Pamela Oberhuemer is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Thomas Coram Research Unit of the University College London. Inge Schreyer is a Senior researcher at the State Institute for Early Childhood Research and Media Literacy – IFP, Munich, Germany.

• Preface and acknowledgmentsIntroduction to SEEPRO-3SEEPRO-3 – project with a historySEEPRO-3 – background, aims and proceduresPart I: Contextualising the ECEC workforce1 Conceptual framework – a 'science of difference'2 Three ECEC system types: unitary, part-integrated, bi-sectoral3 Key policy measures since the previous SEEPRO study3.1 Legislative changes3.2 Curricular reforms3.3 Measures to improve access to ECEC3.4 Personnel-related measures4 Contextual Framework4.1 Legal entitlement and compulsory enrolment in ECEC4.2 ECEC providers and main setting types4.3 Curricular frameworks – digital education4.4 Evaluation and assessment4.5 Inclusion and transitions4.6 Working parents, parenting leave and post-leave entitlement to ECECPart II: The ECEC workforce5 Key pedagogical and specialist support staff5.1 Core practitioners: minimum qualification requirements and professional profiles5.2 Centre leaders in ECEC5.3 Assistant co-workers5.4 ECEC counsellors, supervisors and inspectors5.5 Specialist support staff5.6 Staff in ECEC settings by qualification and gender: an overview6 Initial professional education of core practitioners6.1 What competences do ECEC core practitioners need? Competence profiles in six countries6.2 Curriculum in ECEC initial professional education: Six country examples6.3 Field practice in the initial professional education of ECEC core practitioners7 Alternative routes into the ECEC professions – lateral entry8 Continuing professional development in the early childhood field8.1 Legislation and regulatory frameworks8.2 Providers and main forms of continuing professional development8.3 Continuing professional development as an entitlement and a duty8.4 Participation in continuing professional development measures as a requirement for career promotion8.5 Current topics in CPD8.6 Availability of continuing professional development for ECEC assistant co-workers9 Newly qualified and newly appointed staff: Support measures in the workplacePart III: Reform initiatives – workforce and ECEC system challenges10 Staff-related policy initiatives and reform strategies10.1 Initiatives to improve initial professional education10.2 Strategies to improve working conditions and measures to combat staff shortages10.3 Staff-related reforms as part of overall educational policy strategies11 Staff-related and system-related challenges from a country expert perspective11.1 Staff shortages11.2 Staff to child ratios11.3 Initial professional education of core practitioners11.4 Continuing professional development opportunities for centre leaders, core practitioners and assistant co-workers11.5 Integration at the ECEC system level11.6 Equitable access to early childhood education and care settings11.7 Further challenges from a country expert perspective12 Summary and outlook12.1 Contextual framework12.2 Early childhood staff12.3 Reform strategies – staff and system-related challenges12.4 OutlookReferencesAbout the authorsSEEPRO-3 Cooperation partners in 33 countries (2021–2024)GlossaryIndex

“The book offers a hitherto missing and systematic insight into the similar challenges with respect to workforce policies, early childhood education and care settings and more of relevance for researchers, practitioners, students and parents plus politicians.”Niels Rosendal Jensen, European Journal of Social Work, 2026-03

Pamela Oberhuemer is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Thomas Coram Research Unit of the University College London. Inge Schreyer is a Senior researcher at the State Institute for Early Childhood Research and Media Literacy – IFP, Munich, Germany.

• Preface and acknowledgmentsIntroduction to SEEPRO-3SEEPRO-3 – project with a historySEEPRO-3 – background, aims and proceduresPart I: Contextualising the ECEC workforce1 Conceptual framework – a 'science of difference'2 Three ECEC system types: unitary, part-integrated, bi-sectoral3 Key policy measures since the previous SEEPRO study3.1 Legislative changes3.2 Curricular reforms3.3 Measures to improve access to ECEC3.4 Personnel-related measures4 Contextual Framework4.1 Legal entitlement and compulsory enrolment in ECEC4.2 ECEC providers and main setting types4.3 Curricular frameworks – digital education4.4 Evaluation and assessment4.5 Inclusion and transitions4.6 Working parents, parenting leave and post-leave entitlement to ECECPart II: The ECEC workforce5 Key pedagogical and specialist support staff5.1 Core practitioners: minimum qualification requirements and professional profiles5.2 Centre leaders in ECEC5.3 Assistant co-workers5.4 ECEC counsellors, supervisors and inspectors5.5 Specialist support staff5.6 Staff in ECEC settings by qualification and gender: an overview6 Initial professional education of core practitioners6.1 What competences do ECEC core practitioners need? Competence profiles in six countries6.2 Curriculum in ECEC initial professional education: Six country examples6.3 Field practice in the initial professional education of ECEC core practitioners7 Alternative routes into the ECEC professions – lateral entry8 Continuing professional development in the early childhood field8.1 Legislation and regulatory frameworks8.2 Providers and main forms of continuing professional development8.3 Continuing professional development as an entitlement and a duty8.4 Participation in continuing professional development measures as a requirement for career promotion8.5 Current topics in CPD8.6 Availability of continuing professional development for ECEC assistant co-workers9 Newly qualified and newly appointed staff: Support measures in the workplacePart III: Reform initiatives – workforce and ECEC system challenges10 Staff-related policy initiatives and reform strategies10.1 Initiatives to improve initial professional education10.2 Strategies to improve working conditions and measures to combat staff shortages10.3 Staff-related reforms as part of overall educational policy strategies11 Staff-related and system-related challenges from a country expert perspective11.1 Staff shortages11.2 Staff to child ratios11.3 Initial professional education of core practitioners11.4 Continuing professional development opportunities for centre leaders, core practitioners and assistant co-workers11.5 Integration at the ECEC system level11.6 Equitable access to early childhood education and care settings11.7 Further challenges from a country expert perspective12 Summary and outlook12.1 Contextual framework12.2 Early childhood staff12.3 Reform strategies – staff and system-related challenges12.4 OutlookReferencesAbout the authorsSEEPRO-3 Cooperation partners in 33 countries (2021–2024)GlossaryIndex

