EECERA Conference 2025 – Guest Blog # 49: A Socially Sustainable Future

One of a series of short blog posts by presenters who will be sharing their work at the upcoming annual conference in Bratislava, Slovakia. Any views expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of their affiliated institution or EECERA.

Building a Socially Sustainable Future for Early Childhood Education

By Kati Rintakorpi and Johanna Holmikari, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Finland

Welcome to the SoSECE Project!

The SoSECE Project — Socially Sustainable Early Childhood Education Future — is a bold, cross-European initiative dedicated to creating inclusive, high-quality learning environments for young children, especially those facing adversity. Funded by Erasmus+, this three-year project (October 2024–September 2027) brings together universities from Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, along with municipalities, kindergartens, and professional associations.

Together, we’re building a strong foundation for collaboration, innovation, and meaningful change in early childhood education and care (ECEC).

Why SoSECE?

At the heart of our work are two guiding questions:

1. How can early childhood education support children in challenging circumstances?
2. How can a social pedagogical approach help educators foster inclusive and socially sustainable learning environments?

These questions shape our research, training, and development efforts across partner countries.

What We’re Sharing at EECERA 2025

This year at the EECERA Conference, we’re excited to present findings from our baseline assessments. Our symposium features three insightful presentations:

1. Multi-professional Teamwork in ECEC – Recognized Benefits and Challenges in Practice

This session explores the emerging role of social pedagogues in Finnish early childhood education. Working alongside ECEC teachers and child carers, social pedagogues bring a unique perspective that may enhance inclusive and socially sustainable practices.

• Enhancing the Development of Multiprofessional Competences in ECEC and Child Welfare Teams: Case of Latvia and Lithuania

This presentation highlights the importance of intentional workforce development. It focuses on building cohesive, competent, and child-centered teams in ECEC and child welfare settings.

• Social Pedagogical Approach in Estonian Kindergartens

Here, we examine how multi-professional teamwork can be implemented in Estonian kindergartens and how ECEC policies and curricula can evolve to support collaboration and strengthen the role of social pedagogues.

What’s Next: MOOC Launch

Based on our findings, we’re preparing to launch a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that blends theory with practice. The course includes six modules, each worth 0.5 ECTS credits

• Topics: social sustainability, social pedagogy, staff competencies, multi-professional teamwork, child welfare collaboration, and future strategies
• A comprehensive toolkit 
• Participants will gain practical tools and insights to support inclusive practices in their everyday work.

Stay Connected and Get Involved

Visit our website to stay informed and be among the first to access the MOOC and toolkit, launching this October.
Follow us on 

LinkedIn, 

Facebook, and 

Instagram for updates, practical insights, and inspiration from the field.

We’ll continue to host seminars across partner countries, share our work annually at the EECERA conference, and wrap up the project with a Europe-wide event celebrating our shared progress in socially sustainable early childhood education.

Join Us

We invite educators, researchers, policymakers, and students to join us on this journey. Together, we’re building a socially sustainable future for early childhood education and care

Kati Rintakorpi and Johanna Holmikari will present work referred to in this blog in Symposium Set C16 | Wednesday 27th August 2025 08:30–09:50 (Schedule liable to change; please refer to final programme for details).