Children’s agency in early childhood is increasingly recognised as a core indicator of quality practice, yet many services struggle to translate the concept into daily routines.
In practice, children’s agency goes beyond giving children choices it requires environments where children influence their learning, relationships, and experiences in meaningful and sustained ways.
In early childhood education, “children’s agency” can easily become a feel-good phrase — something written in a philosophy statement or included on a wall display.
But in high-quality services, children’s agency is much more practical than that. It shows up in everyday moments: who gets listened to, whose ideas are taken seriously, and whether children genuinely influence decisions in their environment.
Agency is not about children “getting their way”. It is about educators recognising that children are capable, thoughtful participants in their world — and that children’s voices belong in decisions that affect them.
What is children’s agency in early childhood?
Children’s agency in early childhood refers to a child’s capacity to influence their own learning, relationships, and experiences within an educational setting. The Early Years Learning Framework positions children as active participants in their own learning. It reflects the understanding that children are active participants in their learning, rather than passive recipients of adult-led instruction.
What this looks like in practice
In practice, children’s agency in early childhood goes beyond offering simple choices between activities. It involves creating environments where children can express ideas, initiate play, contribute to decision-making, and shape the direction of their learning in meaningful ways. This may include influencing routines, engaging in sustained inquiry, or collaborating with educators and peers to explore emerging interests.
Educators play a critical role in supporting children’s agency by observing closely, responding intentionally, and adapting experiences based on children’s cues and contributions. This requires a shift from directing learning to co-constructing it — where the educator’s role is to guide, extend, and scaffold, rather than control.
When embedded effectively, children’s agency in early childhood becomes visible through confident, engaged learners who demonstrate curiosity, independence, and a strong sense of belonging within their environment.
The National Quality Framework reinforces this through its focus on relationships, engagement, and intentional teaching.
Why children’s agency in early childhood matters for quality ratings
Children’s agency in early childhood is closely linked to several areas of the National Quality Standard, particularly Quality Area 1 (Educational program and practice) and Quality Area 5 (Relationships with children).
Services that demonstrate strong agency are more likely to show depth in their pedagogy, intentional teaching, and responsiveness to children’s learning. Research highlights that children’s agency in early childhood is strongly linked to improved engagement and learning outcomes.
What assessors look for
At an assessment and rating level, children’s agency in early childhood is often evident in how educators plan and implement programs. Rather than relying on predetermined activities, high-performing services incorporate children’s ideas, interests, and feedback into their curriculum. This results in learning that is dynamic, meaningful, and reflective of the group.
Assessors frequently look for consistency in practice. It is not enough for agency to appear occasionally — it must be embedded across rooms, educators, and daily routines. This includes transitions, meal times, group experiences, and outdoor play, where children are given genuine opportunities to contribute and make decisions.
There is also a strong connection between children’s agency and outcomes such as engagement, behaviour, and wellbeing. Services that embed agency effectively often report fewer behavioural challenges, stronger peer relationships, and higher levels of sustained involvement in learning experiences.
For leadership teams, children’s agency in early childhood is not simply a philosophical position. It is a measurable indicator of quality that reflects the capability of educators to translate frameworks such as the Early Years Learning Framework into consistent, everyday practice.
A real-world example: Children’s Advisory Council
One community-run service in Melbourne introduced a Children’s Advisory Council made up of four-year-old kindergarten children who chose to participate. Educators facilitate the group, but do not direct it.
What makes this powerful is not the title. It is the impact. The children’s council influences real service decisions — from aspects of learning environments and routines through to broader community issues.
Two practical examples of agency in action
1) Children’s ideas influenced the design of an infant room environment
Children provided feedback and suggestions that informed decisions about the infant room setup — supporting belonging and comfort for younger children. It was a reminder that older children notice what is fair, what is welcoming, and what helps others feel safe.
2) Children advocated publicly for the right to climb trees
In another example, children advocated for the right to climb trees at a local reserve. The process did not end with a “yes” or “no”. Instead, educators supported the group to develop risk assessments and safety expectations before returning to the park for what was described as a “triumphant climb”.
This is the kind of agency that supports real learning: confidence, voice, collaboration, responsibility, and problem-solving.
Common mistakes when implementing children’s agency in early childhood
Children’s agency in early childhood is widely valued, but in practice it is often misunderstood or inconsistently applied. Many services adopt the language of agency without fully embedding the behaviours and structures required to support it. The result is a gap between intention and everyday practice. Embedding children’s agency in early childhood requires intentional planning from educators.
Where services get stuck
One of the most common mistakes is equating agency with unlimited choice. Offering children a selection of activities without intentional planning can lead to disengagement rather than deeper learning. Children’s agency in early childhood is not about removing structure — it is about creating purposeful opportunities for children to influence their learning within a thoughtfully designed environment.
Another frequent issue is over-directing learning under the guise of intentional teaching. In some settings, educators retain control over experiences, conversations, and outcomes, limiting children’s ability to contribute meaningfully. When educators dominate interactions or move children through rigid routines, opportunities for agency are reduced, even if the program appears well-organised.
Services also tend to confine agency to specific parts of the day, such as free play periods, while maintaining highly controlled transitions, meal times, and group experiences. This creates inconsistency. For children’s agency in early childhood to be meaningful, it needs to be visible across the entire day — including the moments that are often overlooked.
A further challenge is inconsistent educator practice across rooms or teams. While some educators may confidently support child-led learning, others may revert to more directive approaches. This lack of alignment makes it difficult to sustain children’s agency in early childhood at a service level and is often identified during assessment and rating.
