Funded by the Irish Government and part financed by the...

Funded by the Irish Government and part financed by the European Union under the National Development Plan2000-2006

Insights onQuality

A National Review of Policy, Practiceand Research Relating to Quality inEarly Childhood Care and Educationin Ireland 1990-2004

Researched and written by

Maresa Duignan and Thomas Walsh

Published by the Centre for Early Childhood

Development & Education,

The Gate Lodge,

St. Patrick's College,

Drumcondra,

Dublin 9.

Tel: 353 1 8842110

Fax: 353 1 8842111

Email: early.childhood@spd.dcu.ie

Website: www.cecde.ie

ISBN: 0954581555

& Education

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,

photocopying, recording or otherwise without the

prior permission of the publisher.

Printed by Print Bureau.

Irish Translation by: DCU LS.

In Ireland, and internationally, the critical importance of children'searly years in preparing them to achieve their full potential in theirpersonal, social and working lives has been well documented. Inrecognition of this, my Department established the Centre for EarlyChildhood Development and Education in 2002. One of the mainfunctions of the centre is to develop a national framework for qualitystandards that will be applicable to all settings that provide forchildren from birth to six years of age. The framework will support thedevelopment and delivery of high quality early education experiences

that will give our children the best possible start in their lifelong journeys of learning andpersonal fulfilment.

To have relevance for all those committed to the provision of quality in early childhoodcare and education, it is recognised that the national framework for quality must be builton solid foundations of research and consultation. It must promote coordination andcohesion across the diverse policy and practice domains that characterise existing earlychildhood care and education provision. It must also be flexible enough to accommodatethe richness of experience and expertise that currently underpins the quest for quality inour early years' settings in Ireland.

This publication of this document, Insights on Quality: A National Review of PolicyPractice and Research relating to Quality in Early Childhood Care and Education in Ireland1990 - 2004, is a key step in the development of the quality framework. A holistic vision ofearly childhood care and education is adopted in the review. Policy, practice and research,emanating from both the formal and informal sectors that provide services for childrenfrom birth to six years of age, have been drawn upon to give the most comprehensivepicture possible.

The wealth of documentation analysed in the course of this review is testimony to thevibrancy of the early childhood care and education sector and to the excellent work that iscurrently taking place across the variety of settings that cater for very young childrennationwide. The cooperation and generosity of the multiple stakeholders in the sector isparticularly noteworthy. Their involvement has been vitally important in ensuring that theresearch is inclusive and representative. In this regard, I thank everyone who made acontribution to this work.

This review will be a valuable resource for all who are committed to providing quality earlyexperiences for young children. It will ensure that the future development of earlychildhood care and education will build on the wisdom of our past and current experiences.Its publication is a milestone on the road to the highest possible quality of standards in thecare and education of our youngest members of society.

Finally, I congratulate the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education forproducing this insightful and wide-ranging report on quality in early childhood care andeducation in Ireland.

Mary Hanafin, TDMinister for Education and Science

Foreword

Table of ContentsForeword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .II

Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .V

Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .VI

Section 1 - Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11.1 The Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE) . . . . . . . . .11.2 Section Summaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Section 2 - Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42.2 Information Gathering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42.3 Presentation of Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

2.3.1 Letter of Request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Section 3 - Historical Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63.2 Socio-economic and Demographic Evolution 1960-1990 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63.3 Child Rearing and Childcare 1960-1990 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73.4 Early Childhood Education 1960-1990 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73.5 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83.6 Context 1990 - 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93.7 Conceptualisation of Children 1990-2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93.8 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Section 4 - Policy Developments 1990 - 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

4.1.1 Policies relating to Statutory Agencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124.2 Department of An Taoiseach/Government of Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124.3 Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

4.3.1 DJELR Programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184.4 Department of Education and Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204.5 Department of Health and Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .324.6 Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .364.7 International Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .374.8 Policies Relating to Non-Statutory Agencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

4.8.1 National Voluntary Childcare Organisations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .394.8.2 Other Organisations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Section 5 - Practice Developments 1990 - 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .505.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .505.2 Perspectives on Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .505.3 Statutory Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .515.4 Department of Education and Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

5.4.1 Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .525.4.2 Inspection of Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .545.4.3 Targeted Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

5.5 Department of Health and Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .615.5.1 The Inspection Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

5.5.2 Implementation of the Inspection of Preschool Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .615.5.3 Childminder Voluntary Notification Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .635.5.4 Other Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

5.6 Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .655.7 The City/County Childcare Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .665.8 Practitioner Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .695.9 1990 - 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .695.10 2000 - Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

5.10.1 Barnardos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .715.10.2 Border Counties Childcare Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .725.10.3 Childminding Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .735.10.4 Children in Hospital Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .745.10.5 High/Scope Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .745.10.6 IPPA the Early Childhood Organisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .755.10.7 National Children's Nurseries Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .775.10.8 Pavee Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .795.10.9 St. Nicholas Montessori Society of Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .795.10.10 National Voluntary Childcare Organisation's Collaboration . . . . . . . . .805.10.11 Quality Programmes in Disability Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

5.11 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .805.12 The Influence of Practitioner Education and Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

5.12.1 Review of Primary Teacher Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

Section 6 - Research Developments 1990 - 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866.2 1990 - 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .876.3 1998 - Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .896.4 Individual Academics 1990-2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Section 7 - Conclusions and Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .977.1 Generic Implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .977.2 Defining Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .987.3 Assessing Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .997.4 Supporting Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1007.5 Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100

7.5.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1007.5.2 Recommendations for the Development of the

National Framework for Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Section 8 - References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Section 9 - Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

List of Tables and Figures

Table 1: Level of Response to Request for Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Table 2: Thematic Summary of National Voluntary Childcare Organisation’s Quality Programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Figure 1: Elements of Research underpinning the NFQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

ADM Area DevelopmentManagement

BCCN Border Counties ChildcareNetwork

BMW Border, Midland and WesternRegion

CCC County Childcare Committee

CEA Centre of Excellence Award

CECDE Centre for Early ChildhoodDevelopment and Education

CHI Children in Hospital Ireland

CPA Combat Poverty Agency

CPI Community PlaygroupInitiative

CSO Central Statistics Office

DES Department of Education andScience

DHC Department of Health andChildren

DELG Department of theEnvironment and LocalGovernment

DELR Department of Equality andLaw Reform

DIT Dublin Institute of Technology

DJELR Department of Justice,Equality and Law Reform

DoE Department of Education

DoH Department of Health

DSCFA Department of Social,Community and FamilyAffairs

DSFA Department of Social andFamily Affairs

DSW Department of Social Welfare

EACH European Association ofChildren in Hospital

ECCE Early Childhood Care andEducation

ECEA Early Childhood EducationAgency

ECERS Early Childhood EnvironmentRating Scale

EEL Effective Early Learning

EOCP Equal Opportunities ChildcareProgramme

ERC Educational Research Centre

FÁS Foras Áiseanna Saothair

HSCL Home School CommunityLiaison Scheme

ICTU Irish Congress of TradeUnions

INTO Irish National Teachers’Organisation

KCCC Kildare County ChildcareCommittee

NAEYC National Association for theEducation of Young Children

NAPS National Anti-Poverty Strategy

NCCA National Council forCurriculum and Assessment

NCCC National Childcare Co-ordinating Committee

NCNA National Children’s NurseriesAssociation

NCO National Children’s Office

N.D. No Date

NDA National Disability Authority

NDP National Development Plan

NDP/ National Development Plan/

CSF Community SupportFramework

NESC National Economic and SocialCouncil

NFQ National Framework forQuality

NOW New Opportunities forWomen

NVCO National Voluntary ChildcareOrganisations

OECD Organisation for EconomicCooperation and Development

QE Quality in Education

QIP Quality ImprovementProgramme

SEP Self-Evaluation Profile

SESE Social, Environmental andScientific Education

SNMSI St. Nicholas MontessoriSociety of Ireland

SPHE Social, Personal and HealthEducation

SWAHB South Western Area HealthBoard

UK United Kingdom

UN United Nations

WHB Western Health Board

WSE Whole School Evaluation

Acronyms

Acknowledgements

The CECDE wishes to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of all those who provided

literature for this review. The extent of the bibliography testifies to their efforts in this

regard and also evidences the significant endeavours that are being made towards

understanding and achieving quality in early childhood care and education (ECCE) in

Ireland.

Without the cooperation and generosity of those many individuals and organisations at

national, regional and local level, we would not have been in a position to produce such a

comprehensive overview of policy, practice and research pertaining to quality in ECCE.

We look forward to future dialogue and discussion on this important issue as we proceed

towards the development of the National Framework for Quality.

IntroductionIt is with great pleasure that the Centre forEarly Childhood Development andEducation (CECDE) presents this report onquality in early childhood care andeducation (ECCE) to the sector. Thispublication marks the culmination of anextensive literature review pertaining to thetheme of quality in ECCE in Ireland from1990 to the present day. It is hearteningthat there is sustained and continuinginterest in the topic of quality in ECCE inIreland. This national review focuses on theissue of quality from three distinct, yetinterrelated aspects, namely:

Policy

Practice

Research

This review would not have been possiblewithout the cooperation of a wide range oforganizations and individuals at national,regional and local level. The CECDE isgrateful to all those who gave of their timeand expertise in the collation of this report.

1.1 The Centre for EarlyChildhood Developmentand Education (CECDE)

In 2001, the Minister for Education andScience asked the Dublin Institute ofTechnology (DIT) and St. Patrick’s College,Drumcondra to jointly establish theCECDE. The Centre was launched inOctober 2002 to develop and co-ordinateECCE in pursuance of the objectives of theWhite Paper ‘Ready to Learn’ (Departmentof Education and Science [DES], 1999a).The remit of the Centre is comprehensive,focusing on all aspects of ECCE for childrenbirth to six years of age, bridging many ofthe traditional divides between educationand care and between early years settingsand the formal education system.

