This book captures information about early childhood education and care (ECEC) policies and practices in different countries and aims to question the degree to which these countries have managed to meet the needs of children, families, and the ECEC workforce.

The book illustrates how different countries have adapted different strategies focusing on policy when it comes to quality ECEC. The goal of the book is twofold. First and foremost, it aims to present key findings and challenges for improving ECEC as a whole. Second, it aims to highlight problems and concerns which the field of ECEC faces, with respect to delivering high-quality care and education to all children.

As neither ?ECEC? nor ?quality? are universal concepts ? but are shaped by social-cultural values, as well as national, economic, and political contexts in which ECEC services are provided ? this cross-country volume is extremely relevant for fully understanding issues in the field of ECEC.

This book was originally published as a special issue of Early Child Development and Care.

Table of Contents:

Introduction ? Contemplating and probing issues of conceptualization, measurement and policy of ECEC quality in Europe and in the USA 1. There is still nothing better than quality play experiences for young children?s learning and development: building the foundation for inquiry in our educational practices 2. Teacher?child relationships make all the difference: constructing quality interactions in early childhood settings 3. The long way towards abandoning ECEC dichotomy in Greece 4. The relationship between quality of pre-school child care institutions and teachers? teaching approach 5. Ensuring quality in early childhood education and care: the case of Turkey 6. Family support and early childhood education and care in Cyprus: existing policies and challenges 7. Cultural considerations of ECERS-3 in Sweden: a reflection on adaption 8. Parent-practitioner partnerships in early childhood provision in England, Hungary and Kazakhstan: similarities and differences in discourses 9. Enhancing the quality of early childhood education and care: ECEC tutors? perspectives of family engagement in Spain 10. Early childhood education and care in Austria: challenges and education policies

Early Childhood Education and Care Quality in Europe and the USA

Literature in general, reference works

Linguistics in general, dictionaries

Language teaching

Pedagogy in general

Nursery school

Further readings in pedagogy

Literature in general, reference works (charity campaign)

Linguistics in general, dictionaries (charity campaign)

Language teaching (charity campaign)

Pedagogy in general (charity campaign)

Nursery school (charity campaign)

Further readings in pedagogy (charity campaign)

This book captures information about ECEC policies and practices and aims to question the degree to which different countries have managed to meet the needs of children, families, and the ECEC workforce. It was originally published as a special issue of Early Child Development and Care.