glie all&#39;interno delle comunità locali. La discussione dei risultati presentata in questo articolo esaminerà le principali sfide e i fattori ...

Quali competenze per i professionisti della prima infanzia? Le prospettive europee per l&#39;innovazione e la formazione delle competenze nel lavoro educativo con la prima infanzia Jan Peeters-Università di Gand (Belgio) – 1 Arianna Lazzari (Università di Bologna) 2 La riflessione che segue è frutto di una ricerca svolta dall&#39;Univesità di Londra Est e dall&#39;Università di Gand per conto della Direzione Generale Educazione e Cultura della Commissione Europea, intitolata CoRe (Competenze richieste nell&#39;ambito dell&#39;educazione e della cura della prima infanzia) 3 . La ricerca si è svolta da gennaio 2010 ad agosto 2011, ha coinvolto 15 Paesi europei ed aveva come obiettivo finale quello di definire delle Raccomandazioni rivolte a tutti gli stati membri dell&#39;Unione Europea. Hanno collaborato alle attività più di 40 ricercatori universitari, di cui anche alcuni italiani: Tullia Musatti, Mariacristina Picchio e Susanna Mayer (CNR – Roma). La ricerca si è svolta in tre fasi...

The close connection between the quality of provision for young children and professionaliation of the field has long been supported by international research. That the two are inseparable aspects of one picture is beginning to become accepted at European policy level, as evident in recent high level EU policy documents. This article explores the reciprocal relationship between quality and professionalisation, drawing on the findings of the study on ‘competence requirements in early childhood education and care’ (CoRe), jointly conducted by the University of East London and the University of Gent, and funded by the European Commission. Based on a review of literature in several European languages and data from a 15‐country survey and seven in‐depth case studies, CoRe has identified systemic conditions for a professionalisation of the entire early childhood system, beyond the formal qualification levels of individual practitioners. The article argues for a critical and systemic recon...

In light of rapid changes in the early years sector in Ireland since 2000, questions arise about the professionalism of childminders (family day carers), the vast majority of whom are exempt from regulation. Fewer than 0.1% (<120) of childminders are registered with Tusla, the national regulator, despite the National Childminding Initiative, (NCMI) which has promoted professional, high quality childminding. To investigate current attitudes to NCMI's process of professionalisation (Brannen and Moss [2003]), among childminders and parents, a cross-sectional study was designed using a mixedmethod approach. Specifically an anonymous online survey was conducted with 325 participants, followed by a qualitative World Café forum for 40 members of Childminding Ireland, the national childminding body. Findings from both phases of research revealed many of these childminders were well-qualified and engaged, with a sense of professional identity, seeking a distinctive approach to support childminding. Moreover, both childminder and parent participants value the distinctive characteristics of childmindingclose relationships, a nurturing pedagogy, a rich, home environmentto a greater extent than markers of professionalism. These findings call for an innovative approach to childminding in Ireland, one that facilitates an organic development of agentic, professional childminding as part of a competent ECEC system.

In light of rapid changes in the early years sector in Ireland since 2000, questions arise about the professionalism of childminders (family day carers), the vast majority of whom are exempt from regulation. Fewer than 0.1% (<120) of childminders are registered with Tusla, the national regulator, despite the National Childminding Initiative, (NCMI) which has promoted professional, high quality childminding. To investigate current attitudes to NCMI's process of professionalisation (Brannen and Moss [2003]), among childminders and parents, a cross-sectional study was designed using a mixedmethod approach. Specifically an anonymous online survey was conducted with 325 participants, followed by a qualitative World Café forum for 40 members of Childminding Ireland, the national childminding body. Findings from both phases of research revealed many of these childminders were well-qualified and engaged, with a sense of professional identity, seeking a distinctive approach to support childminding. Moreover, both childminder and parent participants value the distinctive characteristics of childmindingclose relationships, a nurturing pedagogy, a rich, home environmentto a greater extent than markers of professionalism. These findings call for an innovative approach to childminding in Ireland, one that facilitates an organic development of agentic, professional childminding as part of a competent ECEC system.

