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Inspired by research in language play and linguistic ethnography, this article examines children's language play in early childhood education and care (ECEC) as a locally situated generic practice created through children's semiotic repertoires. The article is based on video-recorded linguistic ethnographic fieldwork in a Danish day care centre. By analysing two play sequences with 3–4 year old children, we examine how the children align to each other in an improvised way while co-creating social worlds. The multimodal micro-ethnographic analysis reveals how an assemblage of chunks of language, musicality, movements, affect and materiality is constitutive of children's language play, and how language play appears as an integral part of children's local language practices. The children's use of a broad range of semiotic repertoires in language play represents a unique practice that might enhance our theoretical and empirical understanding of child language. We argue that empirical insight into children's language play has the potential for developing paths to language and literacy that challenge the often highly prioritised 'precursors to literacy' strategy as the central aim for language learning in ECEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) has been found to be beneficial for the development of children below three years. However, many children do not attend ECEC facilities. Frequently, structural family characteristics (SFC), such as migration background, educational attainment and income, are used to explain differing probabilities of attendance, while parental attitudes are mostly not considered. Thus, assuming that SFC influence attitudes, this paper investigates whether the attitudes and views of parents towards ECEC explain why one- and two-year-old children from disadvantaged families attend day care less often, although they would strongly benefit from high-quality ECEC. The underlying data are from the German DJI Child Care Study (KiBS). The results show that parental attitudes substantially contribute to explaining diverging attendance probabilities. The more positive parents evaluate day care, the higher the probability of their child attending. However, SFC maintain most of their explanatory power. Besides, SFC and parental attitudes interact. The probability of ECEC attendance increases differently depending on the (varying degree of positivity of) attitudes by SFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge of humic substances of soil is essential for soil fertility management and productivity. The study evaluated the humic substances (HS) and physicochemical properties of soils of different lithologies. Twenty composite soil samples were collected at the depths of 0-15 and 15-30 cm in both upland and inland of sandstone (SS), limestone (LS), mudstone (MS), basement complex (BC) and shale (SH) and analyzed for HS and physicochemical properties. HS were higher in surface than subsurface soils and in SH, SS and MS than other parent materials. Humic acid had mean values of 0.649 and 0.683 g/kg, 0.327 and 0.055 g/kg, 0.736 and 1.167 g/kg, 0.976 and 0.839 g/kg and 0.449 and 0.411 g/kg in surface soils of upland and inland in BC, MS, SS, SH and LS. In subsurface soils, average values of humic acid were 0.322 and 0.426 g/kg, 0.055 and 0.012 g/kg, 0.499 and 0.713 g/kg, 0.656 and 0.908 g/kg and 0.276 and 0.047 g/kg in the upland and inland of BC, MS, SS, SH and LS correspondingly. Fulvic acid had averages of 0.237 and 0.3125 g/kg, 0.533 and 0.751 g/kg, 0.297 and 0.707 mg/kg, 0.6524 and 0.568 g/kg and 0.220 and 0.007 g/kg in the surface soils of upland and inland of BC, MS, SS, SH and LS. In subsurface, fulvic acid had means of 0.244 and 0.363 g/kg, 0.227 and 0.328 g/kg, 0.056 and 0.128 g/kg, 0.040 and 0.402 g/kg and 0.001 and 0.415 g/kg in upland and inland of BC, MS, SS, SH and LS respectively. BC was higher in clay content than other parent materials. ECEC correlated significantly and positively with BS, Ca, Na, pH, silt, K and Mg while fulvic and humic acids correlated positively with TN and OM. pH was strongly acidic in soils of upland and varied from medium acid to slightly acid in inland. OC was high in inland and varied from high in MS, SH and SS to low in BC and LS in upland. Available P, TN, exchangeable bases, ECEC varied from low to high while BS was high in soils of both upland and inland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• With modifications, the Mini Markers can be used to efficiently assess the personality of educators. • Structural quality indicators were associated with educator personality. • Educator personality was also associated with the responsivity provided to children. • Majority of educators were identified as having a resilient personality profile, with some having ordinary personality profiles. Given the significant time that children aged zero to six spend in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, it is imperative that we understand the drivers of ECEC quality. The role of educator personality in the quality of ECEC settings has received little attention from researchers. Using a sample of 595 educators from 240 infant and toddler classrooms, the present study examined (1) the role that educator personality plays on key quality indicators in Canadian ECEC settings, (2) the factor validity of the Mini Markers, a commonly used measure of personality, and (3) whether there are subgroups of educators based on personality characteristics, using a latent profile analysis (LPA). Results showed an acceptable factor structure of the Mini Markers measure of personality with early childhood educators. Furthermore, personality was positively related to both structural and process quality indicators. Specifically, the structural indicators of income and years in the classroom were positively and significantly related to Agreeableness and Extraversion (small and medium effects, respectively). In terms of process quality, educators' level of Extraversion had a positive and significant relationship with the quality of responsive interactions they provide to children (small effect). Finally, the LPA