Poverty for lunch: A case study of agency and food scarcity in mealtimes in disadvantaged ECE

Quality early care and education (ECE) presents an unparalleled opportunity to avert disadvantage and promote children's development. Mealtimes are essential daily routines, yet are often overlooked in research on ECE quality. This paper crystallises a composite case study of ECE mealtimes in highly disadvantaged communities by combining Departing Radically in Academic Writing (DRAW) methodology with parent surveys, scorings of educator-child interactions (inCLASS), and field notes. Poverty is perpetuated in these centres: children do not have enough food, and educator-dictated feeding practices restrict children's opportunities to exercise their agency and learn. Systemic policy action is needed to address poverty in ECE.