Autonomy, Fairness and Active Relationships: Children's Experiences of Well‐being in Childcare

Researchers and policy‐makers are increasingly concerned with children's well‐being in Early Childhood Education and Care ( ECEC ) and Outside School Hours Care ( OSHC ) settings. Recent research identifies the value of using qualitative methods to understand children's experiences of well‐being in ECEC / OSHC , but there remain few such studies. This article presents findings from a child‐centric qualitative study with Australian children of nurses and police, which sought to understand their experiences of well‐being in ECEC / OSHC . Children's experiences of well‐being were shaped by parental relationships, how informed they were about the rationale for their care arrangements and the degree of age‐appropriate autonomy they experienced.