revealed diverse educator personality types with no significant variation at the classroom level. This study highlights the need for ongoing research to explore the connection between educators' personalities and quality in ECEC, with implications discussed for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Government in England contributes an estimated £3.9 billion funding to support childcare and education for three- and four-year olds and for some two-year olds. A significant proportion of this money is spent on private sector childcare. However, little is known about how the money paid to companies providing private sector childcare is used. Through a cross-case analysis, the financial accounts of a sample of medium-to large private 'for-profit' childcare groups were compared with some 'not-for-profit' childcare providers. We found that for the for-profit companies, a considerable amount of money is being extracted for debt repayment and relatively little goes into staff wages. We found that large private for-profit nursery groups predominately use 'private equity' models which are characterised by borrowings and debt, with a focus on short-term financial returns. This 'for-profit' financial operating model arguably risks the sustainability of provision in the sector. Reformed regulation and transparency in the accounting of such providers and a consideration of alternative 'not-for-profit' financial models could provide greater stability and resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Elementary Education in Theory & Practice is the property of Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study presents the Italian practitioners' perspective on the inclusion of children with disabilities in ECEC. Historically, Italy had a split system (0–3 and 3–6 divisions); only recently was the ZeroSix Integrated System established. Seven 0–3-division educators and seven 3–6-division teachers were interviewed. Their responses were analysed through a deductive content analysis, based on the eight dimensions of inclusion proposed by the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (2017). The themes which were mainly mentioned as crucial for promoting inclusion were a child-centred approach; inclusive teaching and learning environment; inclusive social environment; and family-friendly environment. These same dimensions were also said to be challenging, together with the implementation of materials for all children. The strengths and weaknesses in inclusive processes partly differed between the two divisions. This study enriches the literature investigating how practitioners implement inclusive practices in ECEC, also analysing the differences between the 0–3 and the 3–6 divisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Barn: Forskning om Barn og Barndom i Norden is the property of Cappelen Damm Akademisk and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Many studies have linked quality in early childhood education and care [ECEC] to school performance, but the mechanisms of how ECEC process quality affects children in ways that lead to improved school performance is unclear. In this study on 7431 children in Norway, we test the hypothesis that the relation between process quality in ECEC and later school performance is mediated by early social skills. Process quality was measured at age 5 years along two dimensions: 'pedagogical practices' and 'structured activities', and school performance was measured at age 11 years (5th grade) using mandatory national tests in math, reading, and English. The results show that the indirect effect of pedagogical practices on school outcomes through social skills was small but statistically significant. In contrast, there was no statistically significant indirect effect of structured activities on school performance through social skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This quantitative study examines the connection between the years that children spent in early childhood education and care (ECEC) and their social orientations and main objects of attention. The data were collected within the Progressive Feedback project by observing children: 20,457 observations of 972 six-year-olds from 360 child groups in Finland. According to the results, the years children spent in ECEC have a connection to their social orientations and main objects of attention, and differences between genders were discovered. The longer the children had attended ECEC, the less adaptive orientation was observed. The children that had attended ECEC for under a year were observed to be the least participative. Dominant orientation increased the longer the children had attended ECEC. Those that had been in ECEC for more than four years rarely paid attention to non-social objects and adults and often paid attention to several children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores preschool principals’ leadership agency when enacting a new curriculum, looking at how they perform their role, how they organise their work and what challenges they face in the process. Drawing on the concept of agency, this case study focuses on the principals’ positions, practices, opportunities and limitations as well as their construction of agentic leadership. The data collection consists of in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 16 preschool principals working in a large Swedish municipality. The analysis of the material has taken place through thematic coding and interpreted through the lens of agency; the results show how the cultural, structural and material aspects of each preschool influence the enactment of the curriculum and shape the principals’ agentic capacity. Both time and context provide a framework for these principals’ enactments of a new curriculum within the specificities of their particular preschools and their own ambitions for the future. The principals’ discursive positionings are both filtered through these aspects and constructed on the basis of values and ideas about their own role and the role of staff. In addition, they underpin how the principals describe themselves as leaders and how they view their opportunities to act in an agentic manner.