There is also a tendency to document agency without genuinely embedding it. Learning stories and observations may reference children’s voice or choice, but the actual program remains largely educator-driven. This disconnect between documentation and practice can undermine both quality outcomes and team credibility.
Finally, many services underestimate the role of leadership. Without clear guidance, coaching, and shared expectations, children’s agency in early childhood becomes dependent on individual educator interpretation. Strong leadership is required to create consistency, support reflective practice, and ensure that agency is understood as a core element of quality — not an optional add-on.
Recognising these common mistakes allows services to move beyond surface-level implementation and towards a more intentional, consistent approach that genuinely supports children as active participants in their learning. When implemented well, children’s agency in early childhood strengthens engagement and learning outcomes.
How leaders can strengthen children’s agency in early childhood
Strengthening children’s agency in early childhood is not achieved through isolated changes to programming. It requires deliberate leadership that shapes expectations, builds capability, and ensures consistency across the service. Leaders play a central role in translating philosophy into everyday practice.
A key starting point is establishing a shared understanding of what children’s agency in early childhood looks like in practice. This involves moving beyond broad concepts and defining clear, observable behaviours. For example, how children influence routines, how educators respond to emerging interests, and how environments are adapted based on children’s input. When expectations are explicit, teams are better positioned to apply them consistently.
Leaders can also strengthen children’s agency in early childhood by embedding it into planning and documentation processes. Rather than focusing solely on educator-led intentions, planning should reflect children’s ideas, questions, and contributions over time. This requires educators to observe deeply, interpret meaningfully, and adjust experiences in response to children’s evolving interests.
Ongoing coaching and reflective practice are critical. Leaders should create regular opportunities for educators to review practice, discuss challenges, and refine their approach. This may include room observations, practice discussions, and feedback conversations that focus on how effectively children’s agency is being supported. Reflection helps shift practice from routine delivery to intentional engagement.
The physical environment also plays an important role. Leaders should ensure that spaces are flexible, accessible, and designed to support independent decision-making. Materials should be open-ended, and environments should allow children to initiate, adapt, and extend their play without unnecessary restriction.
Consistency across the team is essential. Leaders strengthen children’s agency in early childhood by aligning practice across rooms and educators, ensuring that expectations are not dependent on individual style. This often involves mentoring less experienced educators, modelling practice, and reinforcing a shared approach to interactions and routines.
Importantly, leaders must also consider how agency is supported in the less visible parts of the day. Transitions, meal times, and group experiences are often highly structured, yet they present valuable opportunities for children to contribute and make decisions. Strengthening agency in these moments can significantly improve engagement and overall quality.
Finally, leadership decisions around recruitment and team development have a direct impact. Educators who can balance guidance with responsiveness are better equipped to support children’s agency in early childhood. Building a team with the right capability ensures that practice is not only implemented, but sustained over time.
When leaders take a deliberate and structured approach, children’s agency in early childhood becomes embedded across the service — visible in daily routines, educator interactions, and the overall learning environment.
First steps leaders can take this month
For services looking to strengthen children’s agency in early childhood, progress often comes from small, deliberate changes rather than large-scale program redesign. The following steps provide a practical starting point for leaders to build momentum within their team.
1. Observe practice with a specific lens
Spend time in each room observing how children’s agency is currently being supported. Focus on key moments such as transitions, group experiences, and free play. Look for evidence of children influencing decisions, initiating learning, and contributing ideas. Identify where practice is strong and where it remains educator-led.
2. Facilitate a focused team discussion
Bring educators together to unpack what children’s agency in early childhood looks like in your service. Use real examples from your observations and ask reflective questions, such as:
Where are children influencing their learning?
Where are we unintentionally limiting their participation?
What would stronger agency look like in our daily routines?
This helps build a shared understanding and reduces variation across the team.
3. Adjust one routine intentionally
Rather than trying to change everything at once, select one routine — such as transitions, meal times, or group experiences — and redesign it to increase children’s involvement. This might include giving children a role in decision-making, allowing flexibility in timing, or incorporating their ideas into the process. Small, visible changes can quickly shift educator thinking.
4. Align expectations across the team
Clearly communicate what is expected in practice. This may include how educators respond to children’s ideas, how learning experiences are extended, and how environments are set up. Consistency is critical for embedding children’s agency in early childhood at a service level.
5. Follow up and reinforce
Revisit the focus area within two to four weeks. Observe changes, provide feedback, and recognise progress. Reinforcement helps move new approaches from intention to habit, ensuring that children’s agency becomes embedded rather than temporary.
Why this matters
Taking a structured approach allows leaders to move beyond theory and embed children’s agency in early childhood in a way that is consistent, observable, and sustainable. Over time, these small shifts contribute to stronger engagement, more responsive teaching, and improved outcomes across the service.
Strengthening practice through the right leadership
For many services, embedding children’s agency in early childhood consistently is less about intention and more about capability. The ability to translate frameworks into everyday practice depends heavily on leadership — particularly Centre Managers and Educational Leaders who can guide, coach, and align teams.
At Early Years Talent, we work with services to strengthen this capability by identifying and placing leaders who can embed quality practice across teams, not just within individual rooms. This includes educators and leaders who understand how to support children’s agency in early childhood in a way that is practical, consistent, and aligned with assessment and rating expectations.
For services aiming to improve quality outcomes or prepare for assessment, the right leadership structure can be the difference between isolated examples of strong practice and a service-wide approach that is sustained over time.
Services looking to strengthen leadership capability can explore how we support permanent early childhood recruitment or learn more about the types of services we work with across Australia.