The COVID-19 pandemic, which affects all areas of life, has also affected children in need of education and care. It is of great importance to develop policies that take into account the best interests of children in this process. In this review article, the policies developed for early childhood education and care during the pandemic period in five countries (Australia, Croatia, Hungary, Spain, and Turkey), how they are implemented, the problems that arose, and the solutions produced are discussed. As a result, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that we need to focus on eliminating the educational inequalities, set policies for the welfare of children on foundations that are more realistic, rebuild teacher training, and improve the welfare of families. Priorizating the best interests of the child in the policies to be developed and building the social ecology on justice will ease overcoming the crises that will be faced.

The focus of attention of this special issue has both personal and professional significance for the guest editors and most of the contributors, whose childhoods were touched by either the experience of socialism or its collapse and consequences. Influenced by Foucault’s (1977) idea that reporting evidence and significant moments from the past contributes to histories that are authentic and accurate, this special issue offers insights into the changing narratives of socialist and post-socialist childhoods. We are mindful of the risks associated with revisionism; that is, revisiting and, through that, re-evaluating the past in light of what we know in the present. Mitigating this risk, to some extent, is that many of the authors whose secondary research papers are published in this issue were privileged to work with original documents written in local languages. In this way, they were able to interrogate the past and reveal the nature of discourses and practices in order to make a contribution to better understand the present (Skehill, 2007).

This study explores the conditions surrounding nap in the lives of kindergarten-aged children, focusing on both family and kindergarten environments. Recognizing that restful napping and relaxation are essential for healthy development, the research aims to identify factors that support or hinder children's nap quality. The study examines the effects of nap-related habits and practices, addressing both beneficial and detrimental influences on children's daily well-being. The goal is to uncover outdated or ineffective approaches to nap management and to promote strategies that consider the individual needs of children. By investigating the conditions of nap and rest, the study contributes to the development of nap hygiene for kindergarten-aged children. This includes providing insights that can guide parents and educators in adopting more effective methods to support children's mental health and overall well-being through proper nap routines.

This research is meant to uncover some of the internal grammatical structure of bilingual Farsi speakers who have English as their dominant language. Bilinguals, whose mother tongue is Farsi but whose dominant language is English, are influenced by their dominant language on their mother tongue concerning pro-drop. One of the issues often seen in bilingual speakers of null subject languages is the use of pro-drop in languages such as Hungarian, Japanese, Chinese, Slavic languages, and Arabic. This paper will demonstrate how these bilingual speakers incorrectly use the null subjects in their sentences and in addition, how SEN children i.e. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) understand and use the pronoun-dropping phenomenon. Choosing a null pronoun in the non-dominant language seems unacceptable to some speakers because their dominant language lacks pro-drop; therefore, in certain situations, researchers might say that these bilingual speakers do not sound as fluent in their native language as they do in their dominant language. The main focus of this research is the investigation into the preference of bilingual speakers as well as ASD children of English and Farsi and their use of pro-drop

Background: Early childhood motor development plays a critical role in shaping participation and quality of life for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Parental perspectives provide unique insights into barriers, facilitators, and the real-world impact of interventions. Objectives: This study applied qualitatively led an exploratory mixed-method design grounded in a biopsychosocial paradigm. The qualitative component captured parental narratives, while quantitative summaries were generated to identify consensus areas of motor challenges and environmental influences. This dual approach aimed to reveal both the diversity of lived experience and recurring patterns that may inform screening and intervention planning. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 58 parents of preschool-aged children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in Hungary. Transcripts were analysed thematically, and through descriptive frequency summaries and exploratory chi-squared analyses of coded data. Results: Parents consistently reported fine and gross motor differences, with consequences extending to participation in family, school, and community contexts. Early diagnosis was seen as beneficial primarily when it facilitated access to supportive services. Environmental adaptations, such as inclusive playgrounds and adaptive tools, were perceived by parents as enhancing children’s opportunities to participate, while the lack of accommodations amplified difficulties. Interventions embedded in real-life contexts and actively involving families were viewed as most effective. Exploratory quantitative summaries indicated consensus on five key challenges, including pencil grip, small object manipulation, and playground participation. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that motor development in autism spectrum disorder is best understood within a biopsychosocial framework linking individual abilities, environmental modifications, and social acceptance. By integrating qualitative and quantitative perspectives, this study illustrates how family experiences can inform the design of family-centred interventions and context-sensitive policies that foster meaningful participation.