Education and equity in early childhood: The case of “classrooms for two-year-olds” in public nurseries in the Valencian Community region

Abstract

Education and equity in early childhood: The case of “classrooms for two-year-olds” in public nurseries in the Valencian Community region In this paper we analyse the development of early childhood education and care provision (ECEC) in the first cycle of childhood education in the Valencian Community region, with particular attention to the implementation of “classrooms for two-year-olds” in public nurseries. During the last two legislatures, the Valencian Community region has gone from being at the forefront of promoting and developing the private supply model to being one of the pioneering regions in developing “classrooms for two-year-olds” in public education. We place these changes within the Spanish context, and discuss their scope for the equity of the education system at this age, from a human rights perspective and within the current European quality framework.