Find your tribe! Early childhood educators defining and identifying key factors that support their workplace wellbeing
Abstract
Historically, research on educator wellbeing has focused on ill health including stress, burnout and emotional exhaustion. There is a dearth of research examining healthy workplace wellbeing among early childhood educators, which makes developing strategies to support their wellbeing difficult. Moreover, there is a lack of clarity about the concept of educator workplace wellbeing and a lack of understanding of the complex interplay between factors supporting and thwarting wellbeing within long day-care centres. This two-phase study used a mixed-methods research design. Presented in this paper are the findings from phase one. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with 22 early childhood educators in long day-care centres reflected on educator workplace wellbeing as a broad concept encompassing social, emotional, physical and economic factors. Educator ‘voices’ provided insight into the individual, relational and contextual elements impacting on their personal workplace wellbeing.
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Studies found practically significant positive correlations between teacher well-being and a supportive learning or school climate.
“Studies found practically significant positive correlations between TWB and a supportive learning or school climate”
From Teacher well-being: A systematic review of the research literature from the year 2000–2019 (2021) · cites this paper as Jones et al., 2019
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Teacher well-being: A systematic review of the research literature from the year 2000–2019
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- Authors
- Jones, C., Hadley, F., Waniganayake, M., & Johnstone, M.
- Affiliations
- Macquarie University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Jones, Catherine
- Venue
- Australasian Journal of Early Childhood
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2019-09-03
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 326-338
- ISSN
- 1836-9391 (ISSN-L)
- 1839-5961
- OpenAlex
- W2972218050
- Cited by
- 53
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 8.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Australasian Journal of Early Childhood (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Burnout
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Stress and Burnout Research
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Workplace Health and Well-being
- Keywords
- early childhood educators, employee well-being, educator wellbeing, social support, emotional well-being, physical well-being, economic factors, relational factors, contextual factors, burnout, stress
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