Early Childhood Education Professionals Research Articles

Keeping Early Social-Emotional Learning Developmental: The Development, Implementation, and Preliminary Evaluation of a Preventive Intervention Program for Early Childhood Education and Care

Early childhood forms the fundamental basis for developing various social-emotional skills and represents a unique opportunity to lay the foundation for healthy development. Insensitive learning environments in early childhood may lead to social-emotional difficulties, increasing the risk of developing severe behavioral problems. However, professional development (PD) opportunities that support early childhood education professionals’ (ECEPs) knowledge and skills to promote young children’s social and emotional development are scarce. In Finland, notably, the increasing need to enhance competence through further training has been widely recognized. Therefore, this study introduced the POMPedaSens program in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Finland. The program aims to promote children’s social-emotional learning (SEL) by supporting ECEPs’ engagement and emotional availability. As a universal intervention program, POMPedaSens includes all children in ECEC regardless of risk factors. The present study included 200 children (MAGE = 72.27 months, SD = 5.48; 53% girls) and 62 ECEPs (MAGE = 43.82 years, SD = 11.71; 95% female). ECEPs received the intervention training to implement the curriculum in their everyday daycare routine. The present study describes the program design, implementation, and results from a preliminary evaluation of the social validity of the POMPedaSens program, measured by the ECEPs’ satisfaction with the program. The results of the social validity evaluation suggested high teachers’ satisfaction and improved children’s SEL. These findings prove that the program may effectively build ECEPs’ capacity to promote children’s SEL.

Role of physical activity in the relationship between recovery from work and insomnia among early childhood education and care professionals: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the association between recovery from work and insomnia and the role of objectively measured leisure-time physical activity and occupational physical activity in this association.DesignCross-sectional.Setting and...

Personal Barriers to Reporting Child Maltreatment Among Early Childhood Education and Care Professionals

The current study examined personal barriers that can prevent early childhood education and care (ECEC) professionals from reporting concerns of child maltreatment to child welfare services (CWS). The objectives were to identify different types of personal barriers and to examine differences in reporting according to employee characteristics. Norwegian ECEC professionals (N = 1369; 92% women; mean age, 44 years [SD = 11]) from 170 kindergartens completed e-questionnaires with 25 questions about personal barriers to reporting concerns of child maltreatment and questions about their own personal characteristics. Four barrier factors that underly the 25 different barriers were confirmed with factor analysis. The most endorsed personal barrier factor was “Negative consequences for the child,” which predicted barriers related to fear of negative consequences of reporting (e.g., to CWS). The second most important were the “Relationships” factor (barriers related to concerns about relationships with the child or parents), and the “Competence” factor (fear of misunderstanding and being unsure about guidelines). The least endorsed barrier factor (“Coworkers”) included fear of what superiors and coworkers might think. In general, ECEC professionals with less formal training and less work experience reported more personal barriers to reporting concerns of child maltreatment. The results are consistent with studies involving other professional groups. Better collaboration between ECEC providers and CWS is important to prevent child maltreatment. Future efforts to improve the detection and reporting of concerns of child maltreatment could consider focusing specifically on professionals with little formal training and little work experience.

Young children's right to be heard on the quality of their education: Addressing potential misunderstandings in the context of early childhood education

AbstractIn early childhood education many researchers and professionals across the world have embraced the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child's requirement to include young children in decision‐making. In the context of ongoing discussion about young children's capacity to share their views and opinions about matters affecting them, there is often a focus on demonstrating ‘evidence’ that young children can participate in decision‐making as capable meaning‐makers in their own lives, defying traditional paternalistic approaches and assumptions. While acknowledging the important work that has been undertaken to support children's participatory rights, this article seeks to raise questions about whether understanding the right of young children to be heard, particularly in relation to the quality of their education, may have been subject to a form of ‘rights inflation’ that has extended the scope of the application of the right beyond the parameters of the legal framework and/or promoted an interpretation which exceeds what the text of the Convention can bear. In this article, we explore three possible misrepresentations relating to young children's participation in decision‐making related to the quality of education: (1) that all children can, should and want to have opportunities to share views on all matters affecting them; (2) that young children should always be allowed to learn and play freely; and (3) that children are the experts in their worlds. We do this to open up a conversation about the limits and partiality of young children's participation when viewed through the lens of children's human rights, highlighting, inter alia, the ongoing need to underscore the role of parents/guardians and professionals in enabling young children to enjoy all of their human rights, including the right to a quality education, fully.

