Is the care–education dichotomy behind us? Should it be?

Abstract

FOR OVER A DECADE WE have talked about the care–education dichotomy as being false and irrelevant given that care is considered to be a part of education, not separate from it. A generation of early childhood professionals have grown up in services where care is seen as part of education. As a nation, Australia is now pursuing professionalisation of early childhood through the education discourse. As with any decision, there are positive and negative consequences. In this article I report on a research project that explores early childhood professionals’ perspectives of the care–education dichotomy, and the role it plays in early childhood today. I argue that, in order to understand the unintentional consequences of pursuing an educational pathway towards professionalisation, we need to keep the issues relating to care in the front of our minds.