Our early childhood research

Strong Foundations: Evidence informing practice in early childhood education and care (Kilderry & Raban 2020)

Editors Associate Professor Anna Kilderry (Deakin University) and Honorary Professor Bridie Raban lead a team of notable contributors focusing on the challenges of access, equity and quality that remain across the Australian early childhood care and education sector (ACER 2020).

Strong Foundations translates high-quality, peer-reviewed research into everyday practice and supports students of early childhood education and early childhood educators in improving long-term outcomes for children, families and communities (ACER 2020, para 4).

This volume includes chapters from Deakin University researchers in health and education and members of the early child education group:

SECTION 1 – The early childhood years: context

Chapter 1 – Early childhood education and care in challenging times
Anna Kilderry and Bridie Raban

SECTION 2 – Identity, wellbeing and children contributing to their world

Chapter 5 Early childhood outdoor environments: places for play, learning and wellbeing
Anne-Marie Morrissey, Llewellyn Wishart and Deborah Moore

Chapter 6 Healthy lifestyle behaviours in the first five years of life
Rachel Laws, Penny Love, Katherine Downing and Jill Hnatiuk

Chapter 7 Keeping children safe
Nicole Downes

Chapter 9 Facilitating children’s agency in early childhood education and care
Caroline Scott, Andrea Nolan and Anna Kilderry

SECTION 3 – Children as confident and involved learners

Chapter 11 Supporting oral language development in young children
Louise Paatsch and Andrea Nolan

Chapter 13 Learning about STEM
Coral Campbell