Section 1

Introduction

Within this context, the objectives of theCECDE are as follows:

1. The development of a NationalFramework for Quality (NFQ) is thecore function of the CECDE. Thisinvolves devising quality standardsfor all settings in which children agedbirth to six are present. It alsoinvolves developing appropriatesupport mechanisms for personnelworking with children as well as asystem of assessment to ensurequality is achieved and maintained.

2. The CECDE is currently in theprocess of implementing proposalsfor targeted interventions forchildren who are disadvantaged andwho have special needs in the birthto six age-category for the DES.

3. One of the objectives of the CECDEis to prepare the groundwork for theestablishment of the Early ChildhoodEducation Agency (ECEA) asenvisaged in the White Paper, Readyto Learn (CECDE, 2001).

Thus, the core objective of the Centre is to

produce a National Framework forQuality (NFQ). Within the NFQ, threedistinct elements can be identified. First ofall, the standards will define what weunderstand by quality for children in theIrish context. Secondly, a system ofinspection or assessment will be devisedto ensure that quality is achieved andmaintained. Last of all, an infrastructurewill be devised and implemented tosupport all those working in the ECCEsector to accomplish the quality asprescribed in the standards.

The CECDE has also completed a numberof additional research projects that feeddirectly into the devising of the NFQ. Aseries of consultative seminars wereconducted in 2003 and a report, TalkingAbout Quality, has been published(CECDE, 2004b). Perspectives on Quality(CECDE, Forthcoming A) outlines theCECDE’s understanding of early childhoolddevelopment, and is in the final stages ofrevision. In addition, Making Connections,A Review of International Policy, Practiceand Research Relating to Quality in EarlyChildhood Care and Education has beencompleted and will be published later thisyear (CECDE, Forthcoming B).

Figure 1: Elements of Research underpinning the NFQ

Insights onQuality

MakingConnections

Talkingabout

Quality

Perspectiveson

Childhood

Section 1

Introduction

1.2 Section Summaries

The Methodology is outlined in Section 2and this provides an account of thecollection and collation of data for thereview.

Section 3 presents a brief historicaloverview of quality in the Irish contextfrom 1960-1990. This focuses on widersocio-economic conditions, childcare andearly education in this period. In addition,a brief context for the period 1990-2004 isprovided.

Policy aspects of quality in ECCE areconsidered in Section 4. Firstly, thisdetails the policies of various governmentdepartments and statutory agencies.Secondly, the policies of non-statutoryagencies are reviewed.

Section 5 outlines practice developmentsrelating to quality in ECCE. This examinesliterature provided by a wide range ofgovernment departments, agencies andother organisations with a remit for thedelivery of ECCE services.

Research developments are reviewed inSection 6. The period is divided in twosections; 1990-1998 and 1998-2004, owingto the increased incidence of research inthe latter era. The research presentedrelates both to organisations andindividuals.

Section 7 draws together the broad rangeof suggested implications for thedevelopment of the NFQ that have emergedfrom the review of literature and presents aset of conclusions and recommendationsfor consideration.

References are listed within Section 8. Anumber of Appendices are contained withinSection 9, including the details of letterssent out to organisations and a list of theorganisations contacted.

Methodology 2.1 Introduction

This is a report of a literature review ofdocumentation related to the issue ofquality in ECCE in Ireland. This researchforms one of the four pillars of researchunderpinning the development of the NFQin ECCE as outlined in the Introduction.Our objective in this report is to present ananalysis of current policy, practice andresearch in relation to quality in ECCE. Theparameters of this review coincide with keylandmark publications in the ECCE sector,such as the Child Care Act (Department ofHealth [DoH], 1991) and the Report of thePrimary Education Review Body(Department of Education [DoE] 1990a), tothe present day.

2.2 Information Gathering

In 2002-2003, the CECDE conducted AnAudit of Research in Early Childhood Careand Education in Ireland 1990 – 2003(CECDE, 2003b). This publication was thefirst source of information for thisliterature review. However, the Auditnoted that:

Surprisingly there has been littleresearch in the area of Quality in theIrish context, both in relation toquality indicators or the evaluation ofthe more subtle and intangibleaspects of quality. (CECDE2003b:141).

Whilst the audit has been continuouslyupdated in its online version(www.cecde.ie), we were conscious of thefact that much development work was inprogress at the time the audit wasconducted. Therefore, we decided to writeto organisations that we believed wouldhave documentation to offer for the currentliterature review. A letter (see Appendix 1)was sent to a broad variety of organisations

Section 2

Methodology

(see Appendix 2) in January 2004requesting any documentation that mightbe relevant to be shared with us for thepurpose of a literature review on quality inECCE. A deadline for the return ofmaterials of February 27th 2004 wasincluded. Initial response was slow.However, by the deadline, a substantialnumber of the targeted organisations hadresponded and had either returned relevantdocumentation, indicated that they wouldbe sending materials or established thatthey did not have relevant materials tocontribute. On the basis of this initialresponse, we decided to conduct a numberof follow up telephone calls withorganizations that had not responded bythe deadline. This exercise did provefruitful and increased the level of materialsgathered.

2.3 Presentation ofFindings

The two separate strategies for identifyingdocuments pertinent to this review yielded

a substantial volume of literature pertinentto the issue of quality in ECCE in Ireland.

The database of Irish research containedthe majority of these publications, andgratifyingly indicates thecomprehensiveness of the informationcontained within this database. However,contact with organisations did produceadditional documentation and alsoindicated that a great deal of publishingactivity is in progress related to the issue ofquality.

2.3.1 Letter of Request

The organisations that were targeted withletters and follow up telephone calls,requesting current literature related toquality can be categorised as eitherVoluntary organisations, Statutory bodiesor City and County Childcare Committees(CCCs). The table below indicate theresponses received from this exercise.

Table 1: Level of response to request for information.

Type of Voluntary Statutory body City and organisation organisation County Childcare

CommitteesLevel of response (N=12) (N=22) (N=33)

Relevant documentation 9 12 7

Relevant documentation unavailable at 0 0 3present - in production

process

No relevant materials 1 4 8

No response 2 6 15

HistoricalContext

3.1 Introduction

Childhood is both a biological realityand a social construct. It is definednot only by biology, but also by aparticular society at a particulartime in a particular way whichrepresents the view that society hasof childhood. (Hayes, 2002:21)

Our concept of quality in relation to ECCE,and indeed childhood, is context-linked andtime-specific. This concept has beendefined and redefined and ourunderstanding of quality has greatlyadvanced in the interim. Like alldevelopments, this evolution was temperedand influenced by wider political,economic, social, cultural and religiousdevelopments and the analysis is framedwithin this broader vision. While we nowrecognise that care and education are“…inextricably linked…” (DES, 1999a:45),they are largely treated as separate entitiesprior to 1990.

The term ‘Quality’ in ECCE is a relativelynew phenomenon. Historically, while ECCEservices did have certain standards andcriteria, quality was not a term thatappeared often in the lexicon ordocumentation pertaining to ECCE. We seea gradual emergence of this term from thelate 1980s and early 1990s to the pointtoday where we do not speak of serviceswithout using the term ‘quality.’

3.2 Socio-economic andDemographic Evolution1960-1990

The 1960s witnessed an awakening inIreland regarding education and social

Section 3

Historical Context

time with their fathers, being socialisedinto their future role, while the motherwithin the home, undertook acorresponding process with girls. There isanecdotal evidence to suggest that boyswere generally preferred to girls as theyensured patrilineal succession (Russell,1979:127; Scheper-Hughes, 1979:169).

Children were not highly visible incommunities, often kept within their homesuntil they were nearly of school-going age,giving them a low prominence in society.Children born with disabilities were caredfor by their families or charitableinstitutions and there is some evidence thatthere was sometimes a sense of shameassociated with children with disabilities.

The reduced prevalence of extended familymembers within the home reduced thesupports available to the mother in herchild caring role. Commentators assertedthat this reduced the quality of the care inthis period, owing to the multiple demandsplaced on mothers both inside and outsidethe home, in the absence of increasedsupports from fathers or external agencies(Scheper-Hughes, 1979:193). In certaincases, this led to the child being confined toa cot or crib, with less time afforded toholding and hugging and a low tolerance tocrying or attention seeking. Moreover, asolution often involved ignoring the childor the use of corporal punishment, whichwas reported as quite prevalent even in theearly years (Russell, 1979:122; Scheper-Hughes, 1979:152; Curtin and Varley,1984:35). The findings of such studies arereinforced and corroborated by numerousbiographies and memoirs fromcommentators throughout the twentiethcentury (Ferriter, 2003).

3.4 Early ChildhoodEducation 1960-1990

The curriculum in operation in 1960emanated from the 1920s when the Irish

policy and an efflorescence of activity inthis regard. This was facilitated and fuelledby a number of interrelated factorsincluding economic prosperity, reducedfamily sizes, the decreasing influence of theCatholic Church, increased urbanisationand industrialisation and internationalinfluences. The lifting of the marriage bar,increased availability of employment andfinancial necessity increased femaleparticipation in the workforce andcatalysed the need for childcare provisionoutside the home.

A remarkable shift in thinking and policyresulted in education being perceived as aninvestment rather than social expenditure,starting in the primary school. In addition,the state extended some universal benefitsfor children such as Child Benefit, andsome selective services and interventionswere instigated. For the first time, therewas an emphasis placed on children withlearning difficulties and those with specialneeds. However, many of the aspirations ofthis era were inhibited by an increasinglybleak economic climate and highunemployment.

