Workforce Preparation

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Background: The article reviews findings of the CARE European project Curriculum Quality Analysis and Impact Review of European ECEC. Aims: A recent review of international publications was conducted to identify factors for effective professional development in an ECEC context. Procedure: The review includes other (meta-analytic) reviews, individual empirical studies, and 'good practice' reports of different (European) countries. Findings: The authors emphasise three core elements for professional development: permanence (i.e., continuous monitoring of professional development), collectivity (i.e., partnership with different stakeholders, including parents), and reflection (i.e., discussing the alignment between pedagogical theory and ECEC practice). Furthermore, the authors also highlight gaps in our current knowledge base.

This research is an integrative literature review regarding the variety of university-based early childhood education and care (ECEC) centre models. This research focuses on those models that collaborate closely with early childhood (EC) teacher education programmes. The data were gathered from three different databases: ERIC (Ebscohost), Education Research Complete (Ebscohost) and ProQuest Central by using six different search terms. A total of 2766 publications were found. Based on the inclusion criteria, 40 publications were included in a data analysis. These publications consisted of descriptions of 53 different models regarding the collaboration between ECEC centres and universities. Two out of three models (n = 34) were university-based ECEC centres that collaborated closely with EC teacher education programmes by implementing various collaborations in education and research in their daily work. Outreach efforts were also implemented. This research invites EC teacher education...

The support for this work provided by the ECD and Education Sections, UNICEF New York, is particularly appreciated. UNICEF thanks the LEGO Foundation for supporting the development of this paper, and for its generous contribution and strong partnership in the area of early childhood development and education. We thank Paula Lopez for the design. Disclaimer The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of UNICEF. The text has not been edited to official publication standards and UNICEF accepts no responsibility for errors. Extracts from this paper may be freely reproduced with due acknowledgement.

Development (CPD) Francis Meyer, 2012). In 1979, before Meyer, 2012). In 1979, before (CPD) initiatives were taken, a baseline (CPD) initiatives were taken, a baseline Not measurement was measurement was initiatives on the quality initiatives on the quality

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).

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This study assumes that preventing the risk of social exclusion (RSE) of children, in the context of ECEC, entails guaranteeing ECEC availability and pedagogical practices that provide children with the necessary skills for healthy and successful development. This can be achieved by strengthening the protective factors in the child's surroundings. The overall research goal was to determine the accessibility and describe the quality of attendance of children at risk of social exclusion in the Croatian ECEC system. The sample consisted of 3,500 children from 66 ECEC facilities, or 6% of all children aged 5 to 7 attending ECEC programs at that time, from 10.4% of all the ECEC facilities operating in Croatia. Data were collected through a questionnaire to assess the etiological and phenomenological aspects of RSEs among early years and preschool age children (ECEC teachers' version). The research confirmed that RSEs did influence the children's ECEC attendance. The greatest obstacles to accessibility of ECEC are risk of poverty and minority ethnic identity of children. Inconsistencies in the quality of the Croatian ECEC system are explained as a missed opportunity for the potential of ECEC to prevent RSEs.

Quality early childhood education and care has been the focus of interest of researchers for over half a century. Approaches to the quality monitoring and quality assurance of early childhood education and care, as well as its conceptualisation and operationalisation, have changed and developed over the decades in line with contemporary understandings of child development and learning, and in accordance with changes in the purpose and functions of early childhood education and care. The results of many relevant studies confirm that quality early childhood education and care is crucial for short-term and long-term positive outcomes in different development and learning areas, especially in the case of disadvantaged children, including children at risk of social exclusion. The aim of this paper is to present the concept of quality in early childhood education and care from various research perspectives, with special emphasis on a review of the literature on the quality of pedagogical ...

Guarantee of a place Professionalisation of staff Educational guidelines Language support measures Support measures for parents Requirement for tertiary education Continuing professional development In this analysis, 'early childhood education and care (ECEC)' refers to provision for children from birth through to compulsory primary education that falls within a national regulatory framework, i.e. which must comply with a set of rules, minimum standards and/or undergo accreditation procedures. Only centre-based provision is considered. The definition goes beyond the education programmes classified as ISCED level 0 (early childhood education), as it includes all registered ECEC services, not only those with a defined educational component. In many European countries, ECEC provision for children under age 3 does not qualify as 'early childhood educational development' (ISCED level 010), but it still offers an important service for children and their families. Many European countries structure ECEC services according to the age of the children. Usually, the transition from the first phase to the second takes place when children are around 3 years old. In order to reflect the different regulations, a distinction between provision for 'children under 3 years old' and provision for 'children of 3 years and over' is often made. However, it is important to keep in mind that in some countries the transition can be as early as 2-and-a-half years or as late as 4 years of age. Some European countries have several types of ECEC provision. The indicators show if a certain measure is available in the main type of ECEC provision for each age group.