ECEC Professionals’ Views on Partnerships with Parents in Multicultural Classrooms in Four European Countries

AbstractPartnerships between parents and professionals in early childhood education and care (ECEC) are widely acknowledged as important for children’s well-being, learning, and development. As children with immigrant backgrounds often experience cultural and linguistic differences between their home and ECEC-environments, bridges between these two contexts might be especially significant for these children. Although European ECEC-classrooms are becoming increasingly multicultural, little is known about how professionals view their partnerships with parents in multicultural classrooms in Europe. The current paper investigates the partnerships views of professionals working in multicultural classrooms and how these are related to the professionals’ practices and characteristics. Findings suggest that professionals have rather positive partnership views, although they reveal a potential for higher levels of shared beliefs with parents about the child. Furthermore, the findings indicate that several partnership aspects are predicted by professionals’ multicultural practices, their diversity related self-efficacy and their own cultural background.

Early Childhood Professionals and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Look at Well-Being, Job Satisfaction, and Self-Efficacy

Early Childhood Education (ECE) professionals faced unprecedented challenges, including the disruption of instructional programs and routines, since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The purpose of this study was to examine the physical and psychological well-being, job satisfaction, and job-related needs of early childhood educators and administrators during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 117 diverse participants from Southern California participated in this study. Results found that ECE professionals maintained close relationships with children and families, experienced low depression, and reported high job satisfaction despite all the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Open-ended questions related to challenges and self-efficacy also were explored. This paper includes ways to support ECE teachers and administrators and their well-being and job satisfaction, under the guidelines of the Family and Consumer Sciences Body of Knowledge, as the pandemic continues.

Professionals’ stories of supporting belonging for autistic children in Finnish early childhood education and care

The important role of early childhood education and care in nurturing and ensuring belonging among all children is well recognised, but research specifically focused on how this is accomplished for autistic children is scarce. The aim of this study was to examine how supporting autistic children's belonging appeared in the stories of Finnish early childhood education and care professionals (e.g. early educators, special education teachers, and early childhood education and care nurses). The data was collected by using the method of empathy-based stories, which prompts participants to produce stories. A qualitative analysis of 104 professionals’ stories produced one overarching theme of professionalism comprising two interconnected main themes: (1) established support solutions and (2) a willingness to understand the child. The findings suggest that understanding a child as a unique individual with autism is a cornerstone of favourable pedagogical support solutions for belonging.

Early childhood professionals’ pedagogical decision making

ABSTRACT The present study sought to determine how and where pedagogical decisions are made, as well as how such pedagogical decisions construct pedagogy, in the early childhood education context. The data was collected through interviews conducted with 46 early childhood education professionals, both teachers and practical nurses. The questions focused on the participants’ perceptions of the children’s learning and their own role in the process. Both data-based and theory-driven analyses were employed. The theory-driven analysis was based on the ecological dimensions introduced by Bronfenbrenner [Bronfenbrenner, Urie. 1976. “The Experimental Ecology of Education.” Educational Researcher 5 (9): 5–15. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X005009005] and Sheridan (Sheridan, Sonja. 2007. “Dimensions of Pedagogical Quality in Preschool.” International Journal of Early Years Education 15 (2): 197–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760701289151, 2009. “Discerning Pedagogical Quality in Preschool.” Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research 53 (3): 245–261. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313830902917295). We found that teachers and practical nurses generally make pedagogical decisions based on their knowledge of child development. Moreover, they use their knowledge of pedagogy and learning theories when making decisions as they make plans for the child or a group of children in advance.