3.3 Child Rearing andChildcare 1960-1990

Studies focusing on children from the1960s show notable differences from theearlier part of the century, when childrenwere part of large families, cared for withinthe home primarily by the mother andextended family. While fathers played alarger role in all aspects of family life, theirinvolvement in the care and education ofchildren in the early years still remainedsignificantly lower that that of mothers(Hannan and Katsaiouni, 1977:43; Scheper-Hughes, 1979:148). The stage in lifeafforded to early childhood largelyterminated around age seven, ritualised bythe sacrament of Holy Communion.

Thereafter, boys spent greater amounts of

Section 3

Historical Context

aspirations of the 1971 curriculum were notimplemented in their entirety owing tofinancial constraints curtailing spending onin-service training and resources, whileparents and post-primary schools were notadequately informed of the changes(Coolahan, 1981). However, the principlesand underlying philosophy of the NewCurriculum were made operational and thisled to a great improvement on the narrowand mechanical curriculum previously inoperation. The White Paper on EducationalDevelopment (DoE, 1980) and theProgramme for Action in Education (DoE,1984) outlined government policy andstrategy on education and this practice ofincreased transparency and documentationin educational policy has remained afeature since.

3.5 Summary

The period 1960-1990 witnessed anincreased interest in ECCE for a number ofreasons. Firstly, research was emerginghighlighting the importance of ECCE inrealising potential in the later years anddemonstrating that these benefits wereenhanced for children affected bydisadvantage. Ireland was increasinglyopened up to European and internationalideas and learned much from globaldevelopments. The changing economy froman agrarian base to a technological base ledto increased urbanisation. This resulted infamilies often residing in towns and citiesaway from the extended family that hadproven such an important aspect ofchildcare in previous decades. Education,in this period, was no longer a luxury forthe elite but a necessity for economic andsocial mobilisation. Women began to bemore supported by their husbands in theirdual role of work and family commitments.

In 1971, the introduction of a child-centredcurriculum for primary education placed aspecial emphasis on early childhoodeducation. Teaching methodologies were

government, following independence,attempted to frame a curricular programmecongruent with Irish ideals, visions andsensibilities. The schools were viewed asthe primary sites for the revival of the Irishlanguage and the status of the language wasraised to a pre-eminent position. Toaccommodate this renewed focus, thepreceding curriculum was pruned to thecore subjects to ensure a concentration onthe essential elements of the Irish language,culture and history. Special emphasis wasplaced on the infant classes where allinstruction was to be in the medium ofIrish to ensure a solid basis in the languagefor the remainder of schooling.

There was a changed focus within theeducation system from the 1960s, from anationalist and spiritual philosophy to oneof investment for economic growth andnational prosperity. A major catalyst in thisregard was the background report for theOrganisation for Economic Co-operationand Development (OECD) Investment inEducation (DDoE, 1965a). This elucidatedmany of the defects within the educationsystem and made proposals for a radicalreform. There was a gradual decrease inpupil-teacher ratios and the expenditure oneducation rose sharply in the 1960s and1970s. In addition, there was an increasedfocus on children affected by educationaldisadvantage and those with special needswithin the education system from the1960s.

The long overdue reform of the primaryschool curriculum, The New Curriculum,was introduced in 1971 (DoE, 1971). Thiscomprised a radical shift in emphasis oncontent and methodology from itspredecessor. It incorporated a wide rangeof subjects, utilising child-centred, heuristicand discovery learning methodologies. Thechild was seen as an active agent in his/herown learning, with great emphasis placedon the learning environment, while therewas flexibility within the programme tocater for the individual needs anddevelopmental stages of all pupils. The

Section 3

Historical Context

improved and greater use was made of theenvironment and previous experiences ofthe child. Advancements include a specialfocus on children affected by disadvantageand those with special needs.

3.6 Context 1990 – 2004

The era from 1990 to the present day ischaracterised by dramatic changes in allaspects of life in Ireland. The populationhas grown from 3.6 million in 1996 to 3.9million at present (Central Statistics Office[CSO], 2002a). In parallel with this, thenumber of children under six years of agerose from 256,703 in 1996 to 323,026 in2001 (CSO, 2002b). The composition of theIrish population has been alteredconsiderably in recent years to includegreater cultural diversity, with 91.6% of thepopulation consisting of Irish nationals;1.3% with dual citizenships, while 5.8% arecomprised of foreign nationals (CSO,2002a). The number of applications forasylum in Ireland rose from thirty-seven in1992 to almost 11,000 in 2001. It isestimated that in the year 2000 alone, inexcess of 5,000 asylum-seeking childrenarrived in Ireland (Fanning et al., 2001).

The traditional nuclear family as envisagedin the Irish Constitution (Government ofIreland, 1937) is being gradually replacedwith a multiplicity of models. The averagenumber of children per family fell from 2.2in 1981 to 1.6 in 2002 (CSO, 2002e). TheIrish economy has grown at anunprecedented rate from the early 1990s.In 1998, 88% of people were inemployment, increasing to 96% in 2001(CSO, 2002c). Women’s participation in theworkforce rose from 35.8% in 1990 to44.3% in 1998 and further to 48.8% in2002 (CSO, 1990-1997; CSO, 2002b). Thishas resulted in increased demand for out-of-home childcare (Department of Justice,Equality and Law Reform [DJELR], 1999)and, while statistics on supply are notavailable for overall provision, it seem

likely that there has been an increase insupply despite continuing shortages(OECD, 2003).

Despite the growth in the economy, manyIrish families experience poverty. Theinequality in circumstances that existsbetween Irish families is marked with anaccelerating inequality of incomes betweenthe lowest income groups and the highest(Harvey, 2001). Of the 759,000 peopleliving below the poverty line, 322,000 arechildren, giving Ireland the second highestrate of child poverty in the European Union(Harvey, 2001). The government launchedthe National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS)(Department of Social Welfare [DSW],1996) in 1996 and the revised NAPS‘Building an Inclusive Society’ (Departmentof Social, Community and Family Affairs[DSCFA], 2002) gives specificconsideration to vulnerable groups,including children.

While the Catholic Church remains apowerful and dominant force in Irish life,there is evidence that its influence andcontrol over the Irish populace is waning.This has heralded changed attitudestowards sexual activity and marriage. Thenumber of divorces granted has increasedsubstantially each year, from ninety-five in1997 to 2,623 in 2000 (Harvey, 2001).With the decline in the Catholic Church’sinfluence, the media has operated as asupplier of alternative value systems (Toveyand Share, 2000). An increasingly globalmedia environment and advanced globalcommunication system has meant thatIrish society is increasingly beinginfluenced by a global culture and thewestern view of individualism.

3.7 Conceptualisation ofChildren 1990-2004

In societal terms, this period witnessedgreat advancements in the recognition ofthe rights of children in society. This

Section 3

Historical Context

includes a number of declarations andconventions on the rights of children aswell as the establishment of a number ofchild advocacy groups to campaign for therights of children.

This period also witnessed the developmentof a wide range of out of home ECCEservices, largely in the community/voluntary and private sector. These includechildminding, day fostering, naíonraígroups, playgroups, crèches, communityplaygroups, day nurseries, preschools andthe infant classes of primary schools. Manyof these have established membershiporganisations to support those providingservices. These organisations also becameinvolved in lobbying the State for improvedstandards of services for families andchildren. The Child Care Act 1991(DHC,1991) made provision for the firsttime for regulation of the health and safetyaspects of preschool service. However, aninspection system was not established until1997.

Concomitant with these aforementionedsocietal changes is a renewedconceptualisation of children within thechanged circumstances. Families aresmaller in general and assume a variety ofdisparate forms. Children are spending anincreased amount of time in out of homecare settings, even from a very early age. Inaddition, the way in which children playand interact with the world has evolved inline with advancements in technology.

Childcare is expensive in Ireland (OECD,2003) while child benefit and work leavefor parents is poor in international terms.Purcell (2001) highlights the increasing rolefathers play in the child rearing processwhile there is an improved emphasis on theholistic development of the child asopposed to mere physical well-being.

Policy and legislative developments bothreflect and shape our perceptions ofchildhood in Ireland. Children have becomemore visible in government policy,

including the National Development Plan(NDP) and the partnership agreements.Ireland’s ratification of the United Nations(UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child(UN, 1989) catalysed a period ofdevelopments in relation to children’srights. This was followed by other policiesand reports such as the Report of theCommission on the Family (DSCFA, 1998)and the National Children’s Strategy(Department of Health and children[DHC], 2000). In addition, agencies suchas the Family Affairs Unit, established in1999, the National Children’s Office (NCO),founded in 2000, the Family SupportAgency initiated in 2001 and the Office ofOmbudsman for Children, which becameoperational in 2003, were established tooversee the implementation of such policiesand legislation.

3.8 Conclusions

Since 1990, dramatic changes in the socio-economic status of Ireland have had aprofound impact on the perception and roleof children in society, as well as how theyare cared for and educated. The expandingeconomy has necessitated an increasedparticipation of women in the workforce,with consequential effects on the demandsfor out of home childcare. Changing familyforms have also impacted upon theexperiences of children in these formativeyears. Children are now increasinglytargeted as consumers while technologicaladvances have heralded changes in the waychildren play and interact with the worldaround them.