The socio-emotional experiences of infants during transitions to early childhood education and care (ECEC) and across their first year in these out-of-home contexts are not well known. In an international project across five countries (New Zealand, Finland, Australia, Scotland and the United States), observational data, video of key moments, plus re-probing interviews with parents and teachers concerning 10 infants (six females) aged 5–13 months were collected across the first year of ECEC. An embedded case study design was used to analyse infant experiences from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Findings indicated low positive affect on infants' first day of ECEC that increased after the first week and throughout the first year of ECEC. Drop-off periods remained a time of negative emotionality for the first month of ECEC. Over time more positive emotional experiences were evident, with peer interactions fostering positive affect, activeness and involvement, while one-on-one interactions with teachers were an important context for interpersonal engagement and well-being. These findings shed light on the highly charged emotional experience for infants when they transition to institutional care, and how these might be ameliorated in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the interplay between age and children’s resources during the transition from Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) to pre-primary education. We describe how age operates in the structures of ECEC during the time before the actual transition. We approach the transition to pre-primary education and the relation between age and resources with the concepts of capital and informal and formal practices. The data are drawn from ethnographic fieldwork and video records at two types of ECEC centres: one that provides pre-primary education and one that does not. The findings underscore transition practices and age as the main aspects providing diverse resources for the transferring children during the transition from ECEC to pre-primary education. Investigating the interplay between resources and age helps to understand how ECEC centres with different age-related group structures and locations of pre-primary education produce resources and distinctions between the children during the transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An early start to good-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) is considered beneficial, especially for disadvantaged children's development and educational outcomes. This assumption was tested using the latest two waves (2015 and 2018) of data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in five countries using the Nordic model of early education and care: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The article finds evidence of the overall positive association between the age of entry in ECEC and literacy at age 15 in all Nordic countries. However, the relationship is non-linear, and the highest benefits seem to occur following entry into ECEC from ages two to three. The link between family background and ECEC enrollment largely explains this association. We did not find that ECEC would generally compensate for low socioeconomic status (SES) in children’s achievement. However, the Matthew effect was observed in Norway, where an early ECEC start is more strongly associated with literacy scores for affluent children than disadvantaged children. These findings have limitations due to their correlational nature. Still, this article indicates that even in high-quality universal ECEC systems, early preschool education is not a panacea for lowering achievement gaps due to parental background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are attended by most children before school entry, reaching many living in circumstances of poverty and providing opportunity to support their nutrition. In this study, we examine the extent to which this opportunity is being met, comparing two common types of service provision: centre- versus family- provided food. Methods: Intensive in-situ observations were undertaken across 10 ECEC services in highly disadvantaged Australian communities. All meals provided to children aged 3.5–5 years across an ECEC day (N = 48), of which 11% were experiencing severe food insecurity, were photographed and analysed to assess nutritional adequacy with reference to national dietary standards. Results: Meals provided did not meet national dietary recommendations for quality or quantity. Nutrition was least adequate in services with policies of family-provided food. These services were also those that served families experiencing the highest levels of severe food insecurity (29%). Conclusions: In the absence of policies for the provision of food in ECEC, services are not realising their potential to support child nutrition in the context of poverty presenting increased risk to lifetime trajectories of health and wellbeing. System level policy interventions are required to facilitate equitable access to nutritious food and attendant life chances. Significance: ECEC services present an important opportunity to address social inequities, including inequities associated with experiences of poverty. Yet, to date knowledge of the extent to which ECEC services are meeting the nutritional needs of children remains unclear. This study provides evidence from an intensive data collection in ECEC services located in areas at high risk of poverty. Our findings suggest that the nutritional needs of children are not being met within these services, but particularly where provision of food is the responsibility of families. This article highlights the need for system level policies for food provision to overcome perpetuation of poverty for these children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic has caused disruptive changes across different life experiences essential to children's growth and development, including early childcare services and schools, thus threatening precious opportunities for children in early childhood