In this stimulating and provocative book the editors have drawn together a diverse and international range of respected authors, each of whom has taken a critical approach to the contentious question of how you define and achieve quality early childhood services. It is a book designed to provoke and promote critical dialogue and discourse amongst practitioners and students through critical engagement with the position of the authors within the text. I believe anyone who reads this book will be inspired and motivated to challenge and extend their thinking and professional practice, adopting the critical stance which lies at the heart of quality services for children and families.


Professor Chris Pascal, Director of Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC)






Early childhood is a complex and important area of study where it is important to develop your critical thinking and reflect upon key issues. This book will help do both.


It explores interrelated topics such as:




Child development
Play
Safeguarding
Professionalism
Curriculum and Policy


Each chapter will not only engage with what you need to know but help you develop your academic skills.


The book also comes with lots of online resources which can be found at and include:





Podcasts from the authors of each chapter so you can better understand the key concepts




PowerPoints to help you revise the essential information



Journal articles relate