The everyday advocacy work of the baby room leader

There is a growing body of literature on leadership and leadership development across the early years (EY) sector. EY leadership research so far has tended to focus on positional leadership demonstrated by setting managers or preschool room leaders. There is a notable gap in our understanding of the role of the Baby Room Leader (BRL), leading practice for birth to two year olds, and how leadership can be developed in this specific context. Drawing on a design workshop with BRLs and nursery managers, as well as five follow-up semi-structured interviews with BRLs, this article offers an insight into the role of the BRL with a particular focus on everyday advocacy. The article presents four advocacy themes in baby room leadership. These are 1) highlighting and understanding the impact of baby room practice, 2) sharing passion for working with babies, 3) advocating professional development specific to the baby room and 4) challenging discourses and stereotypes surrounding those who work in the baby room. These themes represent both current realities in baby room leadership and opportunities for future development and mobilisation.

This is the accepted version of a paper published by SAGE Publications in Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood.
Sakr, M. (2023). The everyday advocacy work of the baby room leader. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14639491231168942