Chapter 1: Introduction to the Book

The focus of this book is on different aspects of leadership for learning in the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector, which in many countries serves children aged 1–5 years. The purpose of this introductory chapter is to give an overview of Norwegian ECCs and the international context. Norway’s early childhood education and care system has experienced considerable expansion over the past decade, and when compared to other countries, Norway’s ECEC sector is well established. Rankings show that Finland, Sweden and Norway are among the best worldwide in providing available, affordable and high-quality preschool education (“Starting Well,” 2012). This chapter concludes by giving a brief introduction of the content of the book.