Book excerpt: Aimed at all beginning teachers involved in early years teaching. This text looks at the unique role of the early years teacher and outlines how you can support the development of children as unique individuals through an enabling environment, building success through effective relationships, outstanding provision and purposeful assessment. It encourages you to think about your own development in a holistic sense in order to promote outstanding professional practice. The Essential Guides for Early Career Teachers provide accessible, carefully researched, quick reads for early career teachers, covering the key topics you will encounter during your training year and first two years of teaching. They complement and are fully in line with the new Early Career Framework and are intended to assist ongoing professional development by bringing together current information and thinking on each area in one convenient place.