Introduction

About the Conference for Research in Early Childhood Education (CRECE)

The objectives of CRECE are to promote the teaching-research collaboration, and to affirm the ECE sector of its critical role in society, by bringing together teaching knowledge, expertise and latest ideas regarding ECE, to support and inspire one another. 

The Department of Early Childhood Education at the Education University of Hong Kong (ECE Department at EdUHK) has been organising CRECE for over 10 years, and it has also become one of the key annual events among the industry.  The event has always attracted various stakeholders' participation every year, including senior kindergarten principals and teachers, middle and senior management of early childhood education-related organisations, overseas and local renowned scholars, researchers and students from various tertiary institutions, etc.

In the past, CRECE has covered diverse themes, ranging from promoting whole-child development, curriculum development, the health and well-being in the new normal, to differenet focus areas related to early childhood education. We hope that all early childhood educators, either pre-service or in-service teachers, scholars and academic researchers, as well as institutional and public policymakers, will apply the insights and knowledge gained from participating in CRECE to their respective fields, and continue to explore and innovate in their future educational work, safeguard children's growth with professionalism and contribute to the sustainable development of the industry.

The 12th Conference for Research in Early Childhood Education (CRECE 2026)

The ECE Department at EdUHK will hold the 12th Conference for Research in Early Childhood Education, with the following theme and event details:

Date: Saturday, 18 April 2026

Time: 9:00am to 5:30pm

Location: Tai Po Campus, EdUHK (10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po)

Topic: Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs in Early Childhood Education: Practices and Innovations

Promoting the growth of children with special educational needs (SEN) is an important indicator for the high-quality development of early childhood education. Despite significant progress in the field in recent years, children with SEN continue to face numerous challenges in inclusive early childhood education setting. To address these issues, the Department of Early Childhood Education at The Education University of Hong Kong will host the 12th Conference for Research in Early Childhood Education (CRECE 2026), themed “Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs in Early Childhood Education: Practices and Innovations”. This conference is closely aligned with two of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – SDG3 (Good Health and Well–Being) and SDG4 (Quality Education) and will deeply explore good practices and innovative approaches for inclusive early childhood education, with the shared goal of fostering the development of children with SEN.