Early childhood education and care is expected to improve children's life chances, reduce inequalities, promote inclusion and support families. But whose responsibility is it to create an early childhood system that can deliver on these ambitions? And what can each of us do, from our different positions, to make that happen?

Drawing on research and policy work on the early childhood workforce, quality and the organisation of provision, this keynote will examine how decisions made at different levels, from everyday practice to national policy, shape children's experiences and opportunities. It will question where responsibility for change lies and challenge us to consider whether we sometimes spend more time identifying problems than addressing them. Building a better early childhood system requires structural change, but also a willingness to question our own choices and practices. From everyday decisions to collective action and more ambitious reforms, change can start in different places and take different forms.

Resources

1.     Sakr, M., Bonetti, S. & Halls, K. (2026) Achieving high-quality provision in English baby rooms: Looking ahead to the future. Available online: https://thebabyroom.blog/final-report/

2.     Bonetti, S. & Sakr, M. (2026) Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care: A Rapid Literature Review.Available online: https://sarabonetti.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/bonetti-sakr-quality-in-ecec-rapid-literature-review_nesta.pdf

3.     Urban, M., et al. (2011). Competence Requirements in Early Childhood Education and Care. European Commission. Available online: https://download.ei-ie.org/Docs/WebDepot/CoReFinalReport2011.pdf

4.     Meyerson, D. E. (2001). Tempered Radicals: How People Use Difference to Inspire Change at Work. Harvard Business School Press.