Quality in early childhood education and care: a case study of disadvantage

Large numbers of young children spend significant amounts of time in early childhood educational settings. Concerns about the quality of this experience have increased substantially in recent years. Further, as social inequalities in Australia continue to grow the gap between disadvantage and advantage widens despite overall levels of increased economic prosperity. Provision of quality early childhood education may be one important way to address disadvantage as international studies show that high quality early childhood education experience contributes to reducing inequality later in life. This study investigated the relationship between quality and disadvantage in a childcare centre in urban Australia. Employing a case study approach, building on Bronfenbrenner’s theory and previous literature, the study found that four key components affected the quality of childcare in this centre—physical environment, staff–child interaction, curriculum/program and family support. Importantly, staff knowledge and dedication were crucial to achieving quality.