A Study of the German Early Childhood Education and Care System : In focusing on its position

This paper studies the early childhood education and care (ECEC) system in Germany and analyzes its position as an out-of-school "education" system. In many countries, the ECEC system has traditionally been outside the formal educational system, and has often been associated with the welfare system. Recently, there has been a global shift emphasizing the importance of education in children's early years, and many ECEC systems have been integrated into formal school systems. In Germany, the ECEC system is a part of the youth welfare system, which is closely to connected to the ideology of social pedagogy (Sozialpädagogik). Social pedagogy, thus forms the theoretical basis of both the youth welfare and ECEC systems in Germany, aiming to provide "education in its broadest sense." Social pedagogy involves broad educational concepts that are not confined to the issue of schooling. The German ECEC system can be regarded as a unique "education" system, but also involves various fields related to children's education and welfare outside school settings. This suggests that a comprehensive perspective on education should be taken