Embracing complexity in the culture of early childhood education

Early childhood education research is without a doubt, a relatively niche field of study. By that I mean, the number of academic and practitioner researchers is small in comparison to some of the giants of the more traditional sciences. Yet, the concepts, debates and dialogue within the field are globally significant, vastly diverse, and complexly interlinked. The research sensitively and meticulously undertaken with children represents a phenomenon far greater than the small body of individuals working in the field. By continuously taking stock and learning from those who have come before, from pioneers within the field, such as Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852), John Dewey (1859-1952), Maria Montessori (1870-1952), Susan Issacs (1885-1948) and many more, we see how vibrant and essential early childhood education has been. Now, our interdisciplinary community of researchers, continue to advocate for our youngest children as the unearth and analyse how best to support the next generation to flourish.