Guarantee of a place Professionalisation of staff Educational guidelines Language support measures Support measures for parents Requirement for tertiary education Continuing professional development In this analysis, 'early childhood education and care (ECEC)' refers to provision for children from birth through to compulsory primary education that falls within a national regulatory framework, i.e. which must comply with a set of rules, minimum standards and/or undergo accreditation procedures. Only centre-based provision is considered. The definition goes beyond the education programmes classified as ISCED level 0 (early childhood education), as it includes all registered ECEC services, not only those with a defined educational component. In many European countries, ECEC provision for children under age 3 does not qualify as 'early childhood educational development' (ISCED level 010), but it still offers an important service for children and their families. Many European countries structure ECEC services according to the age of the children. Usually, the transition from the first phase to the second takes place when children are around 3 years old. In order to reflect the different regulations, a distinction between provision for 'children under 3 years old' and provision for 'children of 3 years and over' is often made. However, it is important to keep in mind that in some countries the transition can be as early as 2-and-a-half years or as late as 4 years of age. Some European countries have several types of ECEC provision. The indicators show if a certain measure is available in the main type of ECEC provision for each age group.

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Kakovostna pedagoška praksa v ustanovah predšolske vzgoje in otroci, ki jim grozi socialna izključenost Sandra Antulić Majcen in Maja Drvodelić • Kakovostna predšolska vzgoja in varstvo sta v središču zanimanja raziskovalcev že več kot pol stoletja. Pristopi k spremljanju in zagotavljanju kakovosti predšolske vzgoje in varstva ter njena konceptualizacija in operacionalizacija so se skozi desetletja spreminjali in razvijali skladno s sodobnim razumevanjem otrokovega razvoja in učenja ter s spremembami namena in funkcij predšolske vzgoje in varstva. Izsledki številnih relevantnih študij potrjujejo, da sta kakovostna predšolska vzgoja in varstvo ključnega pomena za kratkoročne in dolgoročne pozitivne rezultate na različnih področjih razvoja in učenja, zlasti pri prikrajšanih otrocih, vključno z otroki, ki jim grozi socialna izključenost. Namen prispevka je predstaviti koncept kakovosti v predšolski vzgoji in varstvu z različnih raziskovalnih vidikov, s posebnim poudarkom na pregledu literature o kakovosti pedagoške prakse, namenjene otrokom, ki jim grozi socialna izključenost. V prispevku je predstavljen teoretični model odzivanja na potrebe otrok, ki jim grozi socialna izključenost, v hrvaški predšolski vzgoji in varstvu. Posebna pozornost je namenjena kakovosti pedagoške prakse pri otrocih, ki jim grozi socialna izključenost, kot predpogoju za načrtovanje ciljno usmerjenih ukrepov in intervencij, namenjenih tej skupini otrok in njihovim družinam v hrvaškem sistemu predšolske vzgoje in varstva. Ugotovljeno je bilo, da so ključni dejavniki za kakovostno pedagoško prakso interdisciplinarni pristop visokousposobljenih strokovnjakov in sodelovanje vseh ključnih deležnikov v otrokovem neposrednem okolju ter povezava med ustreznimi politikami in prakso, ki so temeljnega pomena za kakovost predšolske vzgoje in varstva. Ključne besede: otroci, ki jim grozi socialna izključenost, predšolska vzgoja in varstvo, kakovostna pedagoška praksa

Development (CPD) Francis Meyer, 2012). In 1979, before Meyer, 2012). In 1979, before (CPD) initiatives were taken, a baseline (CPD) initiatives were taken, a baseline Not measurement was measurement was initiatives on the quality initiatives on the quality

The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy.

