There is a substantial body of evidence which indicates that early childhood programmes have a positive effect on children's school readiness, academic achievement, and social and emotional development. Indeed, these benefits can last into adulthood. Based on this evidence base, many countries that strive to build their early childhood education…

Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, was launched in Ireland in 2009. The framework is applicable in all settings where children in the 0-6-year range are present; this includes all early years settings and the first two years of primary schools, referred to as "infant classes" in the Irish context. This article shares the…

Care-experienced children and young people are likely to experience early adversities that place them at increased risk of developing physical and mental health difficulties. Physical activity can help address the varied needs and interests of care-experienced children and young people and become a tool to manage mental health and well-being…

Playwork is a recognised profession in the United Kingdom (UK) and is currently a growing area of interest internationally. However, debates about the nature and purpose of playwork have raged in the playwork field since the profession was invented in the early adventure playgrounds. This study is the first to capture data about what the now…

While the issue of teacher stress is widely recognized, little is currently known about childcare teachers' stress, its impact on teaching, and the relationship with professional activities. This study utilizes ecological momentary assessment (EMA) techniques with 50 early care teachers to examine the relationship between childcare teachers'…

We have observed that as the theoretical landscape in behavioral science continues to proliferate and diversify, it is not uncommon that distance between subspecialties emerge, artificially accentuating differences between camps. This may occur at the risk of losing sight of the common ground, and worsening communication between subspecialties. In…

The aim of this study was to find out if educational activities about friendship can lead to children's well-being, socialization and adaptation in the preschool setting according to parents' perceptions. It is generally accepted that there are strong links between subjective feelings of well-being and companionship (family solidarity and…

Benefits have been found to including LGBTQ+ content into early education settings, yet many teachers have reported feeling uncomfortable or fearful of incorporating this into their own classrooms. Through a 27-item, online, anonymous survey, we examined the requirements, perceptions, and reported practices regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ +…

Purpose: Oncological diseases, especially if experienced in the first 3 years of life, expose young children to conditions of serious physical and emotional stress causing delays in their physical development, cognitive acquisitioning and issues related to their emotional and social functioning. This study examines the effects of the participation…

The professionalisation of social care practice in Ireland, after a period of dormancy, has experienced rapid advancement toward statutory regulation and reform. Yet, the limited literature available in Ireland on the subject matter, almost exclusively predates these changes. This paper presents a theoretically informed commentary on the…

This article presents the findings of a qualitative study of foster carers' and multidisciplinary practitioners' perceptions of foster carers' needs and existing practices in foster care in Ireland. This study explored participants' perceptions of the development of a trauma-informed care (TIC) psychoeducational intervention for foster carers.…

Context: Adoption can provide a lifetime of benefits for children. Some adoptions however, experience severe challenges resulting in disruption, with children leaving home prematurely. Method: This qualitative study in Northern Ireland used interviews with parents from thirteen families whose adoptions had disrupted, to explore their perspective…

Adolescents in residential care have an increased risk of developing psychosocial problems, however, not all adolescents are equally vulnerable. This study aims to provide a review and methodological evaluation of current studies, which focus on protective and risk factors associated with the psychosocial adjustment of adolescents in residential…

Introduction: Learning environment is an important factor in the development of preschool children. However, those who have different learning styles and sensory behaviors might not reach the same achievements in the same learning environments. The objective of this study aimed to develop a guideline program that considers learning environments,…

This qualitative research study sought to gain insight into the psychosocial experiences of foster parents providing care to orphans and vulnerable children within Cluster Foster Care schemes. The sample consisted of 12 foster mothers, sampled from a Cluster Foster Care scheme in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. Using a self-developed semi-structured…