Early childhood education and social change: a literature review

Social justice has been a topic of social change that has typically been introduced in education at the pre-teen or teenager level of development. However, recent studies have uncovered there is value in introducing social justice issues at a much younger age. The purpose of this literature review is to establish a foundation for the need to introduce social justice issues at the earliest opportunity, specifically during early childhood education. This review focuses on qualitative studies from 2019–2024 that focus on the need to incorporate social justice into early childhood education, including the challenges and successes. Key focus areas include curriculum development, supplementary materials, educator roles, and the role of school leadership. The findings show young children understand social justice issues at their developmental level, and that educators need to be equipped advocates to foster this understanding. There is also a need to focus on implementing a social justice curriculum that will have a positive influence on students and their families, as well as educators, with the goal of increasing awareness of social issues and promoting a more inclusive and equitable society.