![[PDF]](/pb-assets/Icons/adobe-pdf-icon-1498649896243.png){kind=icon}
Abstract
This article contributes to the global conversation about generating a ‘vision’ in early childhood education and care policy by reporting on an investigation of influences on politicians’ policy decisions in early childhood education and care in Australia. This article is inspired by the provocations of social and political theorists who question the status quo and how society might be imagined, using policy as a potential method by which to achieve better futures. Guided by this broad agenda, this article reports on an empirical study that sought (1) politician participants’ visions for early childhood education and care policy and (2) early childhood sector representatives’ views on how visionary policy might be generated and, conversely, their perceptions of how visionary policy comes to be impeded. In Australia, an apparent impediment to achieving visionary policy is the perceived fragmentation of the early childhood education and care sector, a policy problem regularly raised in early childhood education and care literature globally and reflected in the findings of the study reported here. Following the work of Sara Ahmed, the authors question the cultural politics of characterizing the early childhood education and care sector as fragmented and how this description might also be inscribed on the surfaces of individual and collective bodies as a totalizing and disciplining strategy. The practice of ‘agonism’ is proposed as a potentially generative conceptual tool for examining the material effects of being characterized as ‘fragmented’, and for reconfiguring political and public spaces.
References
Section:
|
Adamson, E, Brennan, D (2014) Social investment or private profit? Diverging notions of ‘investment’ in early childhood education and care. International Journal of Early Childhood 46(1): 47–61. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
Ahmed, S (2004) The Cultural Politics of Emotion. New York: Routledge. Google Scholar | |
|
Australian Government (2013) Children (Education and Care Services) National Law. Number 104a. Available at: http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/maintop/view/inforce/subordleg+653+2011+cd+0+N (accessed 26 November 2014). Google Scholar | |
|
Barnekow, V, Jensen, BB, Currie, C, et al. (eds) (2013) Improving the Lives of Children and Young People: Case Studies from Europe. Volume 1. Early Years. Copenhagen: World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Available at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/232485/e96924.pdf Google Scholar | |
|
Bown, K (2013) The New South Wales campaign for improved staff ratios for babies in centre-based ECEC (2002–2009): Influences on politicians’ decisions. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 38(3): online annex. Available at: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-publications/australasian-journal-early-childhood/index-abstracts/ajec-vol-38-3-2013/new-south-wales-campaign-improved-staff-ratios-babies-centre-based-ecec-2002-2009-influences-politicians-decisions/ Google Scholar | |
|
Bown, K, Sumsion, J, Press, F (2011) Dark matter: The ‘gravitational pull’ of maternalist discourses on politicians’ decision making for early childhood policy in Australia. Gender and Education 23(3): 263–280. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Brennan, D, Adamson, E (2014) Financing the future: An equitable and sustainable approach to early childhood education and care. SPRC Report 01/14, February. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Social Policy Research Centre. Google Scholar | |
|
Cheeseman, S, Torr, J (2009) From ideology to productivity: Reforming early childhood education and care in Australia. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy 3(1): 61–74. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
Coalition (2013) The Coalition’s policy for better child care and early learning. Available at: http://lpaweb-static.s3.amazonaws.com/The%20Coalition%E2%80%99s%20Policy%20for%20Better%20Child%20Care%20-%20final.pdf Google Scholar | |
|
CoRe (2011) Competence requirements in early childhood education and care: Final report. A study for the European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture. London and Ghent: Cass School of Education, University of East London and Department for Social Welfare Studies, University of Ghent. Google Scholar | |
|
Cortis, N, Head, B (2008–2009) Tensions and challenges in Australia’s early years field: Views from the inside. Available at: https://www.aspc.unsw.edu.au/sites/www.aspc.unsw.edu.au/files/uploads/aspc_historical_conferences/2009/paper291.pdf Google Scholar | |
|
Cross Sectoral Taskforce (2006) Report on the implementation of a 1:4 staff–child ratio for children aged under two years in NSW children’s services. Sydney, NSW, Australia: NSW Department of Community Services. Google Scholar | |
|
Dahlberg, G, Moss, P (2005) Ethics and Politics in Early Childhood Education. London: Routledge. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
Early Childhood Australia (2015) ECA supports bipartisan approach to early childhood reform. Media release, 25 February. Available at: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ECA-supports-bipartisan-approach-to-early-childhood-reform.pdf (accessed 22 March 2015). Google Scholar | |
|
Fenech, M, Giugni, M, Bown, K (2012) A critical analysis of the National Quality Framework: Mobilising for a vision for children beyond minimum standards. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 37(4): 5–14. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
Formen, A, Nuttall, J (2014) Tensions between discourses of development, religion, and human capital in early childhood education policy texts: The case of Indonesia. International Journal of Early Childhood 46(1): 15–31. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
Foucault, M (1994) Power. In: Faubion, JD (ed.) Essential Works of Foucault 1954–1984, vol. 3. London: Penguin, pp. 326–348. Google Scholar | |