Ultimately, the fundamental issues of educational sciences remain economic and societal. The interactions between “business” culture, “professional” culture and training are part of this. This contribution is a reflection resulting from a longitudinal empirical research entitled: “Professionalization of an establishment in the social and medico-social field: a French monograph after the law 2002-02 of January 02, 2002”. Three concepts were used: “making sense” (Weick, 1995); the “strategic paradigm” (Jonhson, 1987); and “cultures of action” (Sorel & Wittorski, 2005; Barbier, 2010; Ardouin, 2015).

Focusing on diversity represents a step forward towards a complex concept of quality in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) system. The diversification of programmes and services takes shape within this framework, bringing a shift from purely technical issues towards a joint construction of the community's culture. Its complexity is visible in its conceptualisation, which combines theoretical and ideological key points concerning childhood, learning, development, well-being and the role of adults and of public policy. This article presents the process and results of a project that included a study to better understand the perspective of professionals, parents and representatives of local policymakers on the meanings given to the diversification of programmes in the ECEC system in Serbia. The method was participatory, with focus groups supporting participants in expressing their opinions and in co-creating meanings and knowledge, linking research to group reflection. The aim was to identify practices related to these meanings in a coherent way, focusing on the concepts of well-being and respect for diversity. The main conclusion is a strong need for a multilevel network to: (a) support policymakers and professionals in creating socially-mixed contexts, (b) support parents by making them feel that they are partners in the educational system, and (c) invest in continuous professional development (CPD) programmes for professionals to train them and encourage them to co-reflect on practice.

The evaluation component of the TRACKS project is an integral part of the entire project’s design: it completes the key outputs and demonstrates sustainability, the degree of success and possible challenges for going forward, meaning as to whether the TRACKS toolbox can be propagated to further ECEC settings in the participating countries and beyond. The dimension of evaluation (O4) is what the focus has been placed on the TRACKS project’s implementation

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This paper introduces the Teachers' Research Exchange (T-REX), an online community of practice that is currently being deployed on a pilot basis nationwide in Ireland as a response to the "research-practice gap". The system includes collaborative, educational, and technical components. The technical aspect is the social networking and sharing platform for educational research stakeholders of all kinds. Tools for collaboration and learning available on the platform are designed for a range of users from di erent professional backgrounds. Crucially, these resources are complemented by a programme of structured collaborative activities to foster a novel community of practice involving pre-service teachers, practising teachers, researchers in higher education, and other educational research stakeholders. Several examples of current use are outlined to illustrate the potential for this model to support collaboration between otherwise siloed professional groups.

O presente artigo objetiva realizar uma reflexão pedagógica sobre os significados de infância e democracria ao longo dos tempos, considerando a Convenção das Nações Unidas sobre os Direitos da Criança (CNUDC) como um marco no pensamento destes conceitos, pensando-os, especificamente, como ponto culminante, ponto de virada e ponto de partida. A infância é uma construção sociocultural que se origina de um movimento duplo: a construção adulta da infância por meio de educação e política e a maneira como as crianças de carne e osso participam do cotidiano de suas famílias e comunidades, contribuindo para definir o que uma criança pode fazer. A primeira seção do artigo explora o movimento duplo mencionado da Idade Média ao século XX, preparando as bases para o desenvolvimento da Convenção das Nações Unidas sobre os Direitos da Criança em 1989, que liderou uma mudança no modo como a infância é concebida, uma mudança que tem suas raízes no reconhecimento do que as crianças de carne e osso e...

In this contribution we will present the results of an action-research initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Department of Education of the Municipality of Pistoia, aimed at investigating the experience of young children of migrant parents during their first year of attendance at an Italian nido (creche). A large set of observational data was collected. Activities and social behaviour of a group of children and adults during their everyday life in a nido were filmed. The videos were recorded from 8.30 to 13 once per month, from November 2013 to May 2014 for a total of 50 hours. We have analysed how children from migrant parents cope with the new context, socially, culturally and linguistically different from their domestic context, which difficulties they encounter, how their experience in the nido developed over the year and which conditions supported or impeded their participation in activities and in social interactions with peers and educators. The analysis showed th...

