"With community insistence on quality early childhood care and education in a time of diminishing resources, professionalism has become a major issue in early childhood. To date, few authors have tackled the task of defining what leadership means in early childhood using terminology that practitioners can understand." "Leadership in Early Childhood is a practical resource for early childhood professionals who want to understand the role of leadership in early childhood. Drawing on her extensive experience in the field, Jillian Rodd presents a framework for understanding the demands of leadership and for developing skills that are relevant to the early childhood context, including communication and interpersonal skills, building and leading an early childhood team, decision-making, conflict management, implementing change, the role of research, working with parents, and promoting early childhood professionals' unique contribution to the welfare of children and families in the community."--Jacket.