Narratives from the Nursery ─ Negotiating Professional Identities in Early Childhood

This accessible and timely book builds upon and contributes to ongoing debates surrounding professionalism in the early years workforce. In a sector where policy is rapidly changing, Jayne Osgood challenges existing assumptions concerning professional identities and questions what broader lessons might be learnt about race, ethnicity, social class and gender in early years research and practice.
This engaging text:


offers a thematic overview to the concept of professionalism in an increasingly critical area of study


includes unique autobiographical contributions alongside new and compelling empirical evidence


stimulates wider debates within a clear theoretical framework


provides an in-depth examination of the individual views of early years practitioners.


Addressing new debates and policies from a focussed academic perspective, Narratives from the Nursery provides inspirational and enlightening reading for practitioners, researchers, policy makers and students.

Jayne Osgood is Reader in Early Childhood Education at London Metropolitan University.

1. Introduction 2. Policy context 3. Putting theory to work 4. Government policy and childcare workforce reform: a critical discourse analysis 5. Imagined childhoods: subjectivities and pedagogical practices 6. Maternal discourses and the formation of ‘professional’ identities 7. Negotiating Professionalism: challenges and resistance 8. Conclusion: towards critically reflective emotional professionalism