In the EU, policymakers explicitly acknowledge the important role of 'Early Childhood Education and Care' (all provision of care and education for children before compulsory school age) in providing a basis for successful lifelong learning (European Commission, 2011). In many countries, ECEC is organised as a split system where care services for children up to the age of three are under the auspices of the Ministry for Welfare and preschool institutions for children from the age of three to compulsory school age are under the auspices of the Ministry for Education. In countries with a unitary system, these services are integrated in one system for children from birth to compulsory school age. Countries with a split system traditionally struggle with differing degrees of professionalism, with lower qualification levels, less supportive work conditions and less time for critical team reflection and feedback for staff working in the 0 to 3 sector. This results in a lower quality of care for the youngest children (Oberhuemer, 2005; Urban, Vandenbroeck, Peeters, Lazzari, & Van Laere, 2011). Research findings show that ECEC can play a pivotal role in fostering children's educational success, preventing early school leaving and tackling social inequalities. However, this can only be achieved when access to high quality and inclusive services is provided to all children and their families (Lazzari & Vandenbroeck, 2012). So, what constitutes 'high quality' in ECEC? The quest for conceptualisations and definitions of quality has been at the core of ongoing debates in the last decades and there is no internationally agreed definition of 'quality' in ECEC services (Dumcius et al., 2014).

Mathias Urban (Dublin City University) , Alejandra Cardini (Centro de Implementacion de Politicas Publicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC)) , Claudia Costin (The World Bank) , Rita Flórez Romero (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) , Jennifer Guevara (Centro de Implementacion de Politicas Publicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC)) , Lynette Okengo (African Early Childhood Network) , Dwi Priyono November 24, 2020 | Last updated: December 10, 2020 Tags: Social cohesion and the State

This study examines the two kindergarten teachers' shared professional identities in teamwork in an effort to clarify what constitutes their shared identities and how these identities affect the teachers' professional practices and beliefs. The relational nature of identity maintains that individuals are not the only constructors of their identity, and the literature on teacher education emphasizes the importance of identity in teacher development. The in-depth analysis of the two kindergarten teachers' narrative interviews revealed how the educators constructed their professional identities by intertwining the features of their context, feedback, and teaching. The findings indicate that the shared professional identities of the two early childhood teachers are developed and negotiated through four shared features: commitment, feedback, educational tasks, and professional agency. Together these four shared features shape the teachers' professional roles and pedagogical practices-either by giving support to professional growth and empowerment or by having a decreasing effect on the teachers' professional identity and agency in early childhood contexts.

Mathias Urban (Dublin City University) , Alejandra Cardini (Centro de Implementacion de Politicas Publicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC)) , Claudia Costin (The World Bank) , Rita Flórez Romero (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) , Jennifer Guevara (Centro de Implementacion de Politicas Publicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC)) , Lynette Okengo (African Early Childhood Network) , Dwi Priyono November 24, 2020 | Last updated: December 10, 2020 Tags: Social cohesion and the State

In the EU, policymakers explicitly acknowledge the important role of 'Early Childhood Education and Care' (all provision of care and education for children before compulsory school age) in providing a basis for successful lifelong learning (European Commission, 2011). In many countries, ECEC is organised as a split system where care services for children up to the age of three are under the auspices of the Ministry for Welfare and preschool institutions for children from the age of three to compulsory school age are under the auspices of the Ministry for Education. In countries with a unitary system, these services are integrated in one system for children from birth to compulsory school age. Countries with a split system traditionally struggle with differing degrees of professionalism, with lower qualification levels, less supportive work conditions and less time for critical team reflection and feedback for staff working in the 0 to 3 sector. This results in a lower quality of care for the youngest children (Oberhuemer, 2005; Urban, Vandenbroeck, Peeters, Lazzari, & Van Laere, 2011). Research findings show that ECEC can play a pivotal role in fostering children's educational success, preventing early school leaving and tackling social inequalities. However, this can only be achieved when access to high quality and inclusive services is provided to all children and their families (Lazzari & Vandenbroeck, 2012). So, what constitutes 'high quality' in ECEC? The quest for conceptualisations and definitions of quality has been at the core of ongoing debates in the last decades and there is no internationally agreed definition of 'quality' in ECEC services (Dumcius et al., 2014).

