Building Professional Capital for High-Quality Early Childhood Education and Care

The study investigates how professional capital can act as a framework for understanding and improving the quality of kindergartens. The researcher addresses the three components of professional capital – human capital, social capital and decisional capital – and shows how these can be combined to strengthen collective responsibility and collaboration among employees. The aim is to illustrate how developing professional capital can help improve the learning environment for children, through fostering a culture of continuous improvement and evidence-based practice.

The results showed that the development of professional capital, through collaboration and management, improved employee expertise and child well-being. Improved leadership and facilitated collaboration were highlighted as crucial for strengthening the staff’s human and social capital, which led to better decision-making and pedagogical practices. The children reported increased well-being and better relationships with adults, which the researcher believes confirms the importance of a holistic approach to quality work in kindergartens. The results also showed that leadership that promotes a culture of learning is essential in strengthening professional capital in kindergarten.

The study included quantitative surveys conducted two years apart, where factors such as collaboration, job satisfaction and management in Danish kindergartens were assessed. Qualitative interviews with managers and employees provided deeper insight into the development of professional capital and its impact on practice. The study included around 3000 informants from 165 kindergartens, distributed across six municipalities. The informants consisted of kindergarten staff (teachers and other staff), managers, children aged 4-6 years and their parents/guardians.

Hansen, L. S. (2023). Building Professional Capital for High-Quality Early Childhood Education and Care. I Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care through Leadership and Organizational Learning: Organizational and Professional Development (s. 49–72). Cham: Springer International Publishing.