‘Why don’t we teach loving who you are?’ Exploring the need for a positive racial literacy programme for young children

The early years setting is often where young children have their first solo experience of socialising, making friends and meeting unfamiliar adults. It can also be the place where they first experience racism. Further, while research highlights the presence of racial bias and exclusion in early childhood, there is limited understanding of how practitioners address these realities in everyday practice. This paper presents Proud of the Skin I’m In, a racial literacy development programme developed across Wales, England, and the United States to support conversations about race, identity and belonging in early years settings. While the program includes multiple components, this paper focuses on educator reflections gathered during a focus group exploring its feasibility and potential value. This qualitative study draws on a 90-minute online focus group with six early years practitioners from England, Wales, and the United States, which was analysed thematically to explore their perspectives. We find that practitioners welcomed structured opportunities to engage with race but expressed concerns around confidence, implementation, and the tendency for racial identity work to fall disproportionately to minoritised staff. We argue that supporting young children’s racial identity cannot be left to individual goodwill. It must be embedded into everyday pedagogy through intentional practice, shared responsibility, and sustained institutional support—ensuring all children are recognised, affirmed, and encouraged to take pride in their identity

Multiculturalism and diversity are not synonymous with anti-racist education

Across the Australian early childhood landscape there is a tendency for educators to veil discussions about race through the lenses of diversity and multiculturalism, falling short of addressing pervasive racism. Consequently, a more focused anti-racist education model is needed given the rise of racism and ‘othering’. Within the context of this research, teaching practices utilized by participants drew primarily on discourses of multiculturalism, premised on the shared understanding that it was important to teach about differences through similarities. Participants also identified that policy documents and professional development opportunities reinforced approaches to diversity and multiculturalism that emphasized inclusion, tolerance and acceptance, rather than addressing and disrupting discourses of race and racism. Three core tenets of Critical Race Theory illuminate how an over-reliance on discourses of multiculturalism amplifies the challenges of creating and delivering curricula that explicitly name and recognize race; a prerequisite for engaging with anti-racist endeavours. Moreover, discourses of multiculturalism are synonymous with discourses of colour-blindness, which is problematic because both engender an ‘us’ and them ‘binary’. Underpinned by Eurocentric ideologies, this binary normalizes the fabrication of a colonized racialized ‘other’. Accordingly, this paper argues that in order to reimagine and realize anti-racist pedagogy in early years education we must first recognize, disrupt and decolonize how the power inherent within Eurocentric discourses operates to silence and oppress those who are perceived as the colonized, racialized ‘other’. Only then can we critically examine diversity and discourses of multiculturalism in ways that genuinely generate and sustain opportunities and spaces for anti-racist teaching and learning

Climate anxiety in early childhood: A state-of-the-art review

As the climate crisis intensifies, young children are increasingly exposed to psychological stress linked to environmental change, manifesting in emerging forms of anxiety, sadness, and guilt. Although climate anxiety in children is gaining international recognition as a legitimate mental health concern, little is known about how these emotions specifically develop in children under the age of eight. This paper presents the first comprehensive state-of-the-art (SotA) review of research on climate anxiety in early childhood, systematically mapping current knowledge, identifying key conceptual and methodological gaps, and proposing priorities for future inquiry. Findings reveal that empirical studies in this area remain scarce, are often adapted from adult-centered frameworks, and predominantly situated within Euro-Western contexts. The review argues for developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and interdisciplinary approaches that seriously engage with both the emotional experiences and agentic capacities of young children. By highlighting critical gaps and outlining future research directions, this review lays the foundation for a more inclusive, child-sensitive, and globally relevant research agenda on climate anxiety in early childhood

Understanding and implementing play as a learning pedagogy: Narratives of practitioners in early childhood mobile units

This research examined practitioners\u27 narratives on understanding play as a learning pedagogy in early childhood mobile units. The national curriculum framework encourages practitioners and teachers in early childhood settings to employ a variety of play pedagogies to stimulate young learners to develop core skills in early childhood learning environments. Underpinned by Vygotsky\u27s sociocultural theory, the article draws from the zone of proximal development and social interaction as significant theoretical concepts to examine practitioners’ understanding of play as a learning pedagogy in early childhood mobile units. A phenomenological within the qualitative research domain was utilised to gather in-depth data on the topic under investigation. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with twenty practitioners purposively selected to provide their narratives on understanding play as a learning pedagogy in early childhood mobile units. The Atlas.ti software was used to analyse the collected data using a narrative strategy. The findings revealed that the practitioners maintained a high standard of service delivery within the mobile Early Childhood Care and Education unit contexts, which was transformative, high-quality and play-based. This paper contributes to the existing knowledge of delivering high-quality play-based learning pedagogy in early childhood settings

Policy reform in Israel: Perceptions of Arab Palestinian kindergarten teachers

The research investigated the perceptions of kindergarten teachers in Arab Palestinian society concerning the contribution of the latest Israeli government education reform entitled the "New Horizons" reform to provide additional material enabling assessment of the reform\u27s efficacy and attainment of its goals in Arab Palestinian kindergartens. Previous studies have shown inconsistent results concerning the benefits of the reform and indicated that educators had both positive and negative views concerning its different elements. A qualitative research study gathered data from semi-structured interviews with 16 Arab Palestinian kindergarten teachers. The findings indicated that the teachers were dissatisfied with the reform, indicating different negative aspects of the reform: burdensome work, intensive work, and lack of autonomy for the teachers, unsuitability of the programs for the kindergarten\u27s workday and its structure. Although teachers indicated that the reform had a positive influence on the children\u27s achievements and their progress, it also generated pressure on the teachers. The research findings clarify the way in which the reform is seen by these Arab Palestinian kindergarten teachers and points to the need for further studies, which will investigate kindergarten teachers\u27 work in the local and global context