to learn. The pandemic has also undermined the collaborative and alliance relationship between childcare services and families which has been widely considered an important aspect of modern services. This paper presents and discusses results from a mixed‐method exploratory study with early childcare services for children between 0 and 6 years in Italy in 2021, involving both teachers and parents, to understand experiences, educational practices put in place in childcare services, feelings, resources and risks perceived by families and teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of "professional" is built on a concept of traditionally male professions and patriarchal social orders. ECEC (early childhood education and care), however, is a female-dominated field characterised by its unique caring practice. This study investigated how a group of Australian early childhood preservice teachers presented themselves professionally on social media, in relation to respective infant (0-2) and kindergarten (3-5) practica. Data were drawn from focus group discussions about how the participants shared their practicum experiences on Instagram. The paper is guided by Foucault's concepts of self writing. Findings are organised around four themes of selfwriting processes: collecting, selecting, annotating, and managing time and tasks. Two narratives are revealed. In the context of the kindergarten placement, the posts constituted a journey of continuous improvement against all odds. In contrast, the infant placement experiences evoked a sense of struggle and renunciation. The paper concludes with implications for further study beyond the Australian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nordic Early Childhood Educational Research / Nordisk Barnehageforskning is the property of Cappelen Damm Akademisk and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Nordic Early Childhood Educational Research / Nordisk Barnehageforskning is the property of Cappelen Damm Akademisk and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this article, we envision a holistic approach to the education of children within a participatory paradigm, which integrates inner and outer worlds in a new understanding of consciousness. The inspiration for our reimagining arose from a research study undertaken in partnership with Kids Planet Day Nurseries which included inquiring into the impact of Covid-19 on children in early childhood education and care. It was discovered that, although parents and practitioners identified Covid as a traumatic event, there was little awareness of the potential effects on children's inner worlds. Similarly, the government in its post-lockdown policymaking focused on catch-up with learning, rather than addressing wider psychological issues. In this reimagining of the education system, the neoliberal principle of 'profit as primary' has been eradicated, along with its long-term positivist partner 'scientism', which proclaims all valid knowledge is quantifiable. Instead, the focus is on the intra-active dimensions of learning, grounded in the idea of a 'triangle of trust' developed in the early years and continued into a relational pedagogy in primary schools. The challenges involved in replacing a positivist Newtonian worldview with a participatory paradigm, where inner and outer worlds are entangled and equally important, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this essay is to address the so-called male shortage in early education and teaching professions, through an interdisciplinary frame. Critical studies on masculinities and literature on role models in schools are here in dialogue with pedagogical perspectives on hidden curriculum studies and inclusive education theory. The paper describes a theoretical framework of a research proposal aimed at investigate whether a more diverse teaching staff may increase inclusion in education, understood as the never-ending commitment to developing better ways of responding to diversity. Although international literature is quite attentive to minority teachers, the Italian scenario does not look so rich of theory or empirical study. While reframing the male shortage definition in an intersectional framework, including gender identity and performance perspective, but also considering ethnicity, (dis)ability, religious back ground, I intend to investigate if a diverse teaching staff may challenge the mainstream curricula and increases the level of inclusiveness of schools in a diverse society.

This article explores the current situation of outdoor play for children in Sámi Early Childhood Education and Care institutions (ECECs) in Norway. The main objective is to discover how Sámi ECEC practices contribute to outdoor play and learning in early childhood education and community contexts by addressing the following research questions: How do Sámi ECEC staff emphasize outdoor activities and play in their daily practice, and how can these activities be regarded as a way of promoting mental and physical health and well-being? The sample comprises practitioners from seven Sámi ECEC institutions (ECECs) participating in focus-group and individual interviews. The main focus of the interviews was on Sámi ECECs as health-promoting arenas, and outdoor activities appeared to be important in this context. Stepwise-Deductive Induction was used as a qualitative research strategy in the analysis. The staff underline the importance of letting children attempt to be autonomous when it comes to physical and practical activities. They point to the importance of knowing the children and encouraging autonomous achievements. Traditionally, Sámi upbringing places emphasis on doing handicraft and daily work together with the children. The staff describe doing such daily outdoor activities as harvesting, handicraft, and food preparation together with the children as a way of maintaining Sámi culture. The main conclusion is that outdoor activities are important for promoting, experiencing, and contributing to Sámi pedagogy and children’s well-being in the Sámi ECECs.