PolicyDevelopments1990 – 2004

4.1 Introduction

Traditionally, there has been a dearth ofactivity pertaining to policy for ECCE inIreland, as was evident from the previoussection outlining the historical content.This was largely due to the lack of priorityafforded to ECCE at national and local leveluntil the 1990s for the variety of reasonsoutlined previously, including socio-economic factors and the relatively lowparticipation of women within theworkforce. While some positivedevelopments in this regard were instigatedfollowing the economic boom of the 1960sand early 1970s, the recommendations ofthe few policy documents produced werelargely ignored. These developments werealso hindered by the bleaker economicrealities of the 1980s when budgetarycontractions reduced social spending to aminimum. The UN Convention on theRights of the Child (UN, 1989), ratifiedby Ireland in 1992, influenced our policy inIreland in relation to children and theprovision of quality childcare. For example,Article 18.2 states that:

State Parties shall renderappropriate assistance to parentsand legal guardians in theperformance of their child-rearingresponsibilities and shall ensure thedevelopment of institutions, facilitiesand services for the care of children.(UN, 1989:Article 18.2)

This section details policy developmentsfrom 1990 to the present day. In this timeperiod, especially since the mid-1990s,there has been a plethora of policydocuments, emanating from both statutoryand non-statutory agencies relating to

Section 4

Policy Developments 1990-2004

Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltachtand Islands

Department of Enterprise, Trade andEmploymentDepartment of Agriculture and FoodDepartment of Social, Community andFamily Affairs Department of the EnvironmentDepartment of Tourism, Sport andRecreationDepartment of FinanceDepartment of An Taoiseach (DJELR,1999:11)

A similar complex web of governmentdepartment involvement is provided withinthe recent Evaluation of the EqualOpportunities Childcare Programme(EOCP) Report 2000-2006 by the NationalDevelopment Plan Community SupportFramework Evaluation Unit (NDP/CSF,2003:92-96). However, as previouslyoutlined, this paper will focus exclusivelyon policy documents that relate to qualitywithin ECCE. Consequently, the policies ofthree major government departments, andtheir associated agencies, are mostpertinent to this review, namely theDJELR, the DES and the DHC. In addition,certain generic policies by the Departmentof An Taoiseach and other Departments arealso included.

4.2 Department of AnTaoiseach/Government ofIreland

In 1993, the Second Commission onthe Status of Women submitted itsreport to government (Government ofIreland, 1993). This placed childcare as akey element that affects many women andstated at length the rationale for thedevelopment of services. The quality ofservices was also a prominent concern andwhile the report welcomed the introductionof the Child Care Act 1991 (DoH, 1991), itlamented the fact that its terms of referencelimited it to the physical environment and

ECCE. It is important to note that thisreview relates to quality in ECCE and thuspolicy documents that do not have a focuson quality have been omitted from thisparticular research document. In addition,because the use of the term ‘quality’ isrelatively new in the ECCE lexicon, earlierdocuments may not use it. However, wheretheir contents impact directly on ourcontemporary understanding of quality,they are also included for review.

For the purpose of this paper, policy fromgovernment departments and statutoryagencies will be considered first, followedby an overview of activity from the non-statutory side, including NationalVoluntary Childcare Organisations(NVCOs) and other agencies. Congruentwith our objective of devising an NFQ forIreland incorporating the three elements ofdefining, assessing and supporting quality,policy will be analysed for its relationshipto these core issues. To preventconsiderable overlap, policies will bediscussed as a coherent wholeincorporating all three elements, whileSection 7, Conclusions andRecommendations, will outline thesignificance of policies for these individualelements.

4.1.1 Policies Relating to StatutoryAgencies

Owing to the organic nature in which theECCE sector has developed in Ireland, abroad range of government departmentsand agencies have assumed a multiplicity ofroles and responsibilities for itsadministration. The National ChildcareStrategy (DJELR, 1999:11) outlines therespective roles of eleven differentdepartments in the management of policiesrelating to ECCE in Ireland:

Department of Health and Children

Department of Education and Science

Department of Justice, Equality andLaw Reform

Section 4

that one of the most common forms ofchildcare, that of childminding, was largelyoutside the remit of the Act. It urges theimplementation of the provisions of the Actand requested:

…that amended legislation should beintroduced to provide for inspectionby the Health Board of the qualityand type of care provided.(Government of Ireland, 1993:147)

Furthermore, the issue of standardised andaccredited forms of training andqualifications for adults working in ECCE,is cited as a priority area by theCommission (Government of Ireland,1993:147; 274).

Since the mid-1990s, children’s issues andchildcare have become integral elements ofthe Partnership Agreements at nationallevel with the social partners. In 1996,Partnership 2000 for Inclusion,Employment and Competitiveness(Government of Ireland, 1996:30) statedthat “…childcare is clearly an importantissue in promoting equality for women,and especially in promoting equalopportunities in employment.” One resultof this Partnership agreement was theinception of the Expert Working Group onChildcare under the auspices of the DJELR,which will be reviewed in a later section.The Programme for Prosperity andFairness initiated in 1999 also madecommitments relating to childcare in itsobjective:

To ensure the quality of childcareprovision across the country,through appropriate inspection,regulation, and personnel trainingsystems. (Government of Ireland,1999:119)

In An Agreed Programme forGovernment Between Fianna Fáiland the Progressive Democrats(Department of An Taoiseach, 2002), anumber of commitments are made

regarding quality in early childhoodeducation, including the following:

We are committed to helping toimprove the level and quality ofparticipation and achievement atevery level of education.

To ensure that early-educationservices deliver the maximumbenefit for all children, we willintroduce a national early-education, training, support andcertification system and expandstate-funded early-educationalplaces. (Department of AnTaoiseach, 2002:23)

Achievement of commitments regardingchildren and childcare are to be realisedthrough a number of initiatives at nationaland local level (Department of AnTaoiseach, 2002:26).

The National Economic and SocialCouncil’s (NESC) newsletter in November2002, An Investment in Quality:Services, Inclusion and Enterprise, aprecursor to Sustaining Progress,stated that:

The Council would like to see theavailability of high quality childcarefacilities for pre-school childrenacross the nation in a realistictimescale. (NESC, 2002:118)

Finally, Sustaining Progress, the socialpartnership agreement for 2003-2005,makes specific reference to providingquality workplace childcare for parents(Department of An Taoiseach, 2003:91).

The National Development Planinvolves the investment of in excess of €51billion of EU, public and private funds inthe period 2000-2006. This is allocated totwo regions in Ireland; the Southern and

1 These figures have been converted from Irish Pounds(IR£) and are approximates only.

Section 4

Eastern Region (approximately €34 billion)and Border, Midland and Western Region(BMW) (approximately €17 billion1).Childcare is highlighted as an area forpriority under Social Inclusion, with €1.35billion allocated nationally while furtherfunds of €320 million are being madeavailable under the Equality measures. Thepurpose of childcare within the NDP isstated as follows:

The allocation will be expended onincreasing the supply and quality ofchildcare facilities, particularly onthe provision of infrastructure indisadvantaged communities,increasing the number of childcareplaces and on encouraging privateproviders. (NDP, 2000, Accessed at:http://www.ndp.ie/newndp/r/NDP_exec_sum.doc, 6th May, 2004, nopages)

Section 7.6.2 of the BMW RegionOperational Programme 2000-2006focuses on the Impacts of Social Inclusionand Childcare Priority (Sub-Measure). Itpromotes equality between men andwomen and supports participation ofwomen within the workforce. It furtherstates that:

This will be achieved throughinvestment in the development ofaffordable, quality childcarefacilities, particularly indisadvantaged areas. (BMW, 2000,Accessed at: http://www.bmwassembly.ie/main.asp?lang=en&text=&doc=operation&chapter=7&level=3&title=7%2E6%2E2+Equality+Impact&parentID=97, 6th May, 2004,Section 7.6.2, no pages)

In addition, it focuses on the needs ofdisadvantaged communities for access totraining and employment opportunities:

The provision of quality childcarefacilities through the EqualOpportunities Childcare Measurewill facilitate parents, particularlythose in economically depressedareas, to avail of employment,education and trainingopportunities, while also cateringfor the needs of disadvantagedchildren by initiating play anddevelopment opportunities for them.(BMW, 2000, Accessed at:http://www.bmwassembly.ie/main.asp?lang=en&text=&doc=operation&chapter=7&level=3&title=7%2E6%2E2+Equality+Impact&parentID=97, 6th May, 2004, Section 7.6.3, nopages)

This initiative is supported under a range ofmeasures including capital grants toimprove the quality of the environment,staffing grants to enhance training andqualifications of practitioners and theQuality sub-measure, which are detailed inSection 4.3 dealing with the DJELR and theEOCP.

In 2001, the Department of theEnvironment and Local Government(DELG) published Guidelines forPlanning Authorities on ChildcareFacilities. The purpose of the guidelines isto provide a framework and improve theconsistency in the provision of childcarefacilities. Quality of provision is a key-theme of the guidelines, “…provision mustbe of a suitably high quality.” (DELG,2001:3)

Section 4

4.3 Department of Justice,Equality and Law Reform(DJELR)

The DJELR has played an increasinglyprominent role within ECCE in recentyears, primarily emerging from an equalityperspective for women in relation toemployment. While known as theDepartment of Equality and Law Reform(DELR), a Task Force on theTravelling Community was establishedand made its report in 1995 (DELR, 1995).A number of recommendations were madeconcerning preschool provision forTravellers. The Task Force called on theDepartment of Education to provideguidelines on a vast array of aspects of

preschool provisions, including enrolments,procedures for dealing with children at riskand those with special needs and parentalinvolvement (DELR, 1995:33). The needfor guidelines on practice or curriculum ishighlighted as one aspect that needs to beaddressed as in their absence, there is“…widespread variation from one locationto the next and also has implications forthe overall quality of service provided tothe children…” (DELR, 1995:171) Thenecessity for legal registration was alsonoted in the era prior to theimplementation of the PreschoolRegulations, to govern aspects such ashealth, safety and welfare. The need forenhanced services is also asserted as “Goodquality, effective preschool provision iscostly but research indicates that the

Implications for the National Framework for Quality – Department of An Taoiseach

Defining Quality:

1. The provision of childcare services in order to achieve equality for women, bothwithin the home and in the labour market, is cited as an important aspect.