A critical race theory analysis of top-down and ground-up regulatory documents in early years practice

The ‘pervasive silence and hesitancy to address racism and its manifestations’ (The Child Safeguarding Practice Review (HM Gov., 2025a) and how this renders invisible the safeguarding needs of Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage children is troubling. In this article we utilise Gillborn’s framework for engaging Critical Race Theory in policy to analyse the priorities, outcomes and beneficiaries of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the Office for Standards in Education’s (Ofsted) regulatory framework, and Birth to 5 Matters. The, ‘top-down’, EYFS and Ofsted regulatory guidance, lack any specific reference to race or racism, except in citing the statutory responsibility to adhere to the Equality Act 2010. Neither the EYFS (Department for Education, 2024a) framework for practice, nor The Office for Standards in Education, Children\u27s Services and Skills (Ofsted) Inspection Handbook (2024) or Framework (2023) which regulate practice, specifically mentions race or racism. Educational practitioners feel ill-equipped to talk about race or racism (Daniel, 2023; Gabi et al., 2022; Priest et al., 2014) and yet racism remains a salient issue that negatively impacts children’s lives from pre-birth (Glowach et al., 2023 Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2024; Alexander et al., 2015; HM Gov., 2025a). ‘Ground-up’ (Archer, 2024) guidance document, Birth to 5 Matters (Early Years Coalition, 2021), developed ‘for the sector by the sector’, does however, directly address racism in Early Years practice. In light of our analysis, we recommend that Early Years policy and regulatory frameworks urgently incorporate more explicit guidance on anti-racist praxis, and adopt a less race-evasive approach by engaging with and learning from stakeholders within the sector

Reimagining anti-racist pedagogy in early childhood education: Foregrounding critical theories and frameworks that challenge racism

Recent global events, shaped by conservative ideologies, neoliberalism, and capitalism, have exacerbated racism toward displaced individuals, particularly migrants and refugees of color. In Canadian early childhood education, these racist ideologies manifest through theories rooted in white, patriarchal, colonial knowledge systems that frame refugee children through a deficit lens. Such frameworks position early childhood education as a mechanism for assimilation, prioritizing workforce preparation in merit-driven economies over recognizing refugee children’s lived experiences, cultural strengths, and intersectional identities. In response to the global rise in racism, this paper examines transformative anti-racist approaches in early childhood education that challenge dominant discourses and systemic inequities. Through a case study of a Syrian refugee child and her mother, the paper reimagines anti-racist pedagogy by drawing on critical poststructural theories from the margins, including Black Feminist Thought, the sociology of childhood, and critical pedagogy. By centering Black feminist storytelling methodologies, this study highlights the necessity of valuing marginalized knowledge and participatory, creative practices in early childhood education. It argues for an intentional shift toward anti-racist educational frameworks that dismantle deficit-based narratives and affirm the agency and contributions of refugee children and their families

Factors affecting first-grade pupils\u27 physical activity during the school day: A pilot study

Physical activity is essential for the healthy development of children, yet many do not achieve the recommended levels. This study investigates the influence of school environments and educational practices on pupils\u27 PA during the school day, emphasizing the importance of supportive school conditions and structured activities. This pilot study involved 43 children from three primary schools in the Olomouc region of the Czech Republic. PA was measured using digital pedometers. Data on school conditions and family lifestyle were collected via two questionnaires. The analysis employed variance inflation factor analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), multiple linear regression, and Spearman’s correlation coefficient to identify key predictors of PA. The results show that the most influential factors on PA were passive conditions of the school environment, particularly school size and access to sports facilities. Active conditions, such as organized PA breaks and outdoor learning, also had a positive effect on PA levels. However, family lifestyle did not show a significant direct impact on school-day PA.  The findings underscore the crucial role of school environments and educational practice in maintaining children\u27s PA. There is a significant need for policies and initiatives that promote active school environments. Schools should implement comprehensive PA programs to support children’s overall health and well-being

What white people did next: Insights on building an anti-racist early years forum

This collaboratively written paper explores the formation and purpose of the Bristol Early Years Forum for Anti-Racist Practice, a grassroots initiative led by early years educators in the UK. Through collaborative autoethnography, the authors reflect on their motivations, positionalities, and the tensions involved in leading anti-racist work within a predominantly white profession. Drawing on Critical Race Theory, racial literacy, and Emma Dabiri’s (2021) framing of coalition over allyship, the paper interrogates the limitations of racial liberalism and developmentalist thinking in early childhood education. It argues for the political urgency of anti-racist practice in the early years and examines how white educators might engage in more meaningful ways. This paper contributes to the limited body of literature on white educators\u27 roles in anti-racism and offers insight into the transformative potential of community-based professional development

Rethinking play and child-centredness within early childhood curriculum in Croatia

Within Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) the child-centred approach, with all its various and diverse contextual interpretations, is well-established as a cynosure of contemporary theoretical discourses as well as endeavours in everyday practice, at least on a declarative level. Play is positioned as a high priority within the child-centred approach; more specifically, play is conceptualized as the central activity of the child through which they learn. Whilst these two concepts seem to be coherent and based upon similar theoretical underpinnings, there is much room for critical discussion concerning the conceptualizations and rationale behind both of them. This paper discusses how the academic community, in this paper, exemplified by specific policy-makers and early childhood educators in Croatia, see play and child-centredness in the curriculum-framed ECEC context. An e-focus group was conducted with twelve (12) early childhood educators in Croatia, showcasing the educators’ uncertainties regarding thinking about and ‘doing’ play and child-centredness while realising their planned curriculum.  The paper concludes with deliberations on the position of adults within child-centred ECEC practice, based on both literature and research results with a potential impact in terms of rethinking ECEC practices as well as documentation practices in Croatia