Exploring Early Childhood Practitioners’ Perceptions of Empathic Interactions with Children and Families

The importance of empathy for anyone working with people surely cannot be contested, and in work with young children in the early childhood profession it is of the utmost significance. Yet empathy is generally not explicitly included in job descriptions or training specifications. Its nebulous nature means that it is difficult to qualify.

In early childhood practice, the development of close personal relationships between practitioners and young children is paramount. Practitioners need empathy to ‘tune into’ children to understand their needs. Although there has been an increase in research into emotion within early childhood practice over the last decade, none have examined empathy in particular.

This study draws on theories of empathy (for example, Rogers, 1959) and investigates types of empathy seen in early childhood practice. The aim and objectives of the research are to investigate how practitioners perceive empathy within their practice, to identify types of empathy being demonstrated and to understand the impact, if any, on practitioners’ wellbeing. An additional aim is to give voice to this marginalised group of professionals.

The study was conducted within a qualitative paradigm using a constructivist epistemology. Reflective diaries were completed by nine practitioners in England, followed by semi-structured interviews to further examine diary content. Data analysis was conducted using Smith, Flowers and Larkin’s (2022) seven step Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis approach.

Analysis of diaries and interview transcripts illustrated practitioners’ close empathic relationships with children, colleagues and parents/carers. Practitioners demonstrated cognitive and affective empathy in their interactions, affective empathy in particular influencing their lives outside of work. This study illuminates the exhaustion and emotional cost of empathic interactions for early childhood practitioners.

The findings of the project recommend acknowledgement of the emotional impact of the role and preparation for this in education and training. It calls for improved reflective supervision for practitioners who report an impact upon their own wellbeing daily.