Maarit Alasuutari

Efforts to address the workforce shortage in early childhood education (ECEC) and care have primarily focused on increasing student enrolment; however, the appeal of the field appears to be diminishing. Research indicates that the motivation of prospective students is crucial to their commitment to both teacher education programs and the teaching profession itself. This motivation is thought to encompass various influencing factors. In this article, we examine the narratives of ten students about their motivations for applying to early childhood education teacher training, based on interviews. Specifically, we investigate what we coin as ´narrative resources´ students employ to articulate their motivations as integral components of their life stories. The accounts of students reveal that positive experiences working with children serve as crucial life events that substantiate their motivations for entering the ECEC field. Additionally, for adult learners, starting a family emerged as a pivotal turning point in their life path that sparked the interest to ECEC as a career choice. Ultimately, the decision to apply was made after a thorough consideration of the potential benefits of the studies in relation to the sacrifices required in balancing these educational pursuits with family life.

This study focused on occupational well-being among early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers ( n = 409) participating in Finland’s two-year pre-primary education trial (2021–2024). We examined what kinds of occupational well-being profiles could be identified among the ECEC teachers and which teacher-related and contextual factors explained them. Based on latent profile analysis, three profiles were identified: thriving ( n = 250), with low burnout and high engagement, balanced ( n = 133), with average burnout and engagement, and burdened ( n = 26), with high burnout and low engagement. Burdened teachers were negatively affected by staff turnover, while balanced teachers had more children in need of support compared to thriving teachers. Thriving teachers received more support during the trial than two other groups. The findings suggest that during educational reforms, teachers may experience their well-being differently. Varying demands and resources can either promote or hinder occupational well-being and should therefore be carefully considered in policy implementation.

This study investigates parents’ childcare decisions during the partial COVID-19 lockdown in spring 2020 in Finland. Specifically, we explored (1) parents’ reasons for keeping their five-year-old child at home rather than sending them to early childhood education and care (ECEC) (2) dimensions identified in terms of the reasons, and (3) families’ socio-demographic characteristics associated with the dimensions. The participants in this study consisted of 1,068 parents of children who attended ECEC before the pandemic. These parents were from various regions across Finland. Data gathered through questionnaires were analysed by using descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis. The results showed that the two main reasons for keeping children at home were the recommendations from the government and keeping the child safe, which were obvious, as the situation was exceptional, and the recommendations were strong. Further analysis revealed four dimensions of the reasons, which were Protection and prevention, Recommendations, Avoidance of changes in ECEC, and Realised risk of COVID-19. Parents’ socio-demographic backgrounds played a minor role in parents’ reasons, highlighting the equality among the families involved in the study in terms of their reasons to keep their children at home.

This study investigated early childhood educators’ identity construction in their narratives of emotion-laden situations with children. Narrative analysis was conducted with Greimas’s actantial model on video-cued interviews with 15 educators. Two narratives were identified: in the narrative of educators managing their emotions, educators’ negative emotions connected to challenging interactions with children shattered the identity of the professional educator. In the narrative of educators rejoicing in their success, the trust and affection expressed by children evoked positive emotions, and the sense of inadequacy created by insufficient resources challenged the warm, child-centred educators’ identity. In their narrations, educators commit to an ideal educator identity in close relationships with children, but also describe the emotional labour involved in working with children to manage their own negative emotions. The study enhances understanding of the interconnection between professional identity and emotions, the construction of professional identity through small moments in everyday life and the importance of emotional labour from the perspective of professional identity in early childhood education and care (ECEC).

