This book champions the unique knowledge, skills and behaviours of early years (EY) practitioners, and shows how they can exercise individuality in response to the diverse needs of children and their families. Fully mapped to the requirements of the new Early Years Lead Practitioner HTQ, this practical guide offers a reflective and challenging…

Educational neuroscience was born out of the promise that brain imaging would generate discoveries that change how we educate our children. Many neuroscientists and educators alike feel that this promise has not been fulfilled and have begun to question the utility of this nascent field that is arising at the intersection of two well-established…

Every year in America, more than half a million parents of late-talking children face agonizing questions: What should I do if my two- or even three-year-old has not yet begun to talk? Should I worry that my child is autistic or intellectually disabled? Are expensive therapies or medications needed? Will my child ever speak normally? In this…

An educational system should be a true reflection of the changing society in which we live. However, looking at current educational practices, this premise is unfortunately called into question, and an educational metamorphosis toward active, democratic, inclusive and creative pedagogical practices for children is clearly needed. Faced with this…

Educational researchers are increasingly evaluating intervention effects on educator outcomes -- such as knowledge, beliefs, and practice -- as an important precursor to intervention-induced change in children's learning and development within educational settings. This may yield important insights into intervention efficacy, feasibility, and…

Identifying preservice teachers' perspectives about play and their role as a teacher in play is critical because their perspectives are related to how they organise and involve play in early childhood education. However, very few empirical studies have been conducted to examine how preservice teachers view play. In the present study, 46 preservice…

Large-scale research such as the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) study (Sylva et al., 2004) confirms the significance of educator and teacher practices for improvement in learning outcomes for young children. The quality of instruction children receive in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings and programs can…

This study provides the challenges and opportunities facing the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) workforce in the United States. Acknowledging the pivotal role of early educators in children's development, the authors argue for comprehensive policy reforms to address economic and societal challenges faced by the ECCE workforce. Examining…

This work examines early childhood inclusion in educational settings in Italy. It begins with the history, culture, and socio-political landscape of Early Childhood Intervention and an analysis of the current situation regarding education and inclusion. Next, it analyzes current policies and practices for including students with special needs,…

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can influence physical, cognitive and social development, impacting life outcomes including the child's capacity to learn and become socially integrated. While steady relations to reliable, understanding adults may enhance child resilience and mitigate long-term effects on well-being, the difficulties of…

In this article, we investigate understandings and practices of learning through play (LtP) in refugee and host-country contexts in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda. This is an area in which international donors have increased their investments in recent years. We used a positive deviance approach to select 12 best practice preprimary and primary…

Current research and literature emphasize the crucial role of group experiences in children's learning during early childhood. However, despite the frequent use of the term 'group', little attention has been paid to its position in children's learning and the diverse perspectives that inform it. This study addressed this gap by applying a…

The psychological impacts of war on young learners' social and emotional development are examined in this integrated review. Not only can war and armed conflict have a profound influence on individual children, but they also negatively affect the entire family system. The difficulties associated with relocation, migration, and acclimatisation to…

Schools are currently continuing to experience the effects of the pandemic with uncertainty as to the longer-term outcomes for children, young people, families and education settings. This case study focuses specifically on how teachers in one early years setting adapted their practice to meet their children's learning and development needs during…

"Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education and Care" delves into the dynamic landscape of early childhood education and critically addresses the intersection of theory and practice, offering a range of theoretical frameworks and practical strategies to support the holistic development of children. It explores a diverse array of…