Early childhood educators' well-being, work environments and 'quality': Possibilities for changing policy and practice. Issue 1 (March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cumming, Tamara; Wong, Sandie; Logan, Helen
• Is Part Of: Australasian journal of early childhood. Volume 46:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 50
• Page End: 65
• Publication Date: 2021-03
• Subjects: Early childhood education -- early childhood educators -- early childhood teachers -- well-being; Early childhood education -- Periodicals; Child care services -- Periodicals; Early childhood education -- Australasia -- Periodicals; Child care services -- Australasia -- Periodicals; Child development -- Periodicals; Child care services; Child development; Early childhood education; Australasia; Periodicals; 372.21
• DOI: 10.1177/1836939120979064
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1836-9391

Abstract

A child's right to high quality education not only relies on a competent and skilled workforce, but one in which educators are well. Supporting a well workforce requires governments, organisations and educators to attend to work environment quality. This attention needs be based on sound, relevant evidence. In this paper we contribute evidence of educators' well-being from the survey component of an Australian study with 73 participants. We map results against international guidelines, and policy openings in Australia's National Quality Standard to understand how educators' work environments are affecting their well-being. We conclude that existing policies on quality in early childhood education in Australia attend to only some features of work environments, with a notable absence of attention to supporting educators in the relational complexities of their work. To enable educators to provide high quality education and care, greater attention is needed by organisations and governments to what quality work environments might look like.