'You have to be a leader but don't want to come across as taking over' : Leading Practice in Early Childhood Education and Care

In the emerging field of leadership in ECEC it is suggested that the practice leader should rely on influence and not authority to bring about change. However, little has been written about how to exert such influence in a sector where traditional associations of leadership with authority are hard to shift. Drawing on findings from my Doctoral research I propose a model of leadership which will support the practice leader to exert influence. The model is relational and contextual and in line with the principles of ECEC.