Research shows that ECEC can make a substantial contribution in sustaining children’s cognitive, social and emotional development as well as in fostering social inclusion (Lazzari and Vandenbroeck, 2012; Dumcius, Peeters, Hayes et al., 2014; Meluish et al.2015; Vandenbroeeck et al., 2018; CARE Project2, 2015, 2016). However, as ECEC can fulfill these goals only in certain conditions, a more dialogical approach analysing the micro-processes of inclusion/exclusion displayed in everyday interactions within early childhood settings is necessary (Peleman, Vandenbroeck & Van Avermaet, 2020). Based on newly gained insights (Jensen and Iannone, 2018), the project adopts the innovative and active learning method of video-coaching to reflect with early childhood professionals - educators, teachers, coordinators and leaders - on educational interactions between children and staff. The main goals of the project are: - to explore which aspects of daily practices in ECEC settings contribute to pr...

This study examines the two kindergarten teachers' shared professional identities in teamwork in an effort to clarify what constitutes their shared identities and how these identities affect the teachers' professional practices and beliefs. The relational nature of identity maintains that individuals are not the only constructors of their identity, and the literature on teacher education emphasizes the importance of identity in teacher development. The in-depth analysis of the two kindergarten teachers' narrative interviews revealed how the educators constructed their professional identities by intertwining the features of their context, feedback, and teaching. The findings indicate that the shared professional identities of the two early childhood teachers are developed and negotiated through four shared features: commitment, feedback, educational tasks, and professional agency. Together these four shared features shape the teachers' professional roles and pedagogical practices-either by giving support to professional growth and empowerment or by having a decreasing effect on the teachers' professional identity and agency in early childhood contexts.

Early childhood development, education, and care (ECD/ECEC) has become a priority for governments and international bodies. ECD/ECEC is explicitly included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4, 4.2), underlining the global consensus. In 2018, the Group of Twenty (G20) acknowledged the key role of ECD and, in their Leaders’ Declaration,announced a G20 ECD initiative. Access to high-quality, early childhood development, education, and care programs is unequal among and within countries, and this remains a major cause for concern. However, in the context of local and global sustainability, a new focus on the purpose of ECD/ECEC should become a complementing priority of the G20 process.

Despite policy changes in a growing number of countries to increase the quality of early years education through the introduction of national curricular frameworks, conceptualizations of early childhood professionals remain distinctly variegated. Early learning curriculum frameworks have become embedded into the 21st-century early learning movement, creating a shift in professional deliverables and system expectations. This study explores how early childhood educators (ECEs) in Prince Edward Island (PEI) understand the concept of professionalism in their everyday practice. The researchers used qualitative methodology and a variety of methods, including workshops, interviews, and field notes, to gain insight into how ECEs understand professionalism. The data was analyzed through thematic analysis and understood through the lens of sociocultural theories of learning that embrace communities of practice as a positive way to promote professional learning. Primary findings explore (1) ho...

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Mathias Urban (Dublin City University) , Alejandra Cardini (Centro de Implementacion de Politicas Publicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC)) , Claudia Costin (The World Bank) , Rita Flórez Romero (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) , Jennifer Guevara (Centro de Implementacion de Politicas Publicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC)) , Lynette Okengo (African Early Childhood Network) , Dwi Priyono November 24, 2020 | Last updated: December 10, 2020 Tags: Social cohesion and the State

Early childhood development, education, and care (ECD/ECEC) has become a priority for governments and international bodies. ECD/ECEC is explicitly included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4, 4.2), underlining the global consensus. In 2018, the Group of Twenty (G20) acknowledged the key role of ECD and, in their Leaders’ Declaration,announced a G20 ECD initiative. Access to high-quality, early childhood development, education, and care programs is unequal among and within countries, and this remains a major cause for concern. However, in the context of local and global sustainability, a new focus on the purpose of ECD/ECEC should become a complementing priority of the G20 process.

Social attitudes about male participation in the upbringing of children have changed considerably over the past few decades. Men are now seen as important for children's development and learning. Research from many countries worldwide shows that in early childhood care and education (ECEC), male workers are welcomed by female colleagues and parents. In the last two decades there have been initiatives for more men in ECEC in several European countries. Nevertheless the proportion of male workers ECEC remains low worldwide. This article questions the persisting gender imbalance in ECEC and analyzes ambivalences regarding more men in the field. Based on recent gender theory, efforts and limits of strategies for more male students and workers in ECEC in Belgium, Norway and Germany are discussed. It is concluded that deeply held gendered attitudes and practices in the field of care and educational work with young children have to be put into question. More space in ECEC for embodied subjectivities is needed to overcome essentialist conceptions of differences between body and mind, women and men.