The study explored the experience of young children from migrant families during their first entry into an early childhood education and care (ECEC) service and analysed how the children cope with the new context, which is socially, culturally and linguistically different from their home. The activities and social behaviour of two groups of children, aged from 18 to 36 months and 36-48 months, respectively, were filmed during everyday life in the ECEC service. Videos were integrated with ethnographic notes produced by teachers. The analysis showed the difficulties children from migrant families experienced during the transition from home to the ECEC service, as well as the competences they used to face the new experience. The analysis also highlighted how their experience in the service developed over the year and which practices supported their wellbeing, participation in activities and interactions with peers and adults. The findings provide useful suggestions for improving practices in ECEC contexts characterized by super-diversity.

Within English early childhood education, there is emphasis on improving speech and language development as well as a drive for outdoor learning. This paper synthesises both aspects to consider whether or not links exist between the environment and the uality of you g hild e 's utte a es as part of their speech and language development and if so, the nature of those links. In a small-scale case study, data were captured in a natural environment and in indoor and outdoor classrooms. The quality of utterances was analysed using Type/Token Ratios (TTR) analysis. Findings indicate that participa t's spee h uality diffe ed a o di g to e vi o e t. Child e 's lexical diversity was richer in a natural environment than in indoor and outdoor classrooms, which produced mirrored outcomes. The findings suggest that within the natural environment, where learning is child-initiated, the quality of utterances manifest in ways not found in indoor or outdoor classrooms, where learning is adult led.

As the ECEC sector grows in confidence across Europe the journey towards respect for diversity is essential for training and practice. There will be arguments and discussions which should be encouraged in a healthy profession. By putting forward the competences outlined in this publication the DECET and ISSA Networks are to be congratulated in leading this dialogue.

The implementation of new legislation in the welfare system, and childcare system in Poland, which has been included in social services since 2000, determined a new paradigm connected with replacing the responsibility for a child to family and to professional residential, non-residential, as well as a local social support system. Due to new legal regulations related to organization, task and functions of childcare institutions, e.g., residential intervention centres, children's homes, foster families-should undertake cooperation between all components of socio-educational environment, which are involved in child development and the process of her/his inclusion. It means that a care institution, more than in the past, should become an integral element of the environment, where the child is growing up and where it is located approaching full socialization of the child taken under its care. New solutions in the childcare system are also amenable to family reintegration including even dysfunctional families in process of care, and underline the role of social childcare institutions in creating better conditions for respecting individual cultural, ethnic and religious needs for maintaining his/her own traditions and habits of child, family and environment. These new paradigms based on humanistic approaches in social work with children and families have found their application not only in the reform of social care system, but also in the concept of education of social workers. The paper will try to analyze some issues related to the childcare system and social work with families at risk in Poland, giving some examples of changes in the field of social work practice with children and families in the prospect of the new concepts and standards in the Polish Welfare System.

this work is published under the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the oecd. the opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views of the oecd member countries. this document and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.

O presente artigo objetiva realizar uma reflexão pedagógica sobre os significados de infância e democracria ao longo dos tempos, considerando a Convenção das Nações Unidas sobre os Direitos da Criança (CNUDC) como um marco no pensamento destes conceitos, pensando-os, especificamente, como ponto culminante, ponto de virada e ponto de partida. A infância é uma construção sociocultural que se origina de um movimento duplo: a construção adulta da infância por meio de educação e política e a maneira como as crianças de carne e osso participam do cotidiano de suas famílias e comunidades, contribuindo para definir o que uma criança pode fazer. A primeira seção do artigo explora o movimento duplo mencionado da Idade Média ao século XX, preparando as bases para o desenvolvimento da Convenção das Nações Unidas sobre os Direitos da Criança em 1989, que liderou uma mudança no modo como a infância é concebida, uma mudança que tem suas raízes no reconhecimento do que as crianças de carne e osso e...

