ECEC Educator Perspectives toward Administrative Burden of Quality Improvement Plans and its Impact on Role-identity and Relationships

Abstract

The National Quality Framework was implemented in early childhood education and care (ECEC), leading to an administrative burden related to Quality Improvement Plans (QIPs). This qualitative study, using grounded theory, identifies the QIP’s impact on educator role-identity, and the ripple-effect of the burden on their personal and professional life. The impact is explained as learning, psychological and compliance costs, while interpretation of policy, individual characteristics and situational factors in ECEC contexts influence the perceived burden.