More than Words for Working with Children and Families

Abstract

The focus for this special issue arose as a result of noticing the emerging challenges being made to “traditional,” neoliberal understandings of knowledge and knowing coupled with the strengthening international interest in the professionalization of the early years workforce, who, it might be argued, have worked hard to create a knowledge base from which to grow their understanding of the child. This knowledge base has, to some extent, been dominated by hegemonic discourses of developmentalism— absorbed into policy and standardized within some, if not many, education programs for early years practitioners. These two elements combined offered the opportunity to consider alternative ways of knowing(s) for working with young children.