Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and children's social competence in the early years (0–3 years)

Early social competence is strongly related to children's well-being and academic achievement. However, even if social competence is a key focus in Norwegian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), little research has explored how ECEC experiences affect children's development in this regard. This study investigated the link between ECEC quality and the social competence of Norwegian three-year olds. Participants were 825 children (48% girls, average age 3.21) from 185 groups in 87 centers. Data came from the BePro/GoBaN and Searching for Qualities projects. ECEC teachers rated children's social–emotional competence using the Lamer Social Competence in Preschool Scale (LSCIP). The quality of care in ECEC was rated through indicators extracted from the Infant/Toddler Rating Scale – Revised edition (ITERS-R). Structural equation modeling revealed a modest but significant positive relationship (β = 0.112, p = 0.005) between ECEC quality and social competence, highlighting the value of a socially enriching ECEC environment.