Without an understanding of history as possibility, tomorrow is problematic. In order for it to come, it is necessary that we build it through transforming today. Different tomorrows are possible.The struggle is no longer reduced to either delaying what is to come or ensuring its arrival; it is necessary to reinvent the future. Education is indispensable for this reinvention. By accepting ourselves as active subjects and objects of history, we become beings who make division. It makes us ethical beings (Paulo Freire, 1997, p. 55) Early childhood education and care (ECEC) has been, since the 1992 Council recommendations on child care (Council of the European Communities, 1992), a recurring topic on European policy agendas. The importance of high quality services for young children, families and communities has recently been further emphasised. From a European perspective, investing in accessible early childhood education and care of the highest quality is crucial to realise wide ranging strategies and goals. These goals, laid out in the Europe 2020 strategy, are based on a bleak analysis of the current situation: Europe faces a moment of transformation.The crisis has wiped out years of economic and social progress and exposed structural weaknesses in Europe's economy. In the meantime, the world is moving fast and long-term challenges -globalisation, pressure on resources, ageing -intensify.The EU must now take charge of its future (European Commission, 2010, p. 3). Europe 2020 is an acknowledgement that yesterday's solutions will not suffice to 'put Europe back on track'. Europe and its Member States will have to implement policies that ensure that economic growth is smart, sustainable and inclusive. Knowledge base and innovation, sustainability and social cohesion cannot be developed in isolation. Against this background, coherent approaches to education, training and lifelong learning are seen as of particular importance for 'improving citizens' employability, social inclusion and personal fulfilment' (Council of the European Union, 2010). These analyses, conclusions, goals and strategies provide the context and arguments for the attention paid to early childhood services. They do so from at least two interconnected perspectives: First, early childhood education and care for all children is a cornerstone of lifelong learning: ' [. . .] there is an urgent need to reduce the current number of low achievers in basic skills -particularly reading (for which current data indicate that an average of one in four pupils is unable to read and write properly) -and to further reduce the number of early leavers from education and training, as well as a need to increase participation in early childhood education and care, to raise the number of young people with a tertiary-level qualification, and to increase adult participation in lifelong learning. Such needs are particularly acute in the case of those from a disadvantaged background, who statistically tend to perform significantly less well against each of the benchmarks. Only by addressing the needs of those at risk of bs_bs_banner

This article presents the findings of an analysis of the effects of CPD initiatives on the quality of the pedagogical practices of ECEC practitioners. It is part of a larger study commissioned by Eurofound and jointly conducted by VBJK, IOE and PPMI (Eurofound, 2015). In order to draw policy-relevant information that might support decision makers in designing effective ECEC policies in their countries, the study reviewed existing research evidence published on this topic not only in English, but also in all the languages currently in use in EU Member States. Therefore, it involved country experts from EU-28 Member States. The research question was framed by the political priorities identified by the Council Conclusions on Early Childhood Education and Care (EU Council, 2011). The systematic literature review methodology elaborated by the EPPI-Centre for informing evidence-based policies in the field of education and social sciences was adopted to review the evidence drawn from primary research studies cross-nationally. The study revealed that long-term CPD interventions integrated into practice, such as pedagogical guidance and coaching in reflection groups, proved to be effective not only in countries with a well-established system of ECEC provision and a high level of qualification requirements for the practitioners, but also in countries with poorly subsidised ECEC systems and low qualification requirements. CPD initiatives based on the active engagement of practitioners and on peer exchanges within a shared scientific framework, proved to be the most effective.

This article explores implications of implementing the Anti-bias Approach (Derman-Sparks & the ABC Task Force, 1989) for the Irish Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) sector at policy and training levels. A recent initiative at policy level requires the ECCE sector to address diversity, equality, and inclusion in practice from an Anti-bias perspective. An exercise built on Anti-bias Goals and Principles – Equality-Proofing the physical environment –  is outlined. The findings are analysed from interviews and the Equality-Proofing Exercise carried out in Early Childhood services by 85 undergraduate students from the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, Ireland. Results demonstrate that meaningful diversity and equality training is necessary to ensure that all children are acknowledged and represented in the ECCE setting.  Implications for current and future policy development and pre-service and in-service training are highlighted and discussed.