Between 2021 and 2024, the Ministry of Education and Culture implemented a two-year pre-primary education trial in 148 municipalities in Finland. In the trial, 37,357 children born in 2016 and 2017 were randomly assigned to trial and control groups. Children in the trial group began pre-primary education at age five, while those in the control group continued in the existing system. The trial was governed by temporary legislation and guided by a trial curriculum. A multidisciplinary research team monitored and evaluated the trial. This report presents the results of four surveys conducted by the research team of the University of Jyväskylä. The surveys were carried out in 2022 and 2023 at the end of each implementation period. Each year, surveys were conducted for municipal officials responsible for early childhood and pre-primary education and for early childhood education (ECE) teachers responsible for five-year-olds’ trial and control groups. The findings show that the level of support provided to teachers for familiarizing themselves with the curriculum and implementing the trial varied between municipalities. Approximately one-quarter of teachers reported receiving no supervision with curriculum familiarization, and about one in ten had received no support for implementation. Feedback on local trial curricula was requested in many municipalities, but they were rarely updated for the second trial year. Pre-primary education for five-year-olds was most often provided in daycare centers, scheduled in the mornings for four hours a day, five days a week. However, there was variation in how the trial was organized and implemented. Trial groups engaged slightly more in guided activities, introduced children slightly more to reading readiness and mathematical skills, and collaborated more with six-year-old’s pre-primary and early primary education than control groups. According to teachers, responsibility for planning, implementing, and evaluating group activities was more concentrated on teachers in trial groups, although plans for educational activities were drafted almost similarly to control groups. Continuity in peer group structure across the transition from the five-year-old group to the six-year-old group was more pronounced in the trial groups compared to the control groups, whereas staff continuity was less certain than the continuity of the child groups. The role and time allocated to play remained unchanged compared to ECE. Most municipal officials and teachers perceived pre-primary education for five-year-olds as different from ECE, particularly in organization, activities, and skill development. Municipalities received inquiries from parents regarding the trial, most often requests to transfer a child to a trial group or obtain more information. Teachers reported that families’ attitudes toward the trial were generally positive.

The two-year pre-primary education trial, implemented by the Ministry of Education and Culture, was conducted in 148 municipalities between 2021 and 2024. Within the trial, approximately 15,000 children commenced pre-primary education at the age of five instead of six. In addition, around 20,000 children formed the control group, participating in early childhood education and care (ECEC) at age five and entering pre-primary education at age six, following the standard practice. This sub-report forms part of the monitoring and evaluation of the trial. Its results are based on two surveys conducted in spring 2023: a municipal survey targeting officials responsible for ECEC in the trial municipalities (N = 89) and a survey of ECEC teachers in both trial and control groups (N = 1,051). These surveys provided information and insights regarding the arrangements and implementation of the support for children’s growth and learning, as well as the organization of such support in the municipalities across both groups during the trial’s second operating period (2022–2023). For municipalities, this period represents the second year of the pre-primary education trial, whereas for the child cohorts it marks the first year of participation for the second age cohort (children born in 2017). Almost all ECEC and pre primary education teachers — whether working in special groups, integrated special groups, or other child groups — reported that the new three tier support system for children was being implemented in ECEC centres. This system was introduced through the amendment to the Early Childhood Education and Care Act, 8/2022. Although the system was removed from pre primary education as of August 2025, but it continues to be applied in other forms of ECEC. The availability of ECEC special education (SEN) teacher services varied considerably across municipalities in terms of staffing levels, qualifications, and organizational arrangements. While most municipalities employed several qualified SEN teachers, some had none or relied on unqualified staff. A majority of teachers reported that SEN services adequately met the needs of their group’s; however, approximately two in five rated the services as only moderate or poor. No significant differences were observed between the trial and control groups in the organization or perceived quality of SEN services. Most trial municipalities provided student welfare services for five and six year olds in pre primary education, with half of teachers rating these services as well aligned with their group’s needs. Teachers in special and integrated special groups offered slightly more positive evaluations than those in other groups. Multidisciplinary teams were generally available; however, more than 10% of teachers reported their absence. By law, children receiving intensified or special support must promptly receive an administrative decision regarding the provision of support services. This requirement was consistently met in special and integrated special groups: however, in approximately one-fifth of other groups, such decisions were absent. Although most teachers considered SEN and student welfare services adequate, around half reported that support measures outlined in children’s personal learning plans were fully implemented for all children. Support was more frequently realized in special groups than in others. Teachers most often attributed these gaps to insufficient resources, a lack of assistants, and staff turnover. Nevertheless, they highlighted several positive aspects of support, including effective cooperation with parents, staff competence in identifying needs, and the provision of assistance when required.