Abstract
This chapter discusses research exploring preschool practitioners’ beliefs about
child poverty and their responses to it before and during the COVID-19
pandemic. Previously, in 2014, the authors’ research found notable levels of
poverty insensitivity amongst preschool practitioners within prescribed formal
pedagogical contexts emphasising early education over care. With COVID-19
pandemic, some commentators speculated care’s place in public consciousness
would be raised allowing it to go viral across society. Exploring this, the authors
replicated the earlier study in 2021. Drawing upon these recent data from
England, the authors consider preschool practitioners’ views about the extent to
which COVID-19 posed challenges for children in poverty and how much they
agreed poverty was something they needed to be sensitive to during the
pandemic. The authors then examine preschool practitioners’ pedagogical
adaptions and their prioritising of care alongside early education during the
pandemic. The chapter ends by questioning conjecture about a ‘new normal’
emerging in preschool, allowing pedagogical space for an energised focus upon
care.
child poverty and their responses to it before and during the COVID-19
pandemic. Previously, in 2014, the authors’ research found notable levels of
poverty insensitivity amongst preschool practitioners within prescribed formal
pedagogical contexts emphasising early education over care. With COVID-19
pandemic, some commentators speculated care’s place in public consciousness
would be raised allowing it to go viral across society. Exploring this, the authors
replicated the earlier study in 2021. Drawing upon these recent data from
England, the authors consider preschool practitioners’ views about the extent to
which COVID-19 posed challenges for children in poverty and how much they
agreed poverty was something they needed to be sensitive to during the
pandemic. The authors then examine preschool practitioners’ pedagogical
adaptions and their prioritising of care alongside early education during the
pandemic. The chapter ends by questioning conjecture about a ‘new normal’
emerging in preschool, allowing pedagogical space for an energised focus upon
care.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Care and Coronavirus |
| Subtitle of host publication | Perspectives on Childhood, Youth and Family |
| Editors | Tom Disney, Lucy Grimshaw |
| Place of Publication | Leeds |
| Publisher | Emerald Publishing |
| Chapter | 3 |
| Pages | 39-54 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Edition | 1 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781837973125 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781837973118 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Dec 2024 |