|
Francis, B, Mills, M (2012) What would a socially just education system look like? Journal of Education Policy 27(5): 577–585. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Goodstart Early Learning (2015) Proposed childcare model will increase costs for thousands of families. Media release, 1 March. Available at: http://www.goodstart.org.au/getattachment/Media-Resources/Proposed-childcare-model-will-increase-costs-for-thousands-of-families-(2).pdf (accessed 22 March 2015). Google Scholar | |
|
Harper, D (2014) Online Etymology Dictionary. Available at: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=fragment Google Scholar | |
|
Jackson, AY, Mazzei, LA (2013) Plugging one text into another: Thinking with theory in qualitative research. Qualitative Inquiry 19(4): 261–271. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
KU Children’s Services (2015) ‘A bigger bucket needed to fund new ideas’ says KU, Australia’s most experienced childcare provider. Media release, 20 February. Available at: http://ku.com.au/resources/documents/A%20bigger%20bucket%20needed_KUCS%20PC%20Media%20Release.pdf (accessed 22 March 2015). Google Scholar | |
|
Macfarlane, K, Lewis, P (2012) United we stand: Seeking cohesive action in early childhood education and care. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood 13(1): 63–73. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | |
|
Millei, Z, Sumsion, J (2011) The ‘work’ of community in Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood 12(1): 71–85. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | |
|
Mitchell, L (2012) Markets and childcare provision in New Zealand: Towards a fairer alternative. In: Lloyd, E, Penn, H (eds) Childcare Markets: Can They Deliver an Equitable Service? Bristol: Policy Press, pp. 97–114. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
Moss, P (2006) Farewell to Childcare? London: National Institute of Economic and Social Research. Google Scholar | |
|
Moss, P (2009) There are alternatives! Markets and democratic experimentalism in early childhood education and care. Working Papers in Early Childhood Development, no. 53. The Hague: Bernard van Leer Foundation and Bertelsmann Stiftung. Google Scholar | |
|
Mouffe, C (2005) On the Political. Abingdon: Routledge. Google Scholar | |
|
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2006) Starting Strong II: Early Childhood Education and Care. Paris: OECD. Google Scholar | |
|
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2012) Starting Strong III: A Quality Toolbox for ECEC – Setting Out Quality Goals and Regulations. Paris: OECD. Google Scholar | |
|
Peers, C, Fleer, M (2014) The theory of ‘belonging’: Defining concepts used within Belonging, Being and Becoming – The Australian Early Years Learning Framework. Educational Philosophy and Theory 46(8): 914–928. Google Scholar | |
|
Press, F (2007) Public investment, fragmentation and quality early education and care – existing challenges and future options. In: Hill, E, Pocock, B, Elliott, A (eds) Kids Count: Better Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Sydney University Press, pp. 181–198. Google Scholar | |
|
Press, F, Skattebol, J (2007) Early childhood activism, minor politics and resuscitating vision: A tentative foray into the use of ‘intersections’ to influence early childhood policy. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood 8(3): 180–191. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | |
|
Pricewaterhouse Coopers (2011) A practical vision for early childhood education and care. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Google Scholar | |
|
Productivity Agenda Working Group (2008) A national quality framework for early childhood education and care. Discussion paper, 1 August. Available at: http://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/a_national_quality_framework_for_early_childhood_education_and_care_a_discussion_paper.pdf (accessed 30 April 2009). Google Scholar | |
|
Productivity Commission (2014) Childcare and early childhood learning. Inquiry report no. 73. Canberra, ACT, Australia: Australian Government. Google Scholar | |
|
Stuart, M (2013) A trinity of saviours – parent, teacher and child: Human capital theory and early childhood education in New Zealand. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 38(4): 51–57. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
Sumsion, J (2007) Sustaining the employment of early childhood teachers in long day care: A case for robust hope, critical imagination and critical action. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education 35(3): 311–327. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Sumsion, J, Barnes, S (2010) Images of early childhood educators in Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Hong Kong Journal of Early Childhood Education 8(2): 34–43. Google Scholar | |
|
Sumsion, J, Cheeseman, S, Kennedy, A. (2009) Insider perspectives on developing Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 34(4): 4–13. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
Sumsion, J, Grieshaber, S (2012) Pursuing better childhoods and futures through curriculum: Utopian visions in the development of Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework. Global Studies of Childhood 2(3): 230–244. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | |
|
Tayler, C (2011) Changing policy, changing culture: Steps towards early learning quality improvement in Australia. International Journal of Early Childhood 43(3): 211–225. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
Urban, M (2009) Early childhood education in Europe: Achievements, challenges and possibilities. Report, September. Halle: Faculty of Education, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. Google Scholar | |
|
Wong, S (2006) Early childhood education and care in New South Wales: Historicising the present. PhD Thesis, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Google Scholar |
