Regulations for childcare facilities vary greatly in terms of licenses, services provided, times of operation, and type of care offered. Food safety regulations are determined by each state and they can differ depending on the type of childcare operation (childcare centers and in-home operations). Determining differences between food safety…

This article examines how the practice of supervision has developed within a range of early childhood education and care (ECEC) provision in a county in Central England in the United Kingdom. Supervision has been recently introduced as a mandatory requirement for ECEC in England in 2012, and there is limited research looking at the impact of this.…

This First Look report introduces new National Household Education Survey data that provides estimates for children in the United States from birth through the age of 5 who were not yet enrolled in kindergarten by 2023 on early childhood care and education arrangements. The report also presents data on parents' ratings of factors that affected…

Early childhood assessment in Australia is guided by Australia's Early Years Learning Framework and a 'storied' approach. This article argues that Australia's policy and practice discourses of assessment in early childhood education lack clarity. The article situates early childhood assessment practice within Australia's curriculum, policy and…

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs are experiencing high turnover, resulting in lower teacher retention rates. High turnover hinders program quality, creates financial strain, and adversely affects program sustainability. Despite efforts to increase educator retention, a rural midwestern ECEC program's administrative team continues…

Despite the crucial role early educators play in young children's development, the field has always struggled with poor compensation and inadequate support (McLean et al., 2021). The persistent undervaluation of the ECE sector and the labor provided by the nearly all-female workforce can be traced back to its racist roots, when enslaved Black…

Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) of all degree-seeking undergraduate students at the City University of New York (CUNY) are adult learners--students over the age of 25. These students are juggling an outsized share of family and work responsibilities compared to the traditional 18-year-old freshman. They are much more likely to be among the 31…

Mental State Language (MSL) is language that refers to individuals' inner states, including terms relating to "emotion," "desire-&-preference," "perception" and "cognition." This study explores the nature of eight Chinese educators' MSL in their interactions with infants during structured and free play.…

Positive representation of human diversity in class materials and curriculum contributes to children's sense of belonging, increased self-esteem, and understanding of others. However, research has shown lack of or limited representation of disability in early childhood classrooms. Most of these studies have been conducted(EC) in the United States…

This dissertation examines the meaning-making of children (ages 2-5) as they read and play with picture books related to social justice themes, such as identity and diversity, in a preschool and childcare center. The study goal is to investigate the analysis of children's meaning-making of picture books to understand the social world around them…

Teachers' professional vision is the ability to notice and interpret classroom interactions and may be considered an aspect of a teacher's competence. Despite research on school teachers, little is known about this competence in early childhood teachers. In this study, the relation between early childhood teachers' professional vision and their…

Early identification of young children at developmental risk is important for linkage to needed services. Yet, despite guidelines for developmental screening, many pediatricians do not systematically use screening tools. Because many young children spend time in childcare settings, conducting screening in these settings may improve rates of early…

Licensed family child care (FCC) programs serve millions of children and families annually and tend to serve more vulnerable families than center-based programs. Low-income families, families needing infant and toddler care, and families that are Hispanic or African American are more likely to place their children in FCC programs than in…

Background: State-level child care quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) have been implemented in a majority of states in the U.S.A. One goal is to improve developmental outcomes for young children, especially from families with fewer resources. Research is needed to determine if QRIS can produce quality improvements that will support the…

A chorus of young voices sang along with a video clip of the YouTube version of "Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes" being played as the introduction for an art activity. A university student led the art lesson as part of a special topics course that provided art experiences for preschool-aged children enrolled in the therapeutic…