The close connection between the quality of provision for young children and professionaliation of the field has long been supported by international research. That the two are inseparable aspects of one picture is beginning to become accepted at European policy level, as evident in recent high level EU policy documents. This article explores the reciprocal relationship between quality and professionalisation, drawing on the findings of the study on ‘competence requirements in early childhood education and care’ (CoRe), jointly conducted by the University of East London and the University of Gent, and funded by the European Commission. Based on a review of literature in several European languages and data from a 15-country survey and seven in-depth case studies, CoRe has identified systemic conditions for a professionalisation of the entire early childhood system, beyond the formal qualification levels of individual practitioners. The article argues for a critical and systemic recon...

Our study investigated the provision of funded places for two-year-olds in England. From September 2013 free early education has been provided for the 20% most disadvantaged twoyear-olds, extending to around 40% of two-year-olds in September 2014, and reflects Government interest in early intervention to compensate for disadvantage and to identify and intervene to address possible special educational needs. The places are offered by a mixed economy of providers across the non-maintained and maintained sector. There were four elements to the research: 1. Review of the literature: what does the literature tell us about the dimensions of quality for early childhood provision that are important for two-year-old children's development, and how do current policy frameworks support provision for two-year-olds? Three recent publications have focused on quality for children under the age of three, summarising current literature in relation to practice in the UK, USA and Australia, and considering both structural and pedagogical aspects of practice (Dalli, 2011, 2014; Mathers et al., 2014). In our short review we aimed to build these two reviews by focusing in literature relating to knowledge, pedagogy and interaction, and by linking the literature to recent policy developments in England. 2. Interviews with key informants: what do key stakeholders within the early years sector consider to be the essential components of quality for two-year-olds, and what successes and challenges do they report in providing these as part of the two-year-old programme? Key informants represented national and local government, charitable organisations from across the sector and those involved in supporting and/or training the sector. Thirteen interviews were conducted, focusing on the key characteristics of quality provision for twoyear-olds and the skills needed to work with two-year-olds. 3. National survey of practitioners: who is currently working with two-year olds in England, what are their views on quality and how prepared do they feel to meet the needs of twoyear-olds and their families? The online survey was conducted between June and July 2014. The final sample comprised 509 leaders, managers and practitioners, of whom 95% worked in settings with two-year-olds on register, 69% worked in settings catering for funded two-year-olds and 44% worked directly with funded two-year-olds. Just under two thirds (65%) of respondents worked in the PVI sector, 27% were childminders and 6% worked in local authority maintained provision. Respondents tended to be better qualified and more experienced than we might expect from a representative sample. This should be taken into account when interpreting the findings; it is likely that our sample represents the most proactive, confident and motivated of practitioners. 4. Regional case studies: what are the practices among settings providing funded early education places for two-year-olds? Interviews were conducted in 11 settings drawn from four regions in which we had already interviewed key informants. Ten settings were providing funded places as part of the two-yearold programme, and were selected to represent good practice across a variety of setting types, geographical contexts and models of two-year-old provision. Observations of practice were carried out in six of these settings. The research was conducted in two phases. In Phase 1 we carried out the review of the literature and the key informant interviews and in Phase 2 we conducted the online survey and regional case studies.

Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services are well established in Germany, especially for children from the age of three to when they start school. Legislation covering all the 16 countries of the Federal Republic of Germany sets out the general duty of the state to support parents in their task to raise and educate children and the entitlement of all children to ECEC services from their first birthday. Detailed regulation of services, structures and financing of settings and the training of the workforce are the responsibility of the individual countries and/or municipalities. This short article can offers only a general overview, but details at local level may show further variations. What are the different services and which children do they cater for e.g. childcare for 0-2, preschool for 3-6

Despite policy changes in a growing number of countries to increase the quality of early years education through the introduction of national curricular frameworks, conceptualizations of early childhood professionals remain distinctly variegated. Early learning curriculum frameworks have become embedded into the 21st-century early learning movement, creating a shift in professional deliverables and system expectations. This study explores how early childhood educators (ECEs) in Prince Edward Island (PEI) understand the concept of professionalism in their everyday practice. The researchers used qualitative methodology and a variety of methods, including workshops, interviews, and field notes, to gain insight into how ECEs understand professionalism. The data was analyzed through thematic analysis and understood through the lens of sociocultural theories of learning that embrace communities of practice as a positive way to promote professional learning. Primary findings explore (1) ho...

