Building professionalism in early childhood development in South Africa: professional associations and unions

Early childhood development (ECD), from birth to 6, occupies an ambivalent space within a system ranging from birth to 9. Professional Early Childhood Development Associations and Unions (ECDAUs) are important structures to elevate early learning issues in the context of building quality ECD systems. This article explores issues that ECDAUs encountered in the South African context as they struggled to build professionalism. Socially constructed notions of professionalism and ideas from transformative politics provided the theoretical lenses for the study. Six participants from four associations and one union participated in the study. The findings show that although ECDAUs actively build professionalism, they remain fragile structures in multi-dimensional, complex and rapidly transforming environments. There are attempts to consolidate efforts to move the professionalism/ECD agenda forward. This thrust, however, is stronger from ECD associations than from the union, which still needs to incorporate ECD for 5 to 6 year-olds in its work.