Early Childhood Studies: An Introduction to the Study of Children's Lives and Children's Worlds

For students of Early Childhood Studies, questions are as important as answers.  
What is childhood? Is childhood the same in all cultures?
How do children grow and develop?
What space do we make for children in our society?
How do adults approach risk and what does this mean for children?

Can children’s play be planned by adults?

Early Childhood Studies tackles these questions and more. It explores the why, how and what of studying and working with young children and their families, considering how a range of theories can help us to identify useful questions.

This is a comprehensive, up-to-date, challenging and accessible core text for the Early Childhood Studies course. Throughout, key theories and research findings are highlighted and explored to help link theory and practice. It covers the important themes of child development, communication, wellbeing, observation, working with parents, inclusive practice, leadership and research. This fourth edition has been fully updated throughout and includes new chapters on children and risk, inclusive learning environments, play and adults′ concepts of childhood.

Rod Parker-Rees is the co-ordinator of Early Childhood Studies and joint programme director for the BA (Hons) ECS at the University of Plymouth, where he also helped to develop the Early Childhood Studies Specialist pathway on the Bed and the BA (Hons) degree in ECS. Before he taught three to five year-old children in Bristol and conducted research with the National Primary Centre (South West). His research interests centre on playfulness, early communication and the role of young children as active social agents.

Dr Caroline Leeson is Associate Professor in Early Childhood Studies at Plymouth University. She has particular interests in the welfare of looked after children, children’s centre leadership and reflective practice and enjoys working with students towards their goal of being strong advocates for young children and their families. Her research interests are in social justice; children with a parent in prison; children who go missing and/or are vulnerable to sexual exploitation and the involvement of children in decision making processes. She is also active in researching the articulation of leadership in early years settings. Before working in higher education she worked as a social worker in child protection, fostering and adoption and was the leader of a family centre for a period of time. This experience proved particularly profound as she learnt the importance of communication, collaboration and the joy of spending time in the home corner making stone soup.