In 2002 the European Council set for the first time targets for the provision of childcare across the European Union, aiming to capture at least 90% of children between the age of 3 and mandatory school age. The emphasis in the 2002 so called “Barcelona targets”was primarily on childcare as a policy mechanism that would increase women’s participation in the labour market. Almost twenty years later, the policy discourse around early childhood education (ECE) has changed dramatically. In the latest Council Recommendation of the EU, ECE is discussed as a fundamental part of the European Pillar of Social Rights, and links high-quality and inclusive early education to children’s rights,
acknowledging its role in “laying the foundations for learning at school and throughout life”(Council of the EU, 2019). ECE is seen to benefit all children, with particular references to its impact on children from disadvantaged areas, and children who experience inter-
generational cycles of poverty and discrimination. Such policy discourses are now quite common, and reflect (and are often driven by) research debates on the significance of Early
Childhood Education. ...

Much recent scholarship on changing educational practices in Western families focuses on the idea that negotiation has become the dominant approach to family household management. In this essay, Bruno Vanobbergen, Michel Vandenbroeck, Rudi Roose, and Maria Bouverne-De Bie examine the idea of the negotiation model functioning as a directive. To illustrate this process, they demonstrate how the contemporary vocabulary about parental education affects the construction of parental beliefs and the concepts that define research. The authors first present a genealogy of negotiation by looking at constructions of childhood and parenthood, as well as the educational practices that shape, and are in turn shaped by, these constructions. They then turn their attention to the concept of the autonomous self and its implications for family relations and family household practices.

Within the field of developmental science, there is a general agreement of the need to work together across academic disciplinary boundaries in order to advance the understandings of how to optimize child development and learning. However, experience also shows that such collaborations may be challenging. This paper reports on the experiences of bidirectional collaboration between researchers in a multidisciplinary research team and between researchers and stakeholders, in the first randomized controlled trial in Swedish preschool. The objective of the trial was to investigate the effects of two pedagogical learning strategies evaluating language, communication, attention, executive functions and early math. The interdisciplinary team includes researchers from early childhood education, linguistics, developmental psychology and cognitive neuro science. Educational researchers and theorists within the field of early childhood education in Sweden have during the last two decades mainly undertaken small-scale qualitative praxis-oriented and participative research. There is a widespread skepticism with regards to some of the core principles in controlled intervention methodologies, including a strong resistance towards individual testing of children. Consequently unanticipated disagreements and conflicts arose within the research team, as RCT methodology requires the measurement of effects pre and post the intervention. The aim of this article is to discuss the conditions for bidirectional collaboration both between researchers and stakeholders and between researchers in the research team. The findings illustrate strategies and negotiations that emerged in order to address ontological and epistemological controversies and disagreements. These include (a) the negotiation of research ethics, (b) making divergences visible and learning from each other, (c) using a multiepistemological and methodological approach as a complement to the RCT design and (d) the negotiation of research problems that are shared between educators and researchers.

From the very north to the south of Europe, the national examples of early childhood education research reported here address remarkably similar issues around the definition of core values in early childhood education, and their impact on pedagogical work in preschools. Policy histories and frameworks matter, since they define the parameters within which these definitions take place and they determine resources given to preschool provision. Our collection demonstrates the significance of ideas and cultural frames as factors that often act independently to develop professional practice in different directions (see also, Löfdahl Hultman & Margrain, 2019; White, 2002). Education policy and policy reforms are formed often without the participation of professional educators, but they are mediated by practitioners who exercise significant discretion in how they implement them in their everyday work. Since education policy reforms are the result of a social negotiation process, the reforms reflect ideal, but also traditional and normative views on ECE. In this respect, the approaches in the European countries presented here do not show great divergence. Where we do observe stronger differences, is in the ideas of educators around professional autonomy, practice, as well as certain social values. We find that, the success or failure of reforms in early childhood education depends on the extent to which the policy process accounts for not just administrative new requirements, but also the features of the institutional contexts of ECE, their historical evolution in different national contexts, and the role of ideas around the goals and purposes of the sector. Second, no new policy can be effectively applied, with positive transformative effects for young children’s lives, without the active participation of preschool educators in the process. As all the cases in this special issue illustrate, education change aimed to achieve any preschool policy goal (new assessment, inclusive classrooms, gender equality, children’s agency) is a social process that requires professional engagement and learning, and in some cases a transformation of the attitudes of the educators themselves.

