A critical review: effective leadership in the early childhood services from policy and practice perspective

Abstract

This critical review focuses on the importance of being leader and the effects of effective leadership in the early years settings. It will be examined the relevant literature, exploring research studies in accordance with effective leadership, the differences and similarities between management and leadership, the challenges of developing leadership in the early years. Followingly, gender in leadership and the importance of reflection for leaders in their practices will be discussed. This study aimed to put an emphasis on how leadership policy and practice are necessary for the early years settings to support early years education with powerful and valuable way. However, there is a little research about leadership in early childhood services in relevant Turkish literature. Therefore, this review will add a critical perspective to the growing Turkish early years education literature especially within some essential studies such as Effective Leadership in the Early Years Sector (ELEYS) (Siraj-Blatchford and Manni, 2007) and Effective Leadership and Management Scheme (ELMS) (Moyles, 2006) and The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) research (Taggart et al, 2003).

Keywords

• Early childhood,effective leadership,policy,practice

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