Social competencies and the early years learning framework : Understanding critical influences on educator capacity

Contemporary research has focused on the imperatives for social competence in young children. This work has explained the diverse ways this complex construct is defined and the implications for social and academic outcomes for children. As a result of this research, social competence has become an embedded feature of early childhood curriculum frameworks at both an international and national level, the most recent of which is Australia's Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Underpinning these frameworks are both implicit and explicit expectations that educators have, in fact, the capacity to support children's development and competence in this area. This paper explores the imperatives for the inclusion of social competencies within contemporary curriculum frameworks. It will be argued that an understanding of the influences that shape educator capacity is critical in supporting effective professional practice.