ABSTRACT
This chapter describes constructions of early childhood leadership and theories of early childhood leadership, explores the differences and similarities between management and early childhood leadership, investigates the personal qualities and attributes of effective and ethical early childhood leaders and reflects on early childhood leadership models and styles. The chapter encourages the interrogation of theories and models and acknowledge gaps and silences and generates a new paradigm or way of thinking about early childhood leadership. It reflects on past paradigms, models and approaches in order to build a new paradigm of early childhood leadership in action. The collective responsibility of early childhood education requires attention to shared practice and effective relationships to ensure leadership is something in which everyone can engage, even though there will be some positions with greater levels or different types of power and influence.