Supporting service integration through early childhood education: challenges and opportunities in regional contexts

IntroductionChildren and families residing in regional Australia experience higher rates of vulnerabilities coupled with inadequate access to the early childhood health and early intervention services which pose increased risk to their health, development and wellbeing. The current study was designed to respond to the inherent complexity of supporting effective integrated service provision in regional communities, with a view to develop a model of effective service integration that leverages the capacity and opportunity of universal early childhood education (ECE) provision.MethodThe study adopted a qualitative multiple case study design to explore the perceptions of ECE professionals across six regional ECE services and two early intervention professionals operating from a regional early childhood intervention (ECI) organization. Data included an initial audit of the service system landscape coupled with facilitated discussions (focus groups and interviews) to identify facilitators and challenges to service integration and current patterns of service usage and engagement.ResultsFindings highlighted the foundational importance of relationships for establishing trust, engagement and service sustainability, as well as the need for embedding structural supports, including the professionalization of educators, the utilization of a key worker model, and staff retention. Systemic constraints, including limitations and inconsistencies in community infrastructure, program atrophy, and the complexity of referral systems, were seen to undermine effective service integration.DiscussionFindings speak to the potentiality of the ECE context as a hub for effective service integration within a functional practice framework for ECE. We conclude by offering a suggested model to ensure service connections, and enhance professional capacity and sustainability.

Foraging Eco-Ethology, Incentives and Motivations in the Kindergartens of Norway Based on Sámi and Norwegian Cultures

Early childhood education (ECE) institutions in Norway highly value nature and outdoor activities. The framework plan for kindergartens encourages that children get insights into the origin of food. The approach for imparting this knowledge incentivises foraging in kindergartens. The eco-ethology of humans is dependent on cultural values and practices and what is available for harvest in the local environments in different seasons. This paper explores the incentives and motivations for foraging in kindergartens in Norway through a qualitative approach. The data was collected from Sámi and Norwegian ECE professionals through on-site video documentation, group interviews, in-depth semi-structural interviews, and field notes. It was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, in which the researchers had an active role in the process through reflexive engagement with theory, data, and interpretation. Three themes related to the incentives and motivations for foraging were found: (1) “viewpoints of nature”, (2) “transfer and production of knowledge”, and lastly (3) “motives and meaning for foraging”. Norwegian ECE professionals seemed to view nature as a place to explore outdoors (termed friluftsliv) and Sámi ECE professionals used nature for a practical purpose (termed meahcci). Nature was used by all the ECE professionals for transfer and production of knowledge. The motives and meaning for foraging in ECE settings in Norway originated from the cultural values of purposeful use of nature’s resources. Further studies are needed to investigate the prevalence and importance of foraging practices in ECE, especially in terms of its significance to education for sustainability.

Investigating the Measurement Invariance of the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF) Factors in a Norwegian Early Childhood Education and Care Context

The Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF) is an instrument frequently used by researchers and clinicians to assess psychopathology in preschool children based on information from early childhood education and care professionals. However, the measurement invariance of this instrument has not been investigated. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the measurement invariance of the C-TRF for (1) girls vs. boys, and (2) for children below the age of three years old vs. three years or older, as measurement invariance is a prerequisite for a meaningful comparison of latent means between groups. Based on reports of 2904 children from 353 early childhood education and care professionals, our results showed full scalar invariance for an adapted C-TRF model, which supports the applicability of the instrument. However, awareness of the factor Somatic complaints and items with out-of-range parameters is warranted.

Correction to: The Association Between Early Childhood Education Professionals’ Perception of Workplace Spirituality and Their Intention to Stay in Their Current Program

Correction to: The Association Between Early Childhood Education Professionals’ Perception of Workplace Spirituality and Their Intention to Stay in Their Current Program

Social class as a challenge in educating for diversity—The case of a Finnish preschool

AbstractThis 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.

The Association Between Early Childhood Education Professionals' Perception of Workplace Spirituality and Their Intention to Stay in Their Current Program.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10643-023-01506-7.

Early childhood education professionals’ mentalization: a pilot study

ABSTRACT The present study applied Video Enhanced Reflective Practice (VERP) to promote and assess Finnish professionals’ interactional competence by means of stimulated recall during three group-based shared review discussions. A VERP trainer guided the professionals to reflect on children’s, their own, and colleagues’ actions and mental states based on video-recorded interactions in early childhood education classrooms. Self-reports on attuned interaction and guidance were collected before and after the in-service training. A coding scheme was developed to assess the target, type, and richness of mental state utterances (N = 787) produced during the VERP training. The professionals equally discussed children’s and adults’ mental states. They talked more frequently about motivational states when referring to children and cognitive states when referring to themselves and colleagues. The more attuned the professionals perceived their interaction with the children was before training, the more frequently they referred to their own or colleagues’ mental states observed during the group discussions. Our study extends assessment of mental states and provides guidelines for future group-based video-stimulated recall training for early childhood education professionals.

