Reframing Education for Sustainability in Early Childhood: Exploring the Social Dimension in the Case of England

TY - JOUR

T1 - Reframing Education for Sustainability in Early Childhood

T2 - Exploring the Social Dimension in the Case of England

AU - Garcia Manas, Carmela

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2026.

PY - 2026/4

Y1 - 2026/4

N2 - Amid escalating crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, widening inequality, and geopolitical instability, Education for Sustainability (EfS) has become a global priority. While research and policy in early childhood education have increasingly engaged with sustainability, emphasis has largely been placed on environmental dimensions, often overlooking the equally critical social aspects. This article critically reviews global approaches to EfS in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and situates them within the context of England’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Drawing on international examples from Finland, Singapore, New Zealand, Norway, and Korea, the article highlights best practices while underscoring persistent challenges in embedding sustainability into curricula. It then interrogates the English context, identifying tensions between government commitments to climate change education and the absence of sustainability within the EYFS framework. The article argues that EfS in ECEC requires a more robust integration of social sustainability, encompassing equity, diversity, democracy, and interconnectedness. By foregrounding these principles, EfS can move beyond narrow ecological framings to become a transformative tool for addressing structural inequalities and fostering a culture of participation and justice from the earliest years. The discussion concludes by calling for a reconceptualisation of EfS in ECEC policy and practice that balances environmental, economic, and social dimensions in pursuit of a more sustainable and equitable future.

AB - Amid escalating crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, widening inequality, and geopolitical instability, Education for Sustainability (EfS) has become a global priority. While research and policy in early childhood education have increasingly engaged with sustainability, emphasis has largely been placed on environmental dimensions, often overlooking the equally critical social aspects. This article critically reviews global approaches to EfS in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and situates them within the context of England’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Drawing on international examples from Finland, Singapore, New Zealand, Norway, and Korea, the article highlights best practices while underscoring persistent challenges in embedding sustainability into curricula. It then interrogates the English context, identifying tensions between government commitments to climate change education and the absence of sustainability within the EYFS framework. The article argues that EfS in ECEC requires a more robust integration of social sustainability, encompassing equity, diversity, democracy, and interconnectedness. By foregrounding these principles, EfS can move beyond narrow ecological framings to become a transformative tool for addressing structural inequalities and fostering a culture of participation and justice from the earliest years. The discussion concludes by calling for a reconceptualisation of EfS in ECEC policy and practice that balances environmental, economic, and social dimensions in pursuit of a more sustainable and equitable future.

KW - Children’s rights

KW - Early childhood education

KW - Early years foundation stage

KW - Education for sustainability

KW - Equity

KW - Social sustainability

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105033553499

U2 - 10.1007/s13158-026-00503-2

DO - 10.1007/s13158-026-00503-2

M3 - Article

SN - 0020-7187

VL - 58

SP - 613

EP - 629

JO - International Journal of Early Childhood

JF - International Journal of Early Childhood

IS - 1

ER -