Chapter 6: The Language Environment of Infant Child Care: Issues of Quantity, Quality, Participation and Context

In many countries worldwide, the attendance of children under the age of two in early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres is rising rapidly. While the care of infants was traditionally regarded as a family responsibility that took place largely within the home, this is no longer the case. With many infants now spending a proportion of their time in non-familial care contexts, ECEC centres are widely regarded as significant early learning environments, and early childhood educators¹, as partners in the education and care of these very young children. For this reason, efforts to understand and enhance the quality of the education and care environment of infant ECEC rooms are intensifying.