The aim of this study was to obtain new information about the diversity of everyday activities and social relations among children with special education needs (N = 145) in Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) units. In this research children´s daily activities, involvement, target of attention and social relations during play and other social activities in different groups formed according to children's special educational needs are investigated. Results revealed that children with problems in self-regulation and children with major disabilities spent less time with peers and in various social activities than children with developmental language disorder and children without special education needs. The results suggest that inclusive practices are still only under development within the Finnish ECEC units. Practical implications of the results concerning ways to support children's equal participation in daily activities in early childhood education and in building peer relationships, regardless of the amount of needed support are discussed.

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"It is widely recognized that in early childhood education and care (ECEC) environments, work-related well-being is one of the key elements of job satisfaction and coping at work. The well-being of ECEC professionals strengthens the quality of early childhood education and care and supports children’s well-being, development, and learning. ECEC leaders have an important role in boosting their staff’s well-being, especially when working in groups with children with special educational needs. The purpose of this study was to investigate Finnish ECEC leaders’ perceptions of their role in supporting their staff’s well-being. The study involved five ECEC leaders, and data was collected using semi-structured interviews. The findings showed that ECEC leaders brought up different kinds of dimensions concerning their role in supporting staff’s well-being: conversation partner, administrative actor, negotiator, pedagogical mentor, supporter of social cohesion, and supporter of expertise. By working according to these roles, ECEC leaders affected to their staff’s work-related well-being by decreasing job demands and increasing job resources. This research provides valuable information concerning the ways to support the well-being of ECEC professionals and leaders’ role in this crucial element of high-quality early childhood education and care."

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