The professionalization of preschool teachers is considered an important factor for ensuring and improving the quality of interactions and relationships. Findings on associations between teachers’ professional competencies and the quality of interactions and relationships in preschools are not only inconsistent in general but also rare for early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Austria. Therefore, the aim of this study is to address this research gap by considering interaction quality at the child level (measured with the inCLASS) and preschool teachers’ perceptions of the teacher– child relationship (measured with the STRS). A sample of 287 children from 89 Austrian preschools was examined. After including control variables, the results of regression analyses revealed that preschool teachers’ beliefs on co-construction were negatively related to task orientation, whereas their beliefs on instruction were positively related to task orientation. Furthermore, preschool teachers’ work engagement was positively related to conflict interactions. Regarding teacher–child closeness, a positive association with preschool teachers’ work engagement was found. Results on teacher–child conflict showed a positive effect of preschool teachers’ beliefs on instruction and negative effects of teachers’ beliefs on co-construction and their self-efficacy. The findings are discussed in regard to the professionalization of preschool teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates in-work poverty (IWP) in Italy through the lens of family policies. Adopting a longitudinal perspective, the work scrutinizes whether and to what extent the configuration of family policy tools – family allowances, leave and ECEC (Early Childhood Care and Education) – has been effective in contrasting IWP in Italy. Furthermore, it probes whether the Italian family policy has reconfigured over time as a tool for countering IWP. The study shows that family policy can be useful both directly – by providing income support for the most disadvantaged families – and indirectly – by fostering the transition to a dual-earner family model. However, the analysis of the Italian case shows that such positive effects are only potential, and not automatic. In Italy, historically, family policy has been scarcely effective. Nevertheless, in the last few years a pattern of slow change has initiated, and its effectiveness as a device to tackle IWP appears to have increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a multilevel random-coefficient approach, we examined the longitudinal association between toddlers' early shyness and their well-being during their first year in Norwegian early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres. We used data from two measurement points (preintervention and postintervention) from a larger cluster randomized controlled trial study, Thrive by 3. We followed 567 children (answered by 415 mothers and 152 fathers) who were younger than 19 months and had just started in ECEC at preintervention. Our findings indicate that toddlers' early shyness during their starting period in ECEC is associated with their well-being by the end of their first year in ECEC. Our findings highlight the importance of paying extra attention to shy toddlers, as they seem to show less well-being during their early period in ECEC. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03879733. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the tensions arising in the integration process of refugee children in Norwegian early childhood education and care (ECEC) centers. ECEC centers have become important arenas for integrating refugees, particularly in light of the refugees’ obligation to participate in Norway’s introduction program. For many refugee children, ECEC centers are the first public institutions they encounter, where they learn about norms and values outside of their homes. Using institutional ethnography as the inquiry method, data were gathered using semi-structured interviews with ECEC professionals, focusing on how they interact with refugee children and carry out everyday integration work. The article adopts Elias’ “civilizing process” as the overarching analytical concept. The findings reveal that the integration of refugee children involves tensions in negotiating language, civilizing children in relation to Norwegian ideals of childhood, and civilizing parents in relation to the Norwegian cultural ideal of parenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christmas plays an important role in kindergartens in all the Nordic countries. While for many, Christmas is a time for belonging, for others it is a time for withdrawal or longing. This article applies ethnographic data to examine how staff and children manage Christmas in the context of a religiously diverse Norwegian kindergarten. Describing how Christmas dominates the kindergarten from late November and through December, I analyze how this affects children's practices, narratives, and opportunities to belong. Building on Yuval-Davies' concept of the politics of belonging, I develop a typology of four interrelated ways of navigation: identification, silence, separation, and imagination. This typology illuminates how children may be affected by the politics of belonging, but also how their agency and creativity lead to different ways of navigation, influencing processes of belonging. By providing a child-centered perspective on belonging, this article provides an empirically based contribution to discussions about inclusivity relating to religious and cultural diversity in ECEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional collaboration and practice (IPCP) is considered the cornerstone for effective service delivery for children with speech language and communication needs (SLCN). Following Stutsky and Spence Laschinger’s framework, we investigated IPCP-related differences between Dutch and Norwegian professionals in a cross-national comparative survey study. The personal relational skills of communication, trust and situational factor support structures were related to interprofessional collaboration in both countries. Trust was a stronger predictor