2. The provision of quality services within areas of disadvantage is seen as having adouble benefit – in relation to the development of the child and the opportunitiesafforded to parents in relation to training, education and employment.

Assessing Quality:1. Inspection of services must be comprehensive and holistic, focusing on all aspects of

all settings to ensure the optimum developmental opportunities for children.

2. The design and layout of premises is a key feature in attaining quality withinservices.

Supporting Quality:1. There is a multiplicity of government departments and agencies involved in the

delivery of ECCE services in Ireland. To ensure quality, it is imperative that there iscooperation and coordination between the various departments to prevent possibleduplication or voids in services.

2. The training and qualifications of childcare workers is a core characteristic ofquality in ECCE services and there is greater need for standardisation andrecognised accreditation in this regard.

3. The inclusion of quality ECCE on the political agenda (Partnership Agreements,NDP etc.) has proven an impetus in the prioritising of funding in this regard andongoing government commitment.

Section 4

benefits, in the long run, are well worththe initial cost.” (DELR, 1995:171) Inaddition, the training of personnel workingwithin the Traveller preschools is cited asbeing of particular importance:

Personnel working in pre-schoolsshould have early education/childcare training and have a child-centred approach and training toensure an understanding ofTraveller culture and the specificneeds of Traveller children. (DELR,1995:33)

In 2000, the DJELR published the FirstProgress Report of the Committee toMonitor and Co-ordinate theImplementation of theRecommendations of the Task Forceon the Travelling Community. Thisdocument expressed concern about the“…lack of progress generally on therecommendations of the Task Force in thearea of education.” (DJELR, 2000b:17)Furthermore, it recommended that“Childcare provision should be culturallyappropriate…” (DJELR, 2000b:22)

In 1998, the DJELR commissioned aStudy on the Economics of Childcarein Ireland (DJELR, 1998:48), whichmakes little mention on the quality ofservices. It outlines elements such as adult-child ratios, the size of groups and trainingand qualifications but the main focus is onthe quantification and costing of childcarein Ireland from an economic perspective.Similarly, Childcare Funding inIreland (DJELR, 2000a) primarilyoutlines the various funding mechanismsfor childcare in Ireland, yet defines qualitychildcare as incorporating:

…learning opportunities as well asplay which is pivotal in thedevelopment of imagination andcreativity. (DJELR, 2000a:6)

One of the first major policy documentsrelating to childcare was produced by the

DJELR in 1999, the National ChildcareStrategy (DJELR, 1999). The ExpertWorking Group on Childcare, whichproduced the Report, had been establishedunder Partnership 2000 for Inclusion,Employment and Competitiveness in 1996as “…childcare is clearly an importantissue in promoting equality for women,and especially in promoting equalopportunities in employment.”(Government of Ireland, 1996:30) The aimof the Expert Working Group:

…was to develop a strategy whichintegrates the different strands ofthe current arrangements for thedevelopment and delivery ofchildcare and early educationalservices. (DJELR, 1999:XXII).

In total, the Report made 27recommendations towards achieving theaforementioned aim. Two of the GuidingPrinciples of the Report related directly toQuality:

Achieving high quality childcareservices is an integral part of thestructure and implementation of theNational Childcare Strategy. Aquality childcare service must beregarded as one which providesenhancing experiences for childrenand positive interactions betweenadults and children. (DJELR,1999:49)

This places quality at the heart of anyprovision of ECCE services at bothstructural and setting level. It furtheroutlines the components of a qualityservice, identifying play, the environment,equipment and resources, training andqualifications of personnel and parentalinvolvement, among others, as inherentelements of a quality service. Moreover, thesecond principle above identifies theinteractions between children and adults asa key constituent to quality. The criticalnecessity of achieving quality in services isalso evidenced not only in terms of the

Section 4

benefits to the individual child, but also inthe long-term consequences in relation tothe economy and society. Conversely, theeffects of poor quality services are outlined,which are noted as being possibly“…detrimental to childcare.” (DJELR,1999:52)

The National Childcare Strategy alsoattempts to delineate the multipleperspectives from which quality can beviewed, interpreted and defined,elucidating the complexity which surroundsthe production of a comprehensivedefinition of quality congruent with thestandpoint of all. The following is a list ofpossible viewpoints of stakeholdersevaluating the quality of services, the viewsof which any definition must recognise andincorporate:

Child development perspective

Government / Regulatory perspective

Social Service perspective

Parent perspective

Child perspective

Social funding policy perspective

Staff perspective

Cultural perspectives (DJELR, 1999:52).

The Report also outlines possible ways ofdefining the quality of services by the use ofindicators, which must be context-specific.Input indicators refer to concrete featuressuch as the premises and equipment andare easily defined. Process indicatorsconsist of the day-to-day happenings suchas relationships and interactions and aremore difficult to define. Lastly, outcomeindicators relate to the impact of provisionsuch as health and well-being.

Following on from the recommendations inthe National Childcare Strategy (DJELR,1999) and the White Paper on EarlyChildhood Education, Ready to Learn,(DES, 1999a) and other policy documents(Coolahan, 1998; OMNA, 2000), theDJELR undertook the production of a

Model Framework for Education,Training, and ProfessionalDevelopment in the Early ChildhoodCare and Education Sector (DJELR,2002a). This also followed on from thegovernment commitment in theProgramme for Prosperity and Fairness(Government of Ireland, 1999:119) to fundresearch into training and qualificationsand to this end, the Certifying BodiesSubgroup of the National Childcare Co-ordinating Committee (NCCC) (see EOCPsection below), was established. The ModelFramework outlines the occupationalprofiles and core skills of all personnelworking in the ECCE sector and details howthese profiles should be used to inform thedevelopment of education and trainingprogrammes. In its Foreword, the Ministerfor Justice, Equality and Law Reformoutlines the core necessity of appropriatetraining and qualifications to achievequality within the sector and for thedevelopment of the sector:

The issue of quality in any sector isinextricably linked to the issues oftraining, education and professionaldevelopment. (DJELR, 2002a:3)

A central rationale for the development ofcore skills and occupational profiles also isto ensure that quality in services can beassessed and evaluated. As was statedwithin the document:

Quality assurance is a way toorganise and manage activities sothat they are informed by, and canbe evaluated against, a set of agreedstandards. (DJELR, 2002a:30)

The Model Framework also elucidates themultiple perspectives present in anydefinition of quality for ECCE. Thecomplexity, yet necessity, entailed inincorporating the viewpoints of the variousstakeholders within services is alsostressed. This document lists suchperspectives as follows:

Section 4

Quality as exceptional

Quality as perfection

Quality as fitness for purpose

Quality as value for money

Quality as transformation

Quality as accountability

Quality as fitness for purpose (DJELR,2002a:31)

It concludes that consensus on a definitionregarding quality should allow for diversityand flexibility, incorporating “…the pursuitof excellence which has the capacity totransform.” (DJELR, 2002a:31) Thus,quality must be an integral element of theday-to-day activities of each setting throughgood practice, communication,transparency and efficiency. Finally, theModel Framework stresses the importanceof a support framework in attaining quality,“…that quality cannot be imposed. It has tobe stimulated and nurtured throughpartnership with all stakeholders (DJELR,2002a:31).

4.3.1 DJELR Programmes

This section details a number ofprogrammes under the auspices of theDJELR. The prominence of the DJELRwithin the childcare sector has been greatlyenhanced by virtue of its administration ofthe Equal Opportunities ChildcareProgramme (EOCP). This provides€449.49 million over the lifetime of theNDP for the development of childcare; toimprove the quality, to increase thequantity and to introduce a co-ordinatedapproach to service delivery (DJELR,2002a:3). An infrastructure was establishedfrom 2000 to underpin the administrationof the EOCP.2 A total of thirty-three Cityand County Childcare Committees (CCCs)have been established nationally to achievethese objectives at local level. Area

Development Management (ADM) wascommissioned to assess and evaluate grantrequests and to provide statisticalinformation relating to the implementationof the EOCP.

In addition, funding is channelled throughthe NVCOs to address quality at both anational and local level. The NCCC iscomposed of representatives of thestatutory and non-statutory sectors andperforms a multiplicity of functions. Muchof this work is achieved through its workinggroups, which relate to individual aspectsof childcare, and consequently play a role inthe improvement of quality:

The Certifying Bodies Subgroup hasaddressed qualifications, training andaccreditation, which led to theaforementioned Model Framework,

The Advisory Subgroup for Childrenwith Special Requirements, MinorityEthnic Groups and Traveller Childrenlooks at the needs of children withspecial requirements;

The Working Subgroup on School AgeChildcare addresses the issue of out ofschool care for children attendingschool;

The Childminding Subgroup considersthe issue of childminders outside theremit of the Preschool ServicesRegulations (DJELR, 2002a:37).

