ABSTRACT
In early childhood the social, political, economic, cultural and religious forces shape the needs for out-of-home early education. Early childhood centres are context-bound configurations which are known for their responsiveness to child care for working mothers, school readiness, early intervention (Dahlberg, Moss & Pence 2013) and to a lesser extent, the transmission of particular cultural and religious values in systematic ways. As institutions influenced by a myriad of forces, early childhood centres are not neutral sites with essentialised practices. Rather, they are places with contested meanings. These contestations arise mainly from the choices that adults make for children’s development and learning.