Gibbons, A., Farquhar, S., & Tesar, M. (2015). Politics and practices: Critical provocations for meaningful early mentoring. In C. Murphy & Thornton, K. (Eds.), Mentoring in early childhood education: A compilation of thinking, pedagogy and practice (pp. 211–222). Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER.

This paper explores the possibility that early childhood institutions can be, first and foremost, places of political practice-and specifically of democratic political practice. The case for the primacy of democratic political practice in early childhood institutions is made more urgent by two developments apparent in many countries today: the growth of policy interest in early childhood education, leading to an expansion of services, and the need to revive democratic politics. As well as bringing democratic practice into the nursery, what this would mean and what conditions might enable it, the paper also considers democratic practice at other levels: not just the institutional, but also the national or federal, the regional and the local, and how each level can create 'democratic space' at other levels. The paper ends by considering four issues related to democracy in early childhood education including paradigmatic diversity and the European level.

Social attitudes about male participation in the upbringing of children have changed considerably over the past few decades. Men are now seen as important for children's development and learning. Research from many countries worldwide shows that in early childhood care and education (ECEC), male workers are welcomed by female colleagues and parents. In the last two decades there have been initiatives for more men in ECEC in several European countries. Nevertheless the proportion of male workers ECEC remains low worldwide. This article questions the persisting gender imbalance in ECEC and analyzes ambivalences regarding more men in the field. Based on recent gender theory, efforts and limits of strategies for more male students and workers in ECEC in Belgium, Norway and Germany are discussed. It is concluded that deeply held gendered attitudes and practices in the field of care and educational work with young children have to be put into question. More space in ECEC for embodied subjectivities is needed to overcome essentialist conceptions of differences between body and mind, women and men.

There is large degree of consensus that higher staff qualifications are correlated with higher quality in early childhood provision and that reflection is the most important part of professionalism. However, the concepts of the 'reflective practitioner' and the 'reflexive practitioner' (see below for the elaboration of these terms), although frequently mentioned in the literature, remain rather underdeveloped and the apparent consensus on the need for reflection may very well disguise a lack of consensus on what it actually means. Moreover, concepts of professionalism in general and of reflective and reflexive professionalism in particular are overwhelmingly elaborated without the professionals themselves. In this chapter analysis of narratives of professionals during 30 years of action research show how professionals who engage with pedagogic guidance can become actors of change and develop new pedagogic practices. 05-Miller_Cable-4096-CH-05.indd 62 13/07/2010 4:52:49 PM 05-Miller_Cable-4096-CH-05.indd 63 13/07/2010 4:52:49 PM 05-Miller_Cable-4096-CH-05.indd 64 13/07/2010 4:52:49 PM

In this chapter, we explore a possible interpretation of what social pedagogy may mean, when considering issues of diversity in early childhood education. In our view, a social pedagogical perspective deliberately connects pedagogical practices to underlying social ...

There is large degree of consensus that higher staff qualifications are correlated with higher quality in early childhood provision and that reflection is the most important part of professionalism. However, the concepts of the 'reflective practitioner' and the 'reflexive practitioner' (see below for the elaboration of these terms), although frequently mentioned in the literature, remain rather underdeveloped and the apparent consensus on the need for reflection may very well disguise a lack of consensus on what it actually means. Moreover, concepts of professionalism in general and of reflective and reflexive professionalism in particular are overwhelmingly elaborated without the professionals themselves. In this chapter analysis of narratives of professionals during 30 years of action research show how professionals who engage with pedagogic guidance can become actors of change and develop new pedagogic practices. 05-Miller_Cable-4096-CH-05.indd 62 13/07/2010 4:52:49 PM 05-Miller_Cable-4096-CH-05.indd 63 13/07/2010 4:52:49 PM 05-Miller_Cable-4096-CH-05.indd 64 13/07/2010 4:52:49 PM

There is a consensus among researchers that children benefit from high quality early childhood education and that these beneficial effects are most salient for children at risk for developmental delays. However, different studies have also shown that children from poor families are over-represented in early childhood education of poor quality. Policies that favor funding by local or central authorities are more effective in enhancing accessibility than market-oriented policies. Further, we discuss what quality may mean in contexts of diversity. Child-centered curricula that take into account children's and families' diverse perspectives are more successful in creating profitable learning spaces. This asks for reflective practitioners that document their educational practices and that strive for belonging and involvement, rather than for parents' participation.