An Interdepartmental Synergies Group onChildcare was established to ensurecoordination between initiatives andfunding from various departments. Thisgroup has not met since 2001 and many ofits functions are performed by the NCCC. The EOCP consists of three main fundingstrands:

1. The Childcare Facilities (CapitalGrants) Measure;

2. The Support for Staffing Grants Sub-measure;

3. The Quality Improvement Sub-measure (NDP/CSF, 2003:56-57).

2 For a comprehensive overview of this childcareinfrastructure, please consult the Evaluation of the EqualOpportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (NDP/CSF,2003:92-93)

Section 4

The first two strands address the issue ofimproving the environment and staffing ofECCE service provision. These are both keyfactors in the delivery of quality services.The third strand, which provided €35.7million “…to raise the quality of childcareprovision in this country” (NDP/CSF,2003:I) has engendered a wide range ofactivities towards quality. The purpose ofthis strand was to support seven NVCOs(Barnardos, Childminding Ireland, IPPA,the Early Childhood Organisation, IrishSteiner Waldorf Early ChildhoodAssociation, National Children’s NurseriesAssociation, Forbairt Naíonraí Teo and St.Nicholas Montessori Society of Ireland) toenhance quality by providing trainingopportunities, quality accreditationprogrammes and seminars. In addition,this funding supports the aims andobjectives, pertaining to quality, of thethirty-three CCCs. The specific objectivesfor the Quality Improvement Sub-measureare to:

Facilitate and support the developmentof the NVCOs;

Promote the development of all aspectsof family day care provision;

Support the development of childcaretraining;

Increase the number of trained workers;

Facilitate the development of localchildcare networks to support thoseworking in isolation. (NDP/CSF,2003:2)

The quest to support quality was one of themore difficult elements to define within theEOCP. The result was greaterfragmentation in the provision of supportsto existing structures to ameliorate qualityin provision. The interim evaluation of theEOCP concluded that the progress made,particularly in respect of the QualityImprovement Sub-measure, wasdisappointing. One of the main deficienciescited was in respect of the assessment oftangible outcomes due to the absence ofindicators to capture the outputs of the

NVCOs and CCCs regarding quality(NDP/CSF, 2003:62). The Report makes anumber of recommendations to improvethe functioning of the Quality ImprovementSub-measure, including that:

1. The funding of the CCCs should belinked to the pre and post-approvalof grant-aid support to projectpromoters;

2. CCCs should set local county targetsaround programme indicators;

3. CCCs should be proactive in workingup applications for childcare wheregaps are identified;

4. A definition of ‘trained worker’ needsto be developed and allow for thegathering of data on numbers whohave received training;

5. Future funding of the NVCOs shouldbe linked to “…verifiable outputsdirectly related to the realisation ofprogramme objectives.” Indicatorsneed to be developed to capture theoutputs of the NVCOs (NDP/CSF,2003:VII).

All CCCs produced a Strategic Plan forthe period 2001/2002-2006 between 2002and 2003.3 Guidelines or a broadframework on the format and content ofthese plans were provided by the NCCC andits various subgroups on the core elementsto be included. This afforded considerablelatitude to the individual CCCs to placeparticular emphasis on certain aspectsaccording to local needs and requirements.However, it ensured that key elements,such as Quality, are featured in all StrategicPlans. Therefore this review does not listthe contents of each of the thirty-threeCCCs individually but reviews theoverarching features of the Strategic Plansas a whole.

Following an analysis of a selection ofStrategic Plans, it is evident that quality is acore and inherent element of all aspects of

3 For a detailed listing of all CCC Strategic Plans, please seeCECDE (2003b:38-39).

Section 4

the work of the CCCs. A diversity ofapproaches are undertaken in outlining theroles and functions of the various CCCs.However, in all cases, regardless of theterminology used such as MissionStatement, Vision, Aim, Guiding Principles,Targets, Themes, Actions, Objectives, Goalsetc., quality is cited as a core constituent ofall work of the CCCs. The strategies outlinea number of actions they will take such asprovision of advice, networking,appointment of Childcare Training andQuality Development Officers, as well asco-ordinating with and supporting the workof other related agencies in achieving andmaintaining quality within theirjurisdictions. Many draw on both nationaland international research in relation toquality indicators. The majority emphasisethe importance of looking at the dynamic aswell as static variables of quality. Some ofthe substantive issues raised in this regardinclude:

Training of childcare personnel (pre-service and ongoing professionaldevelopment);

Remuneration of staff;

Staff-child ratios;

Recognition of diversity;

Equipment and resources;

Parental participation;

Registration and formalisation ofinformal services;

Suitability of premises.

In addition, many of the concerns andcomplexities in relation to quality such asthe difficulty in attaining an inclusivedefinition acceptable to all, the multipleperspectives from which it can beinterpreted and the supports necessary forits achievement are outlined and someproposals are made to rectify thesechallenges.

In December 2003, the DJELR initiated theNational Childminder’s InitiativeChildminders Development Grantunder the EOCP. This is administeredthrough the CCCs and its primary purpose“… is to offer an incentive, in the form of asmall capital grant, to childminders toenhance and support their awareness ofquality childcare.” (Childcare Directorate,2003:2) This policy initiative involvesprovision of up to €630 in grant aid toindividual childminders, for the purchase ofitems such as toys and equipment, or to usefor adaptations within their homes. Forchildminders who are not notified, receiptof the money is conditional on theirattendance at a short Quality AwarenessCourse. The main objectives of the courseare to:

1. Provide participants with anawareness of the issues involved inthe provision of a qualitychildminding service;

2. Enhance knowledge, skills andprofessional status of childminders;

3. Develop confidence and motivation;4. Encourage networking in the locality.

The five modules involved focus on:

Week 1 - Why choose childminding?;

Week 2 - Child Development – AnOverview;

Week 3 - Hygiene, Health & Safety;

Week 4- Well-being of Children;

Week 5 – Play (Childcare Directorate,2003 [Appendix]:2)

These elements aspire to improve thequality of services among providers byenhancing their skills and knowledge,improving the equipment and resourcesavailable to them and by increasing theprominence of local networks and supportmechanisms.

Section 4

Implications for the National Framework for Quality - DJELR

Defining Quality:

1. The role of the DJELR in ECCE in Ireland has largely been in its remit in achievingequality for women.

2. Explicit policies and guidelines are seen as important to guide best practice withinsettings, including enrolments, children with special needs, parental involvement andcurriculum.

3. ECCE services need to be culturally appropriate for the children and parentsinvolved.

4. The quality of the services provided not only impacts on the immediate child, but alsohas broader social and economic implications for society.

5. Quality is a complex phenomenon that can be viewed from a multiplicity ofperspectives and any definition must encapsulate such divergent viewpoints.

6. The provision of adequate opportunities for play is seen as necessary in theattainment of quality.

7. The environment of the child is seen as impacting on the quality of the servicesprovided.

8. The equipment and resources within the setting impact upon the quality of theservices.

9. The level of involvement of parents within settings is seen as a factor in the quality ofthe service provided.

Assessing Quality:

1. The nature of adult-child interactions are seen as integral to the achievement ofquality within settings.

Supporting Quality:

1. Training, education and ongoing professional development of all personnel in ECCEis an important element to ensure quality provision. Clear pathways of progressionwithin qualifications must be identified to enhance the professionalism of the sector.

2. Quality is a feature that cannot be enforced through imposition alone. Supports mustbe in place to ensure that it is developed and nurtured.

3. A national policy and infrastructure are needed to implement initiatives in relation toECCE.

4. A local infrastructure is also necessary for the delivery of initiatives and to providesupports on the ground for services.

5. Funding is imperative to support the attainment of quality through the provision ofan array of supports.

6. Registration and the formalisation of informal services by providing supports is animportant initiative in achieving quality for all children in all services.

Section 4

4.4 Department ofEducation and Science(DES)

The DES has a long tradition ofinvolvement in early childhood educationby virtue of universal provision for childrenin the infant classes of the primary schools.This catered for approximately half of allfour-year olds and nearly all five year-oldchildren in recent years (DES, 2003c).Traditionally, the DES has also involveditself with targeted interventions forchildren with special needs and thoseaffected by educational disadvantage. Anumber of policy documents throughoutthe 1990s have referred to the quality ofprovision within the infant classes and alsoin other initiatives implemented by theDES. The Report of the PrimaryEducation Review Body (DoE, 1990a)dedicates a full section to the issue of“Quality of Education.” Within this, theconcern for quality as an internationalphenomenon is acknowledged, as is the factthat quality “…is a multifaceted, oftensubjective concept with a variety ofmeanings and is variously used bydifferent interests.” (DoE, 1990a:30) Itfurther lists some of the various interestgroups and the factors which impact uponquality within the education system andbriefly outlines how such elements mightbe achieved. Among the factors impactingon quality are the following:

A suitable curriculum, implemented,monitored and evaluated at class, schooland national levels;

The competence and commitment of theteachers which entails the selection ofsuitable student teachers, pre-serviceand in-service education of high qualityand satisfactory working conditions;

Effective management, involving allinterests, which defines aims andobjectives and devises strategies forimplementing them;

Competent leadership from the SchoolPrincipal and due delegation of

responsibility to post holders;

Maximum use of learning and teachingtime and of the time available forplanning and preparation;

Suitable structures for parentalinvolvement, with good home-schoollinks;

Careful monitoring by the Inspectorateof the performance of schools;

Relevant evaluation by school staffs andBoards of Management coupled withfeedback from parents;

Enlightened planning and adequatefinancial provision by the State. (DoE,1990a:31)

The “…crucial importance of ensuring thequality and effectiveness of what isexperienced in our primary schools” iscited as being an imperative by the Report(DoE, 1990a:5). It makes a number ofrecommendations for the review of theprimary school curriculum relating to allsubjects and also to the role of assessmentwithin the system.

