How is leadership understood in early childhood education and care?

Leadership is a contentious issue and one that has attracted considerable attention in the business world and in society in general. As individuals we appraise the performances of politicians, consider the credibility of corporations on the basis of their leadership behaviour and attribute the success or failure of organisations to the effectiveness of their leaders. In the field of early childhood education and care (ECEC) there is less overt attention paid to the notion of leadership. The evolution of the field over the past century is testimony to some form of leadership but what form that takes today is unclear. This paper seeks to provide an overview of literature related to leadership both broadly and in ECEC. Areas for research are identified.