Peer Relationships in Early Childhood Education and Care

Peer Relationships in Early Childhood Education and Care brings together fresh perspectives and research about young children’s relationships. It examines children’s rights and well-being against a backdrop of increased social movement and migration, changing family structures and work practices, and the growing prevalence of education and care services for young children.
With contributors from diverse cultural, geographical and disciplinary backgrounds, this edited collection shows how educators support children’s peer relationships and use these as a basis for enhancing social and cognitive development. Themes discussed include:


conflicts and negotiations


friendships and play


group phenomena


independence and interdependence


identity and belonging


peer relations and children with disabilities


attuning adults to young children’s relationships.


This book will be highly relevant for academics, researchers and students concerned with early childhood care and education, especially those interested in relating these issues on a global scale.

Margaret Kernan is a Senior Programme Manager in International Child Development Initiatives (ICDI), the Netherlands.
Elly Singer is Associate Professor at the Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Utrecht and at the Faculty of Education of the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Foreword William Corsaro 1. Introduction Margaret Kernan, Elly Singer and Rita Swinnen 2. A Model ffor Studying Socialization in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings Carollee Howes 3. Children’s and Parents’ Perspectives on Play and Friendships Margaret Kernan 4. Rethinking Young Children’s Rights for Participation in Diverse Cultural Contexts Anne Trine Kjørholt 5. Play and Prescription: The Impact of National Developments in England Tricia David, Kathy Goouch and Sacha Powell 6. The Importance of Mixed Age Groups in Cameroon Bame Nsamenang 7. Peer Relations in Brazilian Daycare Centres: A New Focus for Early Childhood Education Maria Clotilde Rossetti-Ferreira, Zilma De Moraes Ramos De Oliveira, Mara Ignez Campos-De-Carvalho and Katia Souza Amorim 8. Fostering a Sense of Belonging in Multicultural Childcare Settings Elly Singer and Dorian De Haan 9. Including Children With Disabilities: Promoting Peer Relationships And Friendships Nina von der Assen and Margaret Kernan 10. Training Early Years Practitioners to Support Young Children’s Social Relationships Miriam Rosenthal and Lihi Gatt 11. Respect: Principles and Practice in Adult Education in an Early Childhood Setting in Mexico Roxanna Pastor Fasquelle