INTRODUCTION 1.1 WHAT IS VALUE ABOUT? 1.2 THE DESIGN OF THE OVERALL EVALUATION 1.3 THE STRUCTURE OF THE VALUE ENDLINE REPORT 2. SNAPSHOT OF THE VALUE PILOTS 2.1 THE BELGIAN (FLEMISH) VALUE CASE 2.1.1 The context of the Belgian (Flemish) VALUE pilot project 2.1.2 The Belgian (Flemish) VALUE pilot schools 2.1.3 The Belgian (Flemish) VALUE CPD pathway 2.1.4 Lessons learned from the Belgian (Flemish) VALUE pilot projects 2.1.5 Three core concepts 2.1.6 Conditions and challenges 2.1.7 In Summary the Belgian (Flemish) VALUE case 2.2 THE DANISH VALUE CASE 2.2.1 The context of the Danish VALUE pilot project 2.2.2 The Danish VALUE pilot schools 2.2.3 The Danish VALUE CPD path 2.2.4 Lessons learned from the Danish VALUE pilot projects 2.2.5 Three core concepts 2.2.6 Conditions and challenges 2.2.7 In Summary the Danish VALUE case 2.3 THE PORTUGUESE VALUE CASE 2.3.1 The context of the Portuguese VALUE pilot project 2.3.2 The Portuguese VALUE pilot schools 2.3.3 The Portuguese VALUE CPD pathway 2.3.4 Lessons learned from the Portuguese VALUE pilot projects 2.3.5 Three core concepts 2.3.6 Conditions and challenges 2.3.7 In Summary the Portuguese VALUE case 2.4 THE SLOVENIAN VALUE CASE 2.4.1 The context of the Slovenian VALUE pilot project 2.4.2 The Slovenian VALUE pilot schools 2.4.3 The Slovenian VALUE CPD pathway 2.4.4 Lessons learned from the Slovenian VALUE pilot projects 2.4.5 Three core concepts 2.4.6 Conditions and challenges 2.4.7

The process of reforming of the system of compulsory secondary education in Ukraine challenges teachers and determine new requirements for them. The study and analysis of teachers' professional education and training in other countries are one of the main ways to settle strategic directions of pedagogical education modernisation and thus to improve the quality of education in Ukraine. The national education systems of Ukraine and the USA are functionally common despite some differences in cultural and social aspects. This makes it possible to use the experience of the USA in reforming the system of professional preparation of teachers in Ukraine and improving their educational and professional qualifications. The study aims to make a comparative analysis of professional education and training of teachers in the USA from professionalism and competence and propose a way to adjust the most successful American experience to Ukrainian conditions. The study applies a comparative-historical method to compare socio-pedagogical phenomena and views. The structural method makes it possible to consider the pedagogical process based on system components of theory and practice of professional education of teachers. The prognostic method is used to ascertain the successful experience of the USA and outline the prospects of its implementation in Ukraine. Our research concludes that the system of professional preparation of teachers should be improved in order to increase the educational potential of the country. The study reveals a significant contrast between academic competence and professional qualification of teachers. It is determined that the objectives for professional preparation of secondary school teachers are the following: improving teaching competence, the combination of teaching practice and pedagogical theory and integration of pedagogical subjects and subjects of specialisation.

O presente artigo objetiva realizar uma reflexão pedagógica sobre os significados de infância e democracria ao longo dos tempos, considerando a Convenção das Nações Unidas sobre os Direitos da Criança (CNUDC) como um marco no pensamento destes conceitos, pensando-os, especificamente, como ponto culminante, ponto de virada e ponto de partida. A infância é uma construção sociocultural que se origina de um movimento duplo: a construção adulta da infância por meio de educação e política e a maneira como as crianças de carne e osso participam do cotidiano de suas famílias e comunidades, contribuindo para definir o que uma criança pode fazer. A primeira seção do artigo explora o movimento duplo mencionado da Idade Média ao século XX, preparando as bases para o desenvolvimento da Convenção das Nações Unidas sobre os Direitos da Criança em 1989, que liderou uma mudança no modo como a infância é concebida, uma mudança que tem suas raízes no reconhecimento do que as crianças de carne e osso e...

Playwork is an emerging profession and little is known about the demographics of the playwork sector. The lack of demographic data has hampered the development of the professionalisation of the playwork field, as playworkers have been unable to substantiate claims about the extent and impact of their field with sufficient reliable evidence. As part of an online survey undertaken to explore playworker's understanding of the Play Cycle theory (King and Newstead, 2019), playworkers were asked to provide background demographic data on years of practice, job role, qualification and location. This created a data set with which to explore possible relationships between these four factors using Pearsons Chi Squared analysis. The results indicated that there are potential relationships between playwork practice with firstly years of practice and secondly with highest playwork qualifications. Perhaps more significantly, this study highlights some of the key challenges in collecting and analysing demographic data in the playwork field and offers some potential solutions which, although imperfect, could be built upon in further studies to produce demographic data with which to inform the he professionalisation of the playwork field.

