ABSTRACT
This chapter articulates the importance of understanding the changing political and policy context, reviews the importance of early childhood leadership in times of change, presents a model that focuses on leading effective change management in early childhood contexts and describes the knowledge, capabilities, infrastructure and resources required to translate vision into practice. The chapter explores the conceptual and behavioural positions of those involved in change, describes how to manage resistance and cope with change and outlines and discusses the benefits and challenges of change. It assists with thinking through how embedding the ideas of the new model explored in later chapters can be used to strengthen early childhood leadership and build a stronger profession. Early childhood leaders and colleagues understand the significance of change in improving the quality of service provision for children and their families, and that when change occurs it is responding to a perceived need, and is relevant and sustainable.
