The focus of this research was on the nature and characteristics of effective leadership and management practices in centre-based child care. This paper is part of a larger doctoral study with a focus on management within child care centres. Eight directors were interviewed in south east Queensland, Australia using a case study methodology. There has been minimal Australian research focused on the management aspects of directors' work in centre-based child care to date. The conceptual framework adopted in this study views management from a Social Systems Model. Central to a Social Systems framework is the notion that early childhood centres do not exist in isolation; rather, management in these settings is embedded in a broader social context. A Social Systems Model has received little attention in contemporary research on child care in Australia, and this study aims to build a framework for future studies in this area. The aim was to produce an understanding of directors' work; perceptions of their role as managers in the centre; their experiences; and the nature of management within the context of the child care field in a complex social, political and economic climate. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)