The Green Paper on Education,Education for a Changing World(DoE, 1992) also placed a focus on qualitywithin the education system. The forewordof this document states that “…noeducation system can be frozen in time. Ifit is to continue to deliver quality, it mustconstantly adapt to changing educationalneeds and to changes in the world itserves.” (DoE, 1992:Foreword) The qualityof teachers, and the ongoing assessment ofquality, is also cited as being of paramountimportance in maintaining and enhancingthe quality of the system as a whole (DoE,1992:163-169). Furthermore a chapter isdedicated to “Quality Assurance in theNew Structures”, including both internaland external assessment and inspectionsystems (DoE, 1992:173-175).

In order to inform the consultative processinitiated by the Green Paper, a NationalEducation Convention was held in Dublinin October 1993. Quality occupies a central

Section 4

Future (DoE, 1995). Quality is noted asone of the principles for the development ofa philosophical rationale for the role of theState in education:

Students are entitled to the highestpossible standard of teaching and tobe facilitated in the attainment ofthe highest quality of learning.(DoE, 1995:7).

In addition:

Quality is brought about bymaximising the efforts of all thoseresponsible for the education ofstudents and by co-ordinating allthe structures of the system… (DoE,1995:8).

Quality is also cited as an aim for theeducation system (DoE, 1995:10). The roleof the state in promoting quality is seen asmulti-faceted, incorporating thecurriculum, teaching and assessment, thequality of teachers, institutionalmanagement and planning processes (DoE,1995:8). The quality of teachers is noted asbeing of paramount importance inachieving quality and a number of elementsof teacher competence is outlined (DoE,1995:27). Also:

The quality, morale and status of theteaching profession are of centralimportance to the continuingdevelopment of a first-classeducation system in the decadesahead. (DoE, 1995:121)

Additionally, assessment is noted as beingof central importance “…in monitoring andenhancing the quality of education atschool and national levels.” (DoE, 1995:28)The central role of the Inspectorate inassuring quality within the system istreated in detail (DoE, 1995:183).

The Early Start Pre-school PilotProject was introduced in 1994 in aselection of designated disadvantaged

position within the Report of theNational Education Convention:

Improving the quality of educationwithin schools should be a centralgoal of any education reformmovement. The quality of educationdepends on many variables,including the competence of staff,school leadership, the quality ofplanning, pupil-teacher ratios,support services, the social contextand levels of parental andcommunity support. (Coolahan,1994:55)

The Report further details the role of theschool in ensuring quality through self-assessment and through the School Plan.The role of the Inspectorate, the need forpsychological and guidance services and theintegral role of support services to schoolsare also discussed. The reality of the Irishcontext meant that all the desired changeswould not be immediately feasibleregarding quality assurance and there wasconsensus that “priorities should beestablished and their provision planned forin a reasoned and co-ordinated manner.”(Coolahan, 1994:68).

In 1993, the Report of the SpecialEducation Review Committee waspublished (DoE, 1993). This identifiedstructures for the early identification ofspecial needs in young children andrecommended that the Department ofHealth continue its role in delivering, co-ordinating, advising and supportingchildren with special needs. A number ofrecommendations are made relating to thequality of services within preschools,including staff-child ratios, the suitability ofstaff qualifications and the maintenance ofa database for children with physical,cognitive, linguistic, social and emotionaldevelopment problems.

The Green Paper and consultative processwas followed by a White Paper onEducation, Charting our Educational

Section 4

It was also recommended that thedesignation of quality criteriashould not mean a diminution ofdiversity of early childhoodprovision. (Coolahan, 1998:53)

The positive benefits of high qualityprovision were cited and conversely, thenegative impact of poor quality services inplacing children at risk came to the fore ofthe discussion. There was consensus thatthere could be no one standard ofexcellence in services across all settings butinstead a set of core criteria should beidentified towards which services couldstrive. Participants at the Forum were inagreement relating to five coreinterdependent indicators of quality (withmultiple subheadings) which incorporateInput, Process and Outcome elements:

1. Child indicators2. Staff indicators3. Physical Environment Indicators4. Social Indicators 5. Natural Indicators (Coolahan,

1998:55-56).

The dynamic nature of these qualityindicators was also outlined and the needfor them to be “…contextualised bothspatially and temporally. They shouldevolve over time and changingcircumstance and ought not to stiflediversity”. (Coolahan, 1998:56) Trainingand qualifications was a core feature ofquality as cited by delegates and the needfor a national system of accreditation washighlighted:

At a national level, approaches toimproving the quality of earlyeducation and childcare shouldinclude better coordination ofservices, the establishment ofstandards, specification of atraining and qualificationframework for individuals workingin early education and childcare,and support for provision on awider scale that exists at present.(Coolahan 1998:57)

schools in urban areas in Ireland. Theprimary aims of this initiative are toenhance children’s overall developmentthrough an educational programme and tooffset the effects of social disadvantage(DES, 2002a:1). It places an emphasis ongood staff-child ratios, a developmentallyappropriate curriculum, parental andcommunity involvement and theimportance of facilitating transition intoformal schooling (Murphy, 2000:10). Therationale behind the intervention is that:

Intervention programmes, whichprovide high quality early childhoodeducation, are regarded asnecessary components of a policythat seeks to address problems ofinequity in the educational andsocial systems. (DES, 2002a:4)

A National Forum for EarlyChildhood Education was convened inMarch 1998 and this afforded the ECCEsector in Ireland the first opportunity tocome together to express their concernsand share their insights. This occasion ledto some realisation of many of the commonissues of all stakeholders within the sector;those within the formal and non-formalsector as well as those with particularleanings towards either education or care.One of these common areas ofunderstanding was related to the quality ofservices in 1998:

…that the quality of provision isvariable, that there are not enoughchildcare places, that it is oftendifficult to obtain information onwhat is available, and that parentsare concerned about standards,qualifications, and inspectionprocedures. (Coolahan, 1998:53)

However, equally there were concerns thatin the quest for quality, the rich diversity inservices that has developed would be lostand that children would be treateduniformly:

Section 4

status of elements of quality areacknowledged and the need to define,assess and support the more dynamic andintangible aspects of quality not governedby regulations, including adult-childinteractions, training and qualifications andparental involvement, is stressed (DES,1999a:54). Staff-child ratios, space,equipment, interactions and theappropriateness of activities for childrenare all cited as key elements of quality(DES, 1999a:53). The provision of anappropriate curriculum, the designing of asystem of inspection and the delineation ofsuitable training and qualifications forpractitioners are cited as the principalconcerns and mechanisms for monitoringquality.

A particular focus on quality services forchildren with special needs and thoseaffected by disadvantage is evident withinthe White Paper. Regarding special needs,it states:

…early childhood intervention iseffective when it provides highquality, intensive and clearlyarticulated programme, deliveredby highly skilled and carefullytrained personnel in contexts ofsmall group and individualinstruction and which are plannedto specifically to address individual,identified needs. (DES, 1999a:84)

Ready to Learn proposes the introductionof a Quality in Education Mark (QE) forservices reaching agreed quality standards.The assessment aspect for the QE markwould incorporate existing DoHRegulations (DoH, 1996a) and alsoeducational elements. The White Paperdistinguishes between inspection andevaluation; inspection simply ensurescompliance whereas an evaluation system:

…seeks to determine whatconstitutes best practice, to assessthe effectiveness of various earlychildhood education approaches and

The importance of being able to recogniseand assess quality from a parentalperspective also featured prominentlywithin the Forum proceedings (Coolahan,1998:146).

Until the introduction of the EducationAct (DES, 1998), there was a virtualabsence of legislation underpinning theeducation system in Ireland. Further, theEducation Welfare Act (DES, 2000a)relates to issues of pupil attendance atschool by the establishment of the NationalEducation Welfare Board, which will assistthe promotion of quality for children at riskof truancy or drop-out from the system.

The consultative process of the NationalForum for Early Childhood Educationsupported and underpinned the DES WhitePaper on Early Childhood Education,Ready to Learn (DES, 1999a). Quality isa core concept of this policy document, asthe Minister for Education states in theforeword to the publication, “Quality ofprovision is the key theme of the WhitePaper.” (DES, 1999a:VI) Congruent withThe National Childcare Strategy (DJELR,1999:45), Ready to Learn states that careand education are inseparable and shouldbe provided “…in a complementary,seamless fashion.” (DES, 1999a:4)Moreover, the White Paper stresses theimportance of high quality services foryoung children, holding that:

The quality of the early child-basededucation provided determines, to avery great degree, the nature andduration of the benefits obtained.(DES, 1999a:43)

Once again, in line with other documents, itis appreciated that the quest for quality is ajourney that needs to be supported and thatcannot be imposed (DES, 1999a:43). Thevarying perspectives and interpretations ofthe stakeholders in the ECCE sector is alsorecognised, including parents, childcareworkers, teachers, employers and children(DES, 1999a:53). The relative stages and

Section 4

Pupils within the infant classes followed theNew Curriculum of 1971 until theintroduction of the Primary SchoolCurriculum (DES, 1999b). This built onmany of the child-centred and holisticphilosophies underpinning the previouscurriculum. The curriculum is presented ina suite of 23 curricular books outlining theaims, objectives, content, concepts andassessment of each curricular area. In theIntroduction to the Primary SchoolCurriculum 1999, “Quality inEducation” is listed as the first key issue inprimary education. The curriculumadvances the rights of children in thisregard:

Each child is entitled to the bestpossible quality of education and itis the responsibility of the state toprovide for this through theeducation system. Curriculum is animportant determinant of quality ineducation, and the standards oflearning children achieve throughtheir engagement with it will be ameasure of its effectiveness. (DES,1999b:26 Introduction).

