In this paper, we present research into how leaders in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in England conceptualise and respond to sudden and challenging circumstances at organisational and personal levels. A distinction is made in this paper between "critical incidents," such as a fire in the kitchen, and "crises" whereby leaders need to respond to unexpected, long term and evolving events. Although the impact of COVID-19 pandemic was uppermost in participants' minds, crises emerging from other issues were also investigated. The data informing this study were collected during the first half of 2021, nearly a year after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with ECEC leaders experiencing drastic changes which extended existing perceptions of crises. The research employed qualitative methodology using interviews with 16 accountable leaders in 13 different settings, with a further interview of a local authority officer with responsibility for advising and guiding multiple settings.