• To continue to campaign for a high status early childhood graduate profession.
• To provide a critical perspective on and a forum for the advancement of appropriate early years policies, initiatives and legislation.
• To develop graduate and postgraduate level education, training and research in the field of Early Childhood Studies.
• To favour equalities and oppose discrimination.

In so doing the ECSDN will seek

• To promote academic and professional developments in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Provision.
• To promote the continuing development of Early Childhood Studies as an academic and professional discipline in higher education.
• To promote, encourage, support and disseminate undergraduate, postgraduate and professional research in the field of Early Childhood Studies.
• To work towards the integration of Early Childhood Studies within other early childhood academic and professional initiatives, both nationally and internationally.
• To promote pay recognition and acceptance by employers of early childhood academic and professional qualifications.

For this purpose it will work to:

• Facilitate communication and co-operation between member institutions.
• Provide a forum for sharing information across the UK and internationally.
• Enhance quality and impact through the application and championing of research.
• Influence the development and implementation of policy by working in partnership with other agencies and by undertaking communications and dissemination activities.
• Promote the value of an early childhood graduate profession throughout the UK.
• Articulate the role of Early Childhood Studies (ECS) as an interdisciplinary field of study that adds value to the creation and communication of knowledge within the higher education community.