Early childhood education is also a keyissue in primary education considering thenumber of four and five - year olds withinthe education system (DES, 1999b:30Introduction). Inherent in the curriculumfor the infant classes is the flexibility toaccommodate the multiple levels ofattainment of children in all aspects ofdevelopment on entry to schooling. Play isa core feature of the curriculum whilelanguage is central to the programmefollowed in the infant classes. In addition,the role of assessment is stressed as anintegral element of the curriculum “…toensure quality in education.” (DES,1999b:17 Introduction)

There are six main areas within thecurriculum:

1. Language2. Mathematics

intervention and to indicate howeffectiveness and efficiency may beenhanced. (DES, 1999a:124)

The White Paper favours a singleevaluation system, or single evaluator, toassess all these components. Moreover, therole of the evaluator would also incorporatea supportive element:

…in addition to their inspection role,inspectors will be available tosupport providers and suggest waysof remedying deficiencies. (DES,1999a:123)

The establishment of an Early ChildhoodEducation Agency (ECEA) was proposed bythe White Paper to fulfil the manyobjectives and recommendations citedtherein. As outlined in the Introduction, theCECDE was established in October 2002 asa seed agency to the ECEA. The corefunction of the CECDE is the developmentof an NFQ. This is stated in our Programmeof Work (CECDE, 2001) and the process forits realisation outlined in our ResearchStrategy (CECDE, 2003a).

The CECDE has also completed somebaseline research (see Section 6 for moredetail) in the form of An Audit of Researchon Early Childhood Care and Education inIreland 1990-2003 (CECDE, 2003b),where a chapter is dedicated to the themeof quality in Irish research. In addition, OnTarget? An Audit of Provision of ServicesTargeting Disadvantage and SpecialNeeds among Children from Birth to SixYears in Ireland (CECDE, 2004a) has alsobeen compiled. The outcomes of a nationalconsultation process on the issue of quality,Talking About Quality, have beenpublished (CECDE, 2004b). Perspectiveson Childhood (CECDE, Forthcoming A) isin the process of being developed. MakingConnections, A Review of InternationalPolicy, Practice and Research Relating toQuality in Early Childhood Care andEducation (CECDE, Forthcoming B) will bepublished in late 2004.

Section 4

distinct categories; for children with mildgeneral learning disabilities (NCCA, 2002a-i), for children with moderate learningdisabilities (NCCA, 2002j-l) and forchildren with severe and profound generallearning disabilities (NCCA, 2002m-o).

Each category contains a number ofbooklets; including Guidelines forTeachers and guidelines on an array ofcurricular areas including Mathematics,Communications and Language, ArtsEducation and SPHE. The draft guidelineswere open to comment and review and willbe revised and finalised following a periodof consultation.

In addition to the above, The NationalCouncil for Curriculum and Assessment(NCCA) has recently launched Towards aFramework for Early Learning - AConsultative Document (NCCA, 2004).This is an important developmentconsidering the emphasis placed on thecurriculum in achieving quality:

The development of a nationalframework is an important step inhelping to provide all children withappropriately enriching, challengingand enjoyable learningopportunities from birth to sixyears. (NCCA, 2004:14)

This is a background paper for consultationin the process of devising a nationalframework for early years learning. TheFramework has four main aims:

To support the development of allchildren 0-6 as confident and competentlearners;

To emphasise the important role ofparents/guardians;

To guide parents/childminders/practitioners in planning and providingappropriate learning experiences;

To support existing good practices inearly learning (NCCA, 2004:13).

3. Social, Environmental and ScientificEducation (SESE)

4. Arts Education5. Physical Education6. Social, Personal and Health

Education (SPHE)

Each of these areas has relevance to theinfant classes and the components andaspects of the curriculum for these classesare delineated. In support of theintroduction of the Revised Curriculum theDES distributed Your Child’s Learning– Guidelines for Parents (DES, 1999c),outlining the key features of the curriculumand ways in which parents and schoolscould collaborate regarding theimplementation of the curriculum.

Draft curricular guidelines for children withspecial needs in the primary school wereissued as consultation documents in 2002(NCCA, 2002a-o), following an earlierdiscussion document, SpecialEducational Needs – CurricularNeeds (NCCA, 1999). This earlierdocument acknowledged the limitedtraining opportunities for practitionerspertaining to special needs, at both pre-service and in-service levels, and thenegative impact this has on the provision ofquality services (NCCA, 1999). Childrenwith special needs have additionalrequirements within the education systemand a high level of flexibility and continuityis required within curricular planning. Thisconsultation document was used to informthe production of Draft CurricularGuidelines and facilitated a wider forum forthe input of stakeholders in this regard.

The Draft Curricular Guidelines(NCCA, 2002 a-o) draw on the most recentnational and international best practice andresearch to support the planning andimplementation of the curriculum forstudents with general disabilities. Theintention is that the guidelines are to beused in conjunction with and tocomplement the mainstream curriculum.The guidelines are divided into three

Section 4

Inspectors follow a generic framework forschool evaluations in all classes, includingthe infant classes and Early Start. Thelegislative mandate for this evaluationemanates from the Education Act (DES,1998). Specifically relating to quality,Section 7 (2) (b) places the onus “…tomonitor and assess the quality…andeffectiveness of the education system…” onthe Minister for Education. Section 13 ofthe Education Act further outlines the roleof assessment in achieving quality in theeducation system in the followingstatements:

…evaluate the organisation andoperation of those schools andcentres and the quality andeffectiveness of education providedin those schools or centres, includingthe quality of effectiveness ofindividual teachers. (DES, 1998:Section 13 (3) (a) (i) (I))

…to evaluate the quality andeffectiveness of the provision ofeducation in the State, includingcomparison with relevantinternational practices andstandards, and to report thereon tothe Minister. (DES, 1998:Section 13(3) (b))

In 1999, the DES published the Report onthe 1998/1999 Pilot Project on WholeSchool Evaluation (WSE) (DES, 1999e).The purpose of the WSE initiative was toinvolve schools in a partnership approachto the evaluation process, owing to themultiplicity of factors that affect quality.The generation of objective and dependabledata was seen as an imperative to theevaluation of individual schools, and alsothe education system as a whole. As wasstated within the Report:

Quality can be best achieved whenall the partners share common goalsand objectives for the developmentof the education system and whenpositive, professional relationships

The consultative document contains anumber of sections and themes and itaspires to improve the quality of ECCE byproviding a framework for the delivery ofan appropriate curriculum or programme.The role of the adult as central to thechild’s learning through quality interactionsis one of the key emerging principles(NCCA, 2004:41).

Throughout the 1990s, a number ofschemes were introduced to alleviate theeffects of educational disadvantage withinthe primary school system

. These includethe Disadvantaged Areas Schools Scheme(1990), the Home-School-CommunityLiaison Scheme (1990), Breaking the CycleScheme (DoE, 1997), the New Deal (DES,1999d) and Giving Children an Even Breakby Tackling Disadvantage (DES, 2001).While the documentation surroundingthese schemes does not explicitly refer toquality, their core rationale is to improvethe quality of the educational experiencefor pupils affected by disadvantage. (SeeSection 5 for further details).

The education of Traveller children alsoreceived attention in this time period. In1994, the Department of Educationpublished The Education of TravellerChildren in National Schools –Guidelines (DoE, 1994) and theseguidelines were superseded by revisedGuidelines on Traveller Education inPrimary Schools in 2002 (DES, 2002b).These guidelines address theappropriateness of education provision forTraveller children in the Irish context andthe importance of developing home-schoollinks. A core element of the latestguidelines is the presentation of a rationalefor an intercultural curriculum within theprimary school system to support theeducation of Travellers.

The Primary School Inspectorate isresponsible for the assessment of thequality of education in the primary schools.

4 For a comprehensive overview of these initiatives, pleasesee Murphy (2000).

Section 4

educational policy and supportingteachers and school management –have remained constant to thepresent day. (DES, 2002c:5)

As part of its evaluation role, the promotionof quality is of primary importance and it isthe view of the Inspectorate that this is“…best achieved through a combination ofcomplementary internal and externalevaluation.” (DES, 2002c:9) Schools areinspected on a cyclical basis, involving afocus on all aspects of the functioning ofthe school. The aims of evaluation are to:

Identify, acknowledge and affirm goodpractice;

Promote continuing improvement onthe quality of education;

Promote self-evaluation and continuousdevelopment by schools and to

Provide assurance of quality on theeducation system as a whole, based onthe collection of objective, dependableand high quality data. (DES, 2002c:14)

The Tuaraisc Scoile or School Reportfocuses on the following aspects of theorganisation and work of the school:

Environmental factors that affect theeffectiveness of the teacher’s work;

Organisation and atmosphere of theschool/general programme of work;

General development of pupils andprogress in various parts of thecurriculum (DES, 2002c:4)

In December 2002, the Inspectoratepublished a snapshot of the findingsregarding the evaluation of a selection ofschools; Fifty School Reports: WhatInspectors Say (DES, 2002d). This onceagain reiterated the multiple roles of theInspectorate not only in evaluation, butalso in the development and support ofeach school and the system as a whole. TheReport focuses on three core areas:

1. Whole-school Issues (Board of

are maintained between the schoolcommunity and the Inspectorate ofthe Department of Education andScience. (DES, 1999e:7)

The process of identifying, acknowledgingand affirming good practice within schools,in addition to recognising and planning toimprove weaker elements was a corefunction of the Pilot, with a view to “…theassurance of quality within the educationsystem…” (DES, 1999e:7).

Regarding the development of the system,the Inspectorate promotes self-reviewwithin schools and through its involvementwith the School Development PlanningInitiative. The Inspectorate also plays anintegral role in curriculum development,special education, disadvantage and socialinclