Early childhood education & care (ECEC) | Australian Education Research Organisation

Browse AERO’s resources for early childhood education and care settings.

Guides & resources (10+)

Smiling early childhood teacher or educator and child reading picture book together.

Practice resource

Early childhood learning trajectories

This collection of AERO’s Early Childhood Learning Trajectories is designed for teachers and educators working in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services for children in the years before school. It can support ongoing professional learning for individuals and entire ECEC services and teams.

Introduction to Early Childhood Learning Trajectories

This video introduces AERO's Early Childhood Learning Trajectories, freely available evidence-based resources for use alongside the EYLF 2.0 assessment and planning cycle. Early childhood education and care service teams can use these resources to support children’s learning, development and wellbeing.

Executive functions: Trajectory

This Early Childhood Learning Trajectory video outlines children’s progress in executive functions. It can be used alongside the EYLF 2.0 assessment and planning cycle to support children’s learning, development and wellbeing.

Research (10+)

High school student sitting at desk with teacher discussing work.

Research report

Peer mentoring for sharing skills and knowledge from professional learning: The importance of planning and support

This report discusses the findings of a study conducted by AERO and ALNF into the effectiveness of a peer mentoring approach for delivering professional learning to educators and teachers in early childhood education and care services.

A teacher and a child playing with some bowls and cups at an outdoor playground at an early childhood education and care service. Credit: AERO

Technical report

Linking quality and child development in early childhood education and care: Technical report

This technical report presents the findings from a study that uses large-scale data to examine how specific aspects of quality in early childhood education and care relate to learning and development outcomes for children in Australia.

Two female teachers talking at desk in teacher's office.

Actionable insights into Australian education

This project identifies trends, challenges and opportunities in education datasets and generates actionable insights that can support improved outcomes in schools and ECEC services.

Summaries & explainers (6)

Research summary

Sharing professional learning via peer mentoring

This research summary provides an overview of a study on peer mentoring for professional learning conducted by AERO in partnership with ALNF.

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Research summary

Linking quality and child development in early childhood education and care: Research summary

This research summary presents key findings from a research project examining how specific aspects of quality relate to learning and development outcomes for children in Australia.

Research summary

Measuring wellbeing and belonging in children aged 3 to 8 years

To understand which wellbeing programs and practices adopted by early childhood education and care (ECEC) services and schools improve children’s outcomes, it is necessary to measure and track children’s wellbeing. This research summary shares some preliminary learning from work the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) commissioned on developing wellbeing and belonging measures for children aged 3 to 8 years.

Other (10+)

Comparing learning models: Peer mentoring in early childhood education and care

Ongoing professional learning is an important part of ECEC, and quality outcomes for children depend on a highly skilled workforce. AERO and ALNF have conducted an experimental study in the ECEC sector, comparing the effectiveness of a peer mentoring approach to a direct participation approach for professional learning.

The power of evidence in education

This article introduces how evidence-informed teaching methods can support student learning and skill development. Learn about the interplay between evidence and classroom realities, common misconceptions, and how the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) is helping teachers and leaders.

Contributing to continuity: supporting children to progress in their learning across our education system

What can be done to create more effective transitions from birth to Year 12, to support greater continuity of learning and better student outcomes?