Concluding remarks

The purpose of the National Quality Framework (NQF) is to provide all children with high- quality ECEC in the years of life considered critical in laying down the foundation for future development. Secure attachment relationships support this development, and consequently, educators need to understand attachment theory and be aware of how to support the development of attachment relationships. This study indicates that educators require access to sufficient knowledge and ongoing professional development, given the fast pace by which our understanding of the importance of these relationships is being confirmed by research. The dilemma faced is how to support educators to understand and embed this information into practice, while considering the realities of a group care environment in an ECEC setting.

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The title of this thesis, “an unfamiliar face, an unfamiliar environment” is a direct quote from one of the participants of the semi-structured interviews. This quote frames the research and explains what the research is about.

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List of appendices

APPENDIX A: Information letter and consent form: service management APPENDIX B: Information letter and consent form: families

APPENDIX C: Information letter and consent form: educational leader APPENDIX D: Information and consent form: educators

APPENDIX E: Phase One survey

APPENDIX F: Phase Two expression of interest survey APPENDIX G: Phase Two observation tool

APPENDIX H: Phase Two semi-structured interview questions: educators

APPENDIX I: Phase Two semi-structured interview questions: educational leader