Exploring aspects of the relationship between gender and leadership in early childhood care and education: Towards an engaged feminist pedagogy of adult education.

This thesis explores aspects of the relationship between gender and leadership in Early Childhood Care and Education within an Irish context. Early childhood Care and Education includes day care facilities and services for children aged 3 months to 12 years. Services offer care, education and socialisation opportunities for children. This thesis examines the historical, political and social, context in which Early Childhood Care and Education is set. The conceptual framework for this thesis explores the theories of Foucault, Gramsci, Giroux, Bourdieu, Marxs, Freire, hooks and key feminist poststructual theorists. This thesis is set within a feminist paradigm with the aim of giving a voice to the women and children within the field of Early Childhood Care and Education. The Early Childhood Care and Education workforce is dominated by females, which presents a phenomenon not found in other areas of education. The analysis uses discourse analysis and rhizoanalysis, to unearth the impact of a feminised workforce. It reveals counter-hegemonic discourses such as nurturing capital and collaborative leadership styles within the ECCE service. Implications and recommendations for adult educators and early childhood studies are drawn from the data gathered and theories explored. This thesis demonstrates a working example of leadership in action. It offers a road map for the further development of Early Childhood Care and Education services, ascertaining the need to broaden the conditions of meaning making for the workforce. Within an engaged feminist pedagogy this thesis identifies strategies to support leaders to emerge at grass roots‟ level. Finally, this thesis attempts to illuminate the potential of Early Childhood Care and Education as a model for a more caring and socially just society