ADEDIGBA, Olabisi2021-05-272021-05-272019978-2860-30-1https://uilspace.unilorin.edu.ng/handle/20.500.12484/5598Childhood is a crucial stage of life in terms of a child’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social development. This is the time children mainly need high quality individual care and learning experiences. The leaders and managers of childhood care, education and services have important and challenging roles to meet the need of every child. Their styles and characteristics are central to their success in driving change and improvement in the field of childhood care and services. There should be significant changes to the way in which children’s services are planned and delivered if these institutions are to bring about products for children. Hence, the managers of childhood services need to be more acquainted with what is effective leadership and what skills, knowledge and behaviours are required to influence and shape the practice for the best outcomes for our children and for national development. The aim of this paper was to discuss the concept of leadership in childhood care and education, the need for and characteristics of successful leadership in childhood education. It also highlighted some barriers to effective leadership and offered insight to how leadership and management can be operational in childhood education. The paper concluded by offering suggestion that there should be a framework to guide leadership roles and management in childhood education centres and schools. More courses on management and leadership in childhood education should be included into the curriculum programme for the training of childhood education practitioners. Not only these, reflective and professional development programme should be encouraged for better practice and quality services that childhood education needs to play its undeniable roles in achieving sustainable developmentenChildhood care and education servicesEffective leadership and managementLeadershipManagementBook chapter