March 2026 - Issue 8
- Matthew K, Northall
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
Newsletter
Issue 8 - March 2026
Introduction
Introduction
Introduction
Welcome to this week’s ECSDN newsletter. The Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network exists to champion the value of early childhood studies as a discipline, to support those teaching and researching within our universities, and to ensure that the voices of our students, graduates and academics continue to shape the future of the sector. Through collaboration, research and dialogue we strengthen the role of early childhood studies within higher education and beyond.
This week’s newsletter brings together updates from across the network, opportunities for collaboration, and highlights from colleagues who continue to push forward important work in teaching, research and advocacy.
Thank you, as always, for the work you do in supporting children, families and the early childhood workforce.
Best regards,
Tanya and Aaron
ECSDN Seek Treasurer
ECSDN Seek Treasurer
“Could you be our next Treasurer?
The ECSDN is seeking someone who can take over the role of the treasurer.
There are robust systems in place that mean that the role Is not onerous – it probably takes about 30 minutes per month to keep everything updated, with around an hour at the end of the financial year to pull everything together.
Training and support will be given to whoever takes on the role. Could it be you? Ideally we need to vote this person in at the upcoming AGM on 27th March.
Feel free to reach out to Tanya (tanya.richardson@northampton.ac.uk) for more information or to express interest.”
Annual Research Conference - 30 January 2026
The ECSDN annual research conference, organised by the Research and Knowledge Exchange Strategy group, took place on 30th January 2026.
Participants attended online to engage with a variety of presentations on the theme of ‘Celebrating Early Childhood Studies'.
Presenters included students, practitioners and researchers based in a diverse range of contexts both in the UK and beyond. They discussed ideas around Language and Communication, Student experiences, Outdoor pedagogies, Food Literacy, and Supporting Families.
The two inspirational keynote speakers were Dr Karen Boardman, who shared her thoughts on ‘Play, Language and Literacy’, and Dr Louise Hannan's talk was entitled ‘Things I wish I knew as an Early Years Practitioner about the emotional environment of settings’.
Participants completed an evaluation form, and we received some great feedback on the conference – Attendees commented on how they appreciated both the online and the free aspect of the conference which meant it was an inclusive, easily accessible event. There are too many wonderful comments to share but one lovely example of the reach of the conference was: ‘Thank you very much for organising this. I was pleased to see some of my Year 3 undergraduate students in attendance and I'm looking forward to catching up with them next week to see what they made of their first ever conference experience’.
A huge thanks to all who worked so hard to make such a successful conference happen and to all who attended to support our important work in promoting the discipline of Early Childhood Studies.
'Exploring the experiences of student-mothers undertaking online and on-campus degree programmes.' - Research article by Kay Owen and Jenny Boldrin
Riding a rollercoaster with the jugglers: exploring the experiences of student- mothers undertaking online and on-campus degree programmes.
Despite the increasing number of mature students in higher education, neither the sector nor the literature adequately considers how their responsibilities and cultural positioning may impact integration and performance. This exploratory study considers the lived experience and oppression valance of student-mothers at a UK university. Findings highlight that many have negligible support and undertake childcare, household maintenance and income generation in addition to their academic work. These conflicting demands create role-incongruity and infeasible logistical demands.
This research article has been published by Taylor and Francis Online and you can access the full article for free using the following link;
Childminding 2030 - A campaign to recruit and retain 30,000 new childminders by 2030
Tint.co.uk have just launched - Childminding 2030.
Over the past few years, we’ve all seen the steady decline in childminder numbers across England, from over 100,000 to just 25,000. We are running a campaign to try and get more childminders in to the sector. (30,000 by 2030!)
Childminding 2030 is an attempt to start that conversation properly. To start with, this is very much about building momentum and bringing people into the discussion. If it resonates with you, please share it with your networks and colleagues too.
The more voices involved, the stronger the case can be made together.
You can read more here: https:// childminding2030.co.uk/
External Examiner Opportunity - Applied Education (on-campus and distance learning pathways) University of East London
The University of East London is seeking an experienced academic to act as External Examiner for the validation of their new Applied Education programme, which will be delivered both on campus and through distance learning.
They are looking for a colleague with expertise in Education, Inclusive Education, or Early Childhood Studies. Experience with distance learning provision would be appreciated but it is not essential. The role involves reviewing programme documentation as part of the validation process and offering constructive, independent feedback to support the academic rigour and quality of the new course.
If you are interested, or if you know a colleague who may be suitable, please contact Katie Ketcher‑Room at k.l.ketcher@uel.ac.uk for further information. We appreciate your support in helping us identify a suitably qualified examiner for this important stage of programme development.
ECSDN AGM
Date: 27 March 2026
Time: 9.00am - 4.00pm
Location: University College Birmingham - The Link Building
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