The research and activities leading to these results received funding from the Erasmus+ Programme operated by the Foundation for the Development of the Education System (FRSE) in the frame of Project Contract No. 2017-1-PL01-KA201-038560. KA2-Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange of Good Practices; KA201-Strategic Partnerships for school education. Document could be used according to the CC Attribution License (CC-BY). The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. Document's title Lessons learnt from case studies: Toolbox Of Knowledge, Experiences and Good Practices Relation to the TRACKS goals O3, O5

framework to facilitate education and reflection on integrated care in primary and community care. There is a sequence between those dimensions, but no hierarchy. All these dimensions need consideration. However, it is possible that in one particular case or setting, one dimension is more important or explicit. As the model is mainly built on the results of research in CHCs, and is tested until now with professionals of the CHCs and with bachelor students in social and healthcare, further research and testing is needed to explore if this model can be adopted in other primary and community care teams. 1-Langins M, Borgermans L. Strengthening a competent health workforce for the provision of coordinated/integrated health services. WHO, 2015.

International organisations and the European Union (EU) regard high-quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) as an essential foundation for lifelong learning. Participation in high-quality pre-primary education has long-lasting positive effects on children's development and the benefits are greater for children from a disadvantaged background. This literature review is part of the Agency's Inclusive Early Childhood Education (IECE) project. The project's overall goal is to identify and analyse the factors that enable quality and effective pre-primary programmes for all children in inclusive early years settings. The review summarises major research and policy documents about quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services internationally and particularly in Europe. It describes the development of policies and provision for ECEC with particular reference to children at risk and/or with SEN. It identifies the main characteristics of the early childhood educationa...

Background: The article reviews findings of the CARE European project Curriculum Quality Analysis and Impact Review of European ECEC. Aims: A recent review of international publications was conducted to identify factors for effective professional development in an ECEC context. Procedure: The review includes other (meta-analytic) reviews, individual empirical studies, and 'good practice' reports of different (European) countries. Findings: The authors emphasise three core elements for professional development: permanence (i.e., continuous monitoring of professional development), collectivity (i.e., partnership with different stakeholders, including parents), and reflection (i.e., discussing the alignment between pedagogical theory and ECEC practice). Furthermore, the authors also highlight gaps in our current knowledge base.

Quality early childhood education and care has been the focus of interest of researchers for over half a century. Approaches to the quality monitoring and quality assurance of early childhood education and care, as well as its conceptualisation and operationalisation, have changed and developed over the decades in line with contemporary understandings of child development and learning, and in accordance with changes in the purpose and functions of early childhood education and care. The results of many relevant studies confirm that quality early childhood education and care is crucial for short-term and long-term positive outcomes in different development and learning areas, especially in the case of disadvantaged children, including children at risk of social exclusion. The aim of this paper is to present the concept of quality in early childhood education and care from various research perspectives, with special emphasis on a review of the literature on the quality of pedagogical ...

The present contribution offers a pedagogical reflection on the meanings of childhood and democracy through the ages, taking the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as a culmination point, a turning point and a starting point for considering these concepts. Childhood is a socio-cultural construct originating from a twofold movement: the adult construction of childhood through education and politics and the way children in flesh and bone participate in the everyday life of their families and communities, contributing to defining what a child can do and be in a certain society. The first section of the paper explores the mentioned twofold movement from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, preparing the foundations for the development of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1989. The UNCRC led to a shift in the way childhood is conceived whose roots lie in recognizing what children in flesh and bone had “quietly” been doing and being...

Problematic policy constructions of the purpose of education implicate professional identities and working conditions of professionals working with the youngest children. This paper builds on our earlier writing, to contest teacher professional identities in Australia, Ireland, Denmark and the United States of America, to illustrate the crucial importance of contextualised policy landscapes in early childhood education and care. It uses prevailing policy constructions, power imbalances and tensions in defining teacher identities, to ask crucial questions, such as what has become of the professional ‘self’. It questions the fundamental ethics of care and encounter, and of worthy wage and other campaigns focused on the well-being of teachers when faced with a world-wide crisis. The cross-national conversations culminate in a contemporary confrontation of teacher identity and imperatives in increasingly uncertain times as evolving in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.