Reopening ECEC Services for Children Under Three Amidst the Pandemic: Investigating the Association of Health Measures with Pedagogical Practices and Children’s Well-being

In Portugal, early childhood education and care services for children under-three were the first educational services to reopen after periods of lockdown. COVID-19 prevention and control measures had to be implemented nationwide, but no knowledge was yet produced on their impact in educational settings. This study aimed to map the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures and examine associations among prevention and control measures, perceived changes to pedagogical practices and children’s well-being in early childhood education and care services for children under three. In this study, 1098 early childhood education and care professionals from all districts completed an online survey during January and February 2021. Results indicated that prevention and control measures were widely implemented. Furthermore, early childhood education and care professionals who started to implement prevention and control measures more frequently were more likely to perceive a reinforcement of their pedagogical practices at the level of adult-child interaction, emotional climate, and interaction with families, and reported higher levels of children’s well-being. Findings highlighted the potential role of pedagogical practices in mitigating the effects of COVID-19 in early childhood education and care services for children under-three.

Occupational well-being and teamwork in Finnish early childhood education

The study examined Finnish early childhood education professionals’ (ECEP) (n = 107) experiences of occupational well-being and systems intelligent teamwork. Occupational well-being was measured with basic psychological job satisfaction, work engagement and burnout. In the analysis of variances by rank, the ECEPs’ had high work engagement, felt competent and relatedness in a working community. By contrast, their autonomy was low, and they felt exhausted, even though the overall burnout level was low. Extensive working experience increased work-related well-being and perceiving socioemotional systems in work. The ECE teachers had the highest work engagement, basic psychological need satisfaction and lowest burnout, but didn’t feel strongly competent in perceiving systemic interaction structures. On the other hand, the ECE social pedagogues felt most competent in systems intelligence behavior. The ECE childcarers valued the support of the systems intelligence team. In the cluster analysis, we identified two different clusters representing the level of occupational well-being and systems intelligence. The solution presented a connection between the ECE teachers with high work-related well-being and systems intelligence. We suggest that the multi-professional teamwork should be developed according to the ECEPs’ diverse educational background and that professional responsibilities be made more consistent with their education.

The types of work of early childhood education and care professionals: an interactive perspective

ABSTRACT In this study, we reconstruct the types of work performed by early childhood education and care (ECEC) professionals working with children up to three years of age from an interactional perspective. The theoretical framework of the investigation is social organization of work defined by Strauss and colleagues in regard to medical sector. Analysis of thematic narrative interviews with caregivers focusing on their interactions with children and their parents revealed six types of interactional work carried out by caregivers: information work, relation work, emotion work, safety work, child development work and professional identity work. Dilemmas inscribed in each type of work are discussed in reference to potential practical and policy implications.

Professionalism and everyday practices in early childhood education and care: Singaporean pre-service teachers’ perspectives

ABSTRACT Notions of professionalism are central to how EC teachers enact practice. We explore how a group of Singaporean early childhood education and care (ECEC) pre-service teachers (PSTs) understand the notion of professionalism in this paper, drawing on their identity text work. The analysis is grounded by de Certeau’s thinking on the practice of everyday life, examining ideas about space, strategies and tactics. Findings show that PSTs’ notions of professionalism involve creative tactical use of resources and space in ECEC settings. We argue that this reflexive identity work challenges ways of knowing, foregrounding alternative spaces for understanding professionalism.

Time and Temporality in Early Childhood Education and Care Work

ABSTRACT We explore time and temporality within the work life context of Finnish early childhood education and care professionals. Temporality is a key element of education, since development and learning are always a matter of time and change. Furthermore, interpretations of time play a complex role in the work practices of educational institutions. Discursive analysis of focus group discussions shows that professionals must cope with several temporal dimensions. Even though the long-term orientation based on educational objectives is well recognized, as is the importance of moments of encounter with the individual child, time resource management dominates discussions. Thus, in everyday practices the pedagogical activities must be constantly adapted to changing time resources. This makes work unpredictable, creating an imbalance between the temporal dimensions. Results indicate that time and temporality interpretations are significant, as they affect the work conditions of professionals as well as the quality of early childhood education and care.