Spirituality and early childhood education and care

Abstract

Although articulated differently, the early childhood curriculum frameworks of the four UK nations generally include a spiritual dimension to a holistic understanding of children’s development. Spirituality is variously linked to young children’s personal, social and emotional development, their health and wellbeing, play and learning. However whilst acknowledged in policy, there is a distinct lack of discussion about spirituality in early childhood education, and only a few research studies in the UK have focused on how pre-school children experience or express spirituality. Training, and texts, supporting the professional development of early childhood practitioners tend not to explore definitions of the spiritual dimension of children’s development, and practitioners are offered little, or no, explanation of how young children’s spirituality might be recognized. Arguably, traditional connections in British education policy of spirituality to religion, has led to understandings of the word spirituality being synonymous with religious belief and thus problematic for many practitioners. Increasing concerns about the ‘school readiness’ agenda and the institutionalisation of early childhood offers opportunities for dialogue that includes the fostering of children’s skills and dispositions associated with expressions of spirituality.