Early childhood classrooms demand considerable emotional and physical engagement from both educators and children throughout the day. At times, this can lead to stress, anxiety, restlessness, and fatigue. According to transactional theory, a reciprocal relationship exists between teachers and children in the classroom. Teachers' mental health and…

This perspective highlights the experiences and observations of an early care and education researcher reentering the field after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the USA. Specifically, this perspective highlights the struggles of children, teachers, early care and education leaders, and the system itself as early care and education…

This study investigates the intricate relationships among display rules, emotional job demands (EJD), emotional labour and the occupational well-being (OWB) of kindergarten teachers in China. Utilising the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, this study specifically assesses the influence of EJD and displays rules on two dimensions of teachers' OWB…

Early childhood educators play a critical role in the lives of young children, especially through their sensitive interactions. Educators' capacities to engage in high-quality interactions are shaped by their mental health. Studies examining early childhood educators' mental health often focus on psychopathology or negative aspects of mental…

In 2023, Wilder Research contracted with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and Department of Human Services (DHS), in partnership with the Children's Cabinet, to conduct an Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Survey. A similar study was conducted in 2011. The purpose of the study is to describe characteristics of the ECE workforce…

Research Findings: To explore distinct professional-wellbeing subgroups and variations in turnover intentions, we examined the factor structure of the Early Childhood Professional Wellbeing Questionnaire (McMullen et al., 2020), which was completed online by 368 Australian early childhood educators. Based on educators' scores on the Belonging and…

This dissertation research attempts to answer the questions "What do early childhood teachers perceive as their original sources of self-efficacy for strategic leadership in STEM education?" and "How does their initial self-efficacy for strategic leadership mediate their eventual engagement as international leaders in STEM…

The challenges of recruiting, strengthening, and retaining the child care and early education (CCEE) workforce are well documented. Members of the CCEE workforce typically have low levels of formal education and compensation; limited opportunities for education, training, and professional development; inconsistent working conditions; and high…

In 2023, Wilder Research contracted with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and Department of Human Services (DHS), in partnership with the Children's Cabinet, to conduct an Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Survey. A similar study was done in 2011. The purpose of the study is to describe characteristics of the ECE workforce and…

In response to a workforce crisis, Australia's early childhood education and care workforce strategy for the next decade, "Shaping our Future," was released in September 2021. This strategy was developed through a three-stage, 'top-down' process in which open consultation on pre-defined strategies was the final stage. Analysing data from…

Teacher career plateaus hinder the high-quality development of teaching staff. Based on a nationwide questionnaire survey on Chinese kindergarten teachers' career plateaus, this study developed a kindergarten teacher career plateauing structural model. The research findings indicate that overall career plateauing among Chinese kindergarten…

Early care and education (ECE) programs are central to a thriving community: they support the well-being of children as well as their families. In Contra Costa County, approximately 260 child care centers serve children from birth through age five, along with 765 family child care providers operating in their own homes. These nurturing and vibrant…

For over 15 years, researchers have described a crisis in early learning classrooms in the United States. Hundreds of children are expelled from child-care programs and preschools every day, a rate nearly three times that of kindergarten-12th grade students. While policymakers have taken steps to mitigate this crisis, disparities in who is…

This systematic literature review summarises the research into interventions intended to improve the wellbeing of educators in the early childhood to secondary sectors. A search of articles published between 2000 and 2020 yielded 23 articles that met our inclusion criteria. Studies were included if they collected quantitative or qualitative data…

Children benefit from engagement in early education and care (ECE) programs that support their learning and development while also providing a point of connection to critical resources for their families. For children from economically disadvantaged families, the lack of access to high-quality ECE results in a persistent achievement and…