for the Dutch sample than the Norwegian sample. A moderated moderation analysis revealed that the relationship between IPCP and perceived team effectiveness is moderated by trust for the Dutch professionals but not for their Norwegian colleagues. Trust may play a vital role for interprofessional teams in the Dutch context because service delivery is mainly characterised by the pull-out intervention of specialised professionals. In the integrated early intervention context of Norway, emphasis on professional communication skills seems a fruitful strategy to enhance the effectiveness of teams. Early intervention service delivery may be strengthened by structural facilitation and building networks to develop trust across professionals and organisations, which supports the development of professional competence relevant to IPCP in early intervention service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The positive impact of warm and supportive relationships between children and preschool teachers on children's development has been highlighted in many studies. However, research gaps exist regarding the prediction of teacher-child relationships in preschool. In particular, little is known about associations between child personality and relationships with preschool teachers, although previous evidence indicates links between personality and social relationships in general. The study aims to address this research gap and identifies associations between child personality types and teacher-child relationships by using a sample of 163 children attending 65 preschool classes in Austria. After controlling for child and teacher characteristics, the results show that preschool teachers perceived less closeness with children characterized as 'overcontrollers' and 'undercontrollers' compared to children described as 'resilients'. Furthermore, the preschool teachers perceived their relationships as more conflictual with 'undercontrollers' compared to 'resilients' and 'overcontrollers'. Considering children's personality types seems to be important to improve teacher-child relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the current situation of outdoor play for children in Sámi Early Childhood Education and Care institutions (ECECs) in Norway. The main objective is to discover how Sámi ECEC practices contribute to outdoor play and learning in early childhood education and community contexts by addressing the following research questions: How do Sámi ECEC staff emphasize outdoor activities and play in their daily practice, and how can these activities be regarded as a way of promoting mental and physical health and well-being? The sample comprises practitioners from seven Sámi ECEC institutions (ECECs) participating in focus-group and individual interviews. The main focus of the interviews was on Sámi ECECs as health-promoting arenas, and outdoor activities appeared to be important in this context. Stepwise-Deductive Induction was used as a qualitative research strategy in the analysis. The staff underline the importance of letting children attempt to be autonomous when it comes to physical and practical activities. They point to the importance of knowing the children and encouraging autonomous achievements. Traditionally, Sámi upbringing places emphasis on doing handicraft and daily work together with the children. The staff describe doing such daily outdoor activities as harvesting, handicraft, and food preparation together with the children as a way of maintaining Sámi culture. The main conclusion is that outdoor activities are important for promoting, experiencing, and contributing to Sámi pedagogy and children's well-being in the Sámi ECECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have found associations between structural characteristics and interaction quality of children in ECEC settings. However, findings are inconsistent and since previous research has been conducted outside Austria, transferability to the Austrian country context is limited. By addressing this gap, the study aims to identify relations between structural characteristics and interaction quality (measured with the Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System, inCLASS) of 161 three- and four-year-old children from 55 preschools in Austria. After including control variables, main findings revealed positive relations between adequate equipment and teacher interactions and negative relations between child-staff ratio, proportion of children with immigration background per preschool class, preschool teachers' work experience and peer interactions. Preschool teachers' job security was positively related to task orientation and poorer child-staff ratio corresponded with more conflict interactions. Higher work experience led to fewer conflict interactions. The results indicate that specific structural characteristics are associated with a higher interaction quality in preschools in Austria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language awareness and multilingualism in early childhood education has received much attention in recent years. The aim of this article is to shed light on challenges and tensions in supporting multilingualism in a minority language ECEC setting in Finland. Of special interest are situations where children not yet proficient in Swedish or Finnish are included or at risk of being excluded. The study was conducted in Southern Finland where many children attending Swedish ECEC come from bilingual Finnish-Swedish homes. The qualitative data consists of interviews with 74 teachers and staff working in 18 Swedish ECEC. Also, participant observations of children aged 3–5 interacting with peers were conducted. The results show that children are aware of language differences and use language as a means for inclusion and exclusion of peers during play. The high degree of freedom in children’s free play, without the participation of adults, makes it difficult for staff to create a common praxis or linguistic strategies. Furthermore, the results indicate that ECEC staff need more guidelines on how to actively support the children’s development of Swedish while supporting children’s bilingualism or multilingualism.

Our aim is to investigate how Sámi early childhood education and care institutions (ECECs) contextualise their work to support psychosocial well-being among children aged 4–6. We have conducted seven qualitative interviews among ECEC educators. Using Stepwise Deductive Induction (SDI) analysis we found that Sámi ECECs contextualise their work to support psychosocial well-being among children by constantly balancing between dealing with the possible consequences of Norwegianisation and the assimilation process from the past and highlighting Sámi culture in a positive way. In practice the staff try to support the children’s positive sense of self, recognition and feeling a sense of belonging to the Sámi culture. They also strive to contextualise Sámi practices in terms of today’s society and adjust to the present group of staff, children, and parents to ensure the children’s well-being.

This study presents the Italian practitioners’ perspective on the inclusion of children with disabilities in ECEC. Historically, Italy had a split system (0–3 and 3–6 divisions); only recently was the ZeroSix Integrated System established. Seven 0–3-division educators and seven 3–6-division teachers were interviewed. Their responses were analysed through a deductive content analysis, based on the eight dimensions of inclusion proposed by the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (2017). The themes which were mainly mentioned as crucial for promoting inclusion were a child-centred approach; inclusive teaching and learning environment; inclusive social environment; and family-friendly environment. These same dimensions were also said to be challenging, together with the implementation of materials for all children. The strengths and weaknesses in inclusive processes partly differed between the two divisions. This study enriches the literature investigating how practitioners implement inclusive practices in ECEC, also analysing the differences between the 0–3 and the 3–6 divisions.

Parents play a vital role in identifying children's needs for support and Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) features that support children's well-being. This study examined parental perspectives on features of ECEC that foster young children's well-being under and above the age of 3 years by interviewing 359 parents across nine European countries (England, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Portugal). Results revealed that parental perspectives largely converged with quality features discussed in ECEC research. Process quality features were mentioned more frequently than structural features for all children 0- to 6-years-old in almost all countries. However, care-oriented features were mentioned more frequently for under 3 years, and educational-oriented features were mentioned more frequently for the older group. Regarding structural features, patterns of responses across the two age groups were similar in most countries. Age differences were not more pronounced in countries with a split governance system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how the staff in one preschool group in Finland deals with questions of social class. Despite a lack of reference to class in policy documents, social class emerges in three ways in the discussions among the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) professionals: regarding how they view their group of children, in relation to their own inter‐relational dynamics, and in their perception of the practice in another less privileged ECEC setting. The study suggests a need for a more nuanced discussion about social class within ECEC, bearing in mind how it affects relations and the need for consciousness about how inequalities are reproduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing concern about the ways in which neoliberalism is impacting Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), particularly in relation to infants and toddlers. The neoliberal agenda positions the outdoors as risky and a place to be physically active, potentially excluding the youngest children from these spaces. Drawing upon case study data from a larger project exploring outdoor provision for infants and toddlers in England, we demonstrate the critical leadership role owner/managers can play. They do this by creating different kinds of pedagogic spaces (cultural, physical and reflective) for practitioners to develop their outdoor practices. We argue that the creation of such spaces requires explicit acts of resistance and disruption to neoliberal understandings about the place of infants and toddlers outdoors. Our research demonstrates the potential for owner/managers to act as critical pedagogues creating spaces called hope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate in what ways kindergarten teachers explain their understanding and practices of education for sustainable development. The study uses the term "green sustainability" to refer to the concept of caring for nature, the environment, and the earth's climate in ways which meet basic human needs and preserve them for future generations. The data are generated from six focus groups conducted in 2020. The sample is comprised of 23 kindergarten teachers representing six kindergartens. Analyses of the data material revealed the following theme-based categories: 1) digital, multimodal resources, 2) experiences in nature, 3) from farm to fork, 4) sorting garbage and food waste, and 5) avoiding waste. The findings indicate that existing practices are largely in accordance with longstanding traditions within the kindergartens. The study also indicates that there is a need for critical and reflective practices to meet the needs of children in developing a nascent understanding of sustainable development. Currently, 21st century skills that can be applied to sustainability challenges include critically evaluating different pieces of information, connecting knowledge, collaborating creatively, and communicating across disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the regulation of publicly organized early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Denmark and Sweden, through the regulatory welfare state (RWS) framework. The analysis focuses on how alterations in funding and quality of care are shaped by governmental and nongovernmental actors at national and local levels of government. Through focused structured analysis, we examine how various actors have shaped the funding and quality of childcare in Denmark and Sweden, from the early 2000s to 2020, with special attention to the period during and after the 2008 financial crisis. In the aftermath of the financial crisis, concerns about quality in care were raised on the political agenda by various actors in both countries, leading to decisions to improve the quality of care. Yet, the regulatory dynamics differ: In Denmark, the debate led to a decision in 2019, to implement a minimum statutory requirement of regulatory quality standards. From an RWS perspective, this outcome can be qualified as "double expansion," because regulatory quality standards, and public funding for childcare increased. In Sweden, the debates about quality of ECEC led, in 2016, to political guidelines about quality standard, but with no additional national funds, and no mandatory regulatory quality requirements. Analytically, this can be qualified as "regulatory‐led expansion," that is requirements for quality standards, although the lack of additional national funds suggests that it will be difficult to improve ECEC quality substantially. The RWS perspective, which focuses on national and municipal levels of governance, also gives insights into hidden inequalities between municipalities regarding funding and quality of ECEC, which are more pronounced in Sweden than in Denmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the dynamic and situated nature of language education policy in an Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centre through the lens of researcher-child relationality. Drawing on data from 4.5 months of linguistic ethnographic fieldwork in a pre-school in the Netherlands, one extended play situation that emerged between me as a researcher and a multilingual child is discussed in-depth. During our play, we interrelate with the pre-school's dominantly monolingual language education policy in multiple ways, ranging from manifesting it to challenging it, while we also constantly relate to the ECEC environment, and each other. Relationality is suggested as a fruitful pathway to understanding processual and dynamic language education policy processes, taking both child agency and researcher agency into account as it constantly emerges and intra-acts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The creating healthy eating and active environments survey (CHEERS) is an audit tool used to assess the nutrition and physical activity environment in early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres. Availability of the tool has been limited to paper-based versions. Digital health initiatives offer improved reach and immediacy of support for community-based clients through novel technology products. In order to provide increased access to the CHEERS tool, an online version was developed. The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of an online version of CHEERS. Methods Utilizing a randomized crossover design, ECEC educators completed either a paper-based or online-based survey and then the opposite mode with a two to three-week interval. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC, with 95% confidence interval) was used to determine the reliability between test and retest. Absolute index of reliability in the original measurement was assessed through the standard error of measurement (SEM = SD × √1-ICC). The smallest amount of change not due to inherent variation was assessed by determining minimal detectable change at the 95% confidence level (MDC95 = SEM × 1.96 ×√2; MDC95% = MDC95/mean ×100). Results Test–retest reliability was good to excellent for the online-based CHEERS total score (ICC = 0.86) and for each of the four subscales: food served (ICC = 0.82), healthy eating environment (ICC = 0.76), program planning (ICC = 0.76), and physical activity environment (ICC = 0.79). The SEM, MDC95, and MDC95% for the CHEERS overall score were 0.79, 2.19, and 9.6%, respectively. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrate that the online-based and paper-based versions of the CHEERS audit tool share comparable accuracy. The CHEERS tool can be reliably implemented in an online environment and this provides users an alternative means to complete the centre-based health assessment. The advantage of the online-based version includes user accessibility and the potential to develop a feedback response for participants using digitally collected data.

The purpose of this study is to investigate in what ways kindergarten teachers explain their understanding and practices of education for sustainable development. The study uses the term “green sustainability” to refer to the concept of caring for nature, the environment, and the earth’s climate in ways which meet basic human needs and preserve them for future generations. The data are generated from six focus groups conducted in 2020. The sample is comprised of 23 kindergarten teachers representing six kindergartens. Analyses of the data material revealed the following theme-based categories: 1) digital, multimodal resources, 2) experiences in nature, 3) from farm to fork, 4) sorting garbage and food waste, and 5) avoiding waste. The findings indicate that existing practices are largely in accordance with longstanding traditions within the kindergartens. The study also indicates that there is a need for critical and reflective practices to meet the needs of children in developing a nascent understanding of sustainable development. Currently, 21st century skills that can be applied to sustainability challenges include critically evaluating different pieces of information, connecting knowledge, collaborating creatively, and communicating across disciplines.