Environment Rating Scales in Early Childhood Education and Care: a Literature Review and Guide for Researchers and Practitioners Aiming to Evaluate Quality

Due to the societal significance of early childhood education and care (ECEC) as well as the crucial role of children’s early years (0–5 years) experiences for holistic development and wellbeing, there is a substantial interest in assessing ECEC and its environmental quality on child outcomes. To assess this type of quality in ECEC, a set of observational tools called Environment Rating Scales (ERS) are commonly used. However, the ERS field is greatly heterogenous and at times confusing, additionally, questions regarding the contextual alignment and theoretical foundation of the tools are also present. Therefore, to support more precise alignment between scales and their intended contexts, this study conducts a literature review of the ECEC field to identify, organize, and present the main characteristics of the most commonly used ERS tools. The literature search uncovered three main findings which concerns contextual features, theoretical grounding, and psychometric properties of the reviewed ERS tools. These findings are discussed and suggestions for practice and future research are provided. This literature review may guide ECEC researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders to make more informed decisions when evaluating ECEC quality.