“The book offers a hitherto missing and systematic insight into the similar challenges with respect to workforce policies, early childhood education and care settings and more of relevance for researchers, practitioners, students and parents plus politicians.”Niels Rosendal Jensen, European Journal of Social Work, 2026-03

Pamela Oberhuemer is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Thomas Coram Research Unit of the University College London. Inge Schreyer is a Senior researcher at the State Institute for Early Childhood Research and Media Literacy – IFP, Munich, Germany.

• Preface and acknowledgmentsIntroduction to SEEPRO-3SEEPRO-3 – project with a historySEEPRO-3 – background, aims and proceduresPart I: Contextualising the ECEC workforce1 Conceptual framework – a 'science of difference'2 Three ECEC system types: unitary, part-integrated, bi-sectoral3 Key policy measures since the previous SEEPRO study3.1 Legislative changes3.2 Curricular reforms3.3 Measures to improve access to ECEC3.4 Personnel-related measures4 Contextual Framework4.1 Legal entitlement and compulsory enrolment in ECEC4.2 ECEC providers and main setting types4.3 Curricular frameworks – digital education4.4 Evaluation and assessment4.5 Inclusion and transitions4.6 Working parents, parenting leave and post-leave entitlement to ECECPart II: The ECEC workforce5 Key pedagogical and specialist support staff5.1 Core practitioners: minimum qualification requirements and professional profiles5.2 Centre leaders in ECEC5.3 Assistant co-workers5.4 ECEC counsellors, supervisors and inspectors5.5 Specialist support staff5.6 Staff in ECEC settings by qualification and gender: an overview6 Initial professional education of core practitioners6.1 What competences do ECEC core practitioners need? Competence profiles in six countries6.2 Curriculum in ECEC initial professional education: Six country examples6.3 Field practice in the initial professional education of ECEC core practitioners7 Alternative routes into the ECEC professions – lateral entry8 Continuing professional development in the early childhood field8.1 Legislation and regulatory frameworks8.2 Providers and main forms of continuing professional development8.3 Continuing professional development as an entitlement and a duty8.4 Participation in continuing professional development measures as a requirement for career promotion8.5 Current topics in CPD8.6 Availability of continuing professional development for ECEC assistant co-workers9 Newly qualified and newly appointed staff: Support measures in the workplacePart III: Reform initiatives – workforce and ECEC system challenges10 Staff-related policy initiatives and reform strategies10.1 Initiatives to improve initial professional education10.2 Strategies to improve working conditions and measures to combat staff shortages10.3 Staff-related reforms as part of overall educational policy strategies11 Staff-related and system-related challenges from a country expert perspective11.1 Staff shortages11.2 Staff to child ratios11.3 Initial professional education of core practitioners11.4 Continuing professional development opportunities for centre leaders, core practitioners and assistant co-workers11.5 Integration at the ECEC system level11.6 Equitable access to early childhood education and care settings11.7 Further challenges from a country expert perspective12 Summary and outlook12.1 Contextual framework12.2 Early childhood staff12.3 Reform strategies – staff and system-related challenges12.4 OutlookReferencesAbout the authorsSEEPRO-3 Cooperation partners in 33 countries (2021–2024)GlossaryIndex

“The book offers a hitherto missing and systematic insight into the similar challenges with respect to workforce policies, early childhood education and care settings and more of relevance for researchers, practitioners, students and parents plus politicians.”Niels Rosendal Jensen, European Journal of Social Work, 2026-03