Laura McFarland

Teacher agency is increasingly emphasised in early childhood education and care (ECEC) research and policy, yet limited research has explored how teachers themselves understand agency within the contemporary Australian ECEC landscape. Guided by Priestley et al.’s (2015) ecological model of agency, this study explored ECEC teachers’ understandings of agency through an online national survey (n = 229) and qualitative data (n = 12) from interviews, focus group discussions, and reflective journals. Qualitative data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Teachers described agency as relationally afforded and contextually mediated. Ten interrelated constructs ( autonomy, control, independence, ownership, voice, power, choice, intentionality, freedom, and flexibility ) were identified and organised into four interconnected orientations: self-determination, influence, reflexivity, and responsiveness . This study offers an empirically grounded account of agency with implications for leadership, professional learning, and policy in ECEC.

There is mixed consensus on the long-term academic impacts of Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs on children’s outcomes. While some studies show sustained benefits from preschool through to secondary school, others report that early gains, particularly in literacy, fadeout by grade 1. One explanation proposed in the literature is that this fadeout may result from ECE programs emphasis on constrained literacy skills over unconstrained literacy skills. This scoping review examined how the terms constrained and unconstrained literacy skills are defined, interpreted, and applied in early childhood education research, and the extent to which researchers find these concepts useful. Findings from 19 peer-reviewed and 22 grey literature articles revealed five main categories: benefits of ECE services, evaluation, family involvement, teacher perception, and skill development and assessment. The review illustrated inconsistent definitions and variable application of the constrained/unconstrained framework yet also highlighted its conceptual value for explaining different developmental trajectories in literacy skills. Overall, findings suggest that unconstrained literacy skills may fade out at a slower rate than constrained literacy skills, underscoring the need for ECE programs to adopt a balanced and comprehensive literacy approach that supports both types of skills.

Following government’s significant investment in 3- and 4-year-old kindergarten in Victoria, Australia, the Educational and Developmental Gains in Early Childhood (EDGE) Study investigated the impact of 2 years of funded kindergarten on the early childhood education workforce, and children’s learning and development. EDGE’s Professional Practice and Learning Experiences domain documented the perspectives and experiences of teachers and leaders implementing 3-year-old kindergarten in Victoria, as well as those of children, families, and government agents involved in the program’s implementation. This study focused on exploring children’s perspectives of 3-year-old kindergarten during the early roll out in Victoria. Framed within bioecological theory, a qualitative mosaic approach was used. Data were collected from 14 3-year-old children using child perspectives journals which included an interview, drawing and narration, and photography. A content analysis was applied to the data. Children expressed their experiences in relation to play, physical environments and materials, and social relationships. Findings support conceptions that children are capable social actors in kindergarten programs, and their perspectives are key to building rich insights on 3-year-old kindergarten.

‘Well-being’ and ‘child well-being’ are broad terms with little consensus amongst numerous definitions. Applications of the term, particularly for children aged birth to six, are vague due to the lack of conceptual clarity. The aim of this scoping review is to synthesise the recent literature on young children’s well-being, drawing on perspectives across disciplines to propose relevant considerations for promoting child well-being in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) contexts. Using Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework for scoping studies, 55 articles gathered and published between 2018 and 2024 were reviewed. Two key themes emerged from qualitative analysis of the articles: (1) ambiguity in conceptualisations of the concept stemming from varied discourses guiding definitions and different approaches towards supporting and assessing child well-being; and (2) increasing consensus on the need for multidimensional conceptualisations. Main considerations for applying understandings of child well-being to ECEC were proposed, including: contemplating education as contributing towards the goal of child well-being and well-being as necessary for effective learning; adopting a balanced and multidimensional approach towards promoting children’s well-being in the present and in the future; and recognising that children’s well-being is influenced by and supported within dynamic contexts, systems and processes.

In response to concerns about child safety within Australian organisations, the Victorian Child Safe Standards (the Standards) were established in 2022. In turn, Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services in Victoria have revised systems, practices, and policies to ensure compliance. However, there is a notable lack of research examining the implementation of the Standards. This study explores the perspectives and experiences of ECEC professionals in implementing the Standards. Adopting a mixed-method approach, 48 online surveys were administered, followed by 10 interviews. Survey results indicated a need for formal, whole-of-service training, although most participants expressed confidence in their understanding and ability to implement the Standards. Barriers to implementation included time constraints, competing priorities, and a lack of formal training. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed the Standards had a significant impact on participants’ daily practices and service policies, particularly in promoting child agency, child rights, and privacy.

Child wellbeing and mental health continues to be a significant public health issue, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) professionals are uniquely positioned to monitor and support young children’s wellbeing and can thus provide important insights to inform early interventions and support. This qualitative study sought to explore Australian ECEC professionals’ perspectives about supporting young children’s social–emotional wellbeing in early learning settings. Twenty participants participated in six online focus groups, with five key themes conceptualised from the data: (1) escalation in child and educator wellbeing needs; (2) discrepancies in educator experience and skills; (3) access to high-quality professional development; (4) prioritising relationships and continuity of care; and (5) nurturing children’s agency, identity, and belonging. The findings encompass concerns about children’s wellbeing and educators’ capacity to support it, as well as suggested strategies to strengthen the support for children’s wellbeing in early learning settings. The implications of the study findings are discussed.

In the past two decades, Australian governments have initiated a series of reforms to provide accessible, affordable, high quality early childhood education and care (ECEC). At the core of these reforms is the intention to improve learning outcomes for young children in the years where strong foundations are laid and where learning inequalities can be addressed. The Victorian State Government has built on these reforms through its investment in rolling out two years of funded universal kindergarten for 3-and 4-year-old children. This qualitative study reports on teachers’, educators’ and directors’ experiences of implementing funded 3-year-old kindergarten at 26 ECEC services from metropolitan and regional/rural Victorian regions. Online semi-structured interviews were conducted with 44 participants in 2022–2023. Thematic analysis revealed key findings, including the importance of pedagogical differentiation, workforce sustainability, leading and responding to change, and building capacity, as well as the structural impacts on implementation. We conclude that participants’ perspectives and experiences are critical to understanding the optimal opportunities and conditions for 3-year-old children’s learning across diverse contexts in Victoria during a time of reform.