In this paper I offer a critical enquiry into the landscape of European and international policy approaches and strategies towards young children, their families and communities in a rapidly changing global context. In recent years, early childhood has attracted unprecedented attention of policy makers and international bodies. The apparent consensus about the ‘need to increase participation in early childhood education and care’ has been framed mainly by a ‘human capital’ discourse that promises high returns on investment in early intervention, and social cohesion through increased educational achievement. While members of the early childhood research and practice community have welcomed (or actively contributed to) this argument in order to raise visibility and support, questions arise whether policies and practices grounded in this logic are appropriate and make a difference in the lives of children and families, especially those from marginalised backgrounds. This paper argues that early childhood policies that aim at ‘closing the gap’ between children from marginalised and dominant groups in society are grounded in a logic of integration and assimilation into an assumed normality that no longer exists. Instead, marginalisation, hyper-diversity, inequality and fragmentation have become the defining feature of all societies. Against this background, the paper explores possibilities and strategies for developing ‘competent systems’ for all children, families and communities that are based on democratic practices, recognition and affirmation.

This concluding chapter refers back to the theoretical and methodological discus-sion of the first chapter and presents the insights gained about professionalism in early childhood practice on the basis of themes and issues identified across the preceding chapters. The insights are presented in an ecological framework and discussed in terms of what they might indicate about early childhood professional epistemologies. This is followed by some cautionary thoughts about the pitfalls of comparative research. In summing up the two key arguments of the book: (i) that early childhood education has grown up; and (ii) that we are in need of a critical ecology of the early childhood sector, the chapter concludes with a brief discus-sion of the implications of the discussion in the book for future research on early childhood professionalism.

There is large degree of consensus that higher staff qualifications are correlated with higher quality in early childhood provision and that reflection is the most important part of professionalism. However, the concepts of the 'reflective practitioner' and the 'reflexive practitioner' (see below for the elaboration of these terms), although frequently mentioned in the literature, remain rather underdeveloped and the apparent consensus on the need for reflection may very well disguise a lack of consensus on what it actually means. Moreover, concepts of professionalism in general and of reflective and reflexive professionalism in particular are overwhelmingly elaborated without the professionals themselves. In this chapter analysis of narratives of professionals during 30 years of action research show how professionals who engage with pedagogic guidance can become actors of change and develop new pedagogic practices. 05-Miller_Cable-4096-CH-05.indd 62 13/07/2010 4:52:49 PM 05-Miller_Cable-4096-CH-05.indd 63 13/07/2010 4:52:49 PM 05-Miller_Cable-4096-CH-05.indd 64 13/07/2010 4:52:49 PM

Despite the political and academic debate on the demands for more male workers in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), no European country has reached the benchmark set for 2006 to have 20% male early childhood workers. This has predominantly been countered by challenging the idea that care for the youngest implies an activity 'that women naturally do' and by consequently arguing for a higher status and better working conditions for caring jobs. In this article, we analyse the recent 'schoolification' of ECEC, and in so doing, we argue that the traditional explanations of the feminisation of the early years workforce do not suffice. In addition, we dwell upon contemporary feminism to challenge the mind-body dualism in discourses and practices of care and explore the concepts of embodied subjectivity and corporeality to further explore pathways to a more equally gendered workforce in early childhood provision.

There is large degree of consensus that higher staff qualifications are correlated with higher quality in early childhood provision and that reflection is the most important part of professionalism. However, the concepts of the &#x27;reflective practitioner&#x27; and the &#x27;reflexive ...

EU 2020, the current strategic framework of the European Union (European Commission, 2010) sets ambitious policy goals based on a rather bleak analysis of a complex crises scenario the Union finds itself in. A key role is given to early childhood education and care to achieve these goals and ‘highest benefits’ are predicted for children and society provided ECEC services are of ‘high quality’ (Council of the European Union, 2010). Recent European and international research emphasises the importance of systemic, trans-sectoral and trans-disciplinary approaches to developing and improving early childhood experiences for all children, families and communities (Urban, Vandenbroeck, Van Laere, Lazzari, & Peeters, 2011a, 2012). Drawing on findings of the study, the paper outlines the concept of ‘competent systems’ in early childhood and discusses implications for governance. It questions the persistent use of a ‘language of technology and normalisation’ (Dahlberg, Moss, & Pence, 2007) in policy documents and argues for alternatives that recognise and embrace the relational, political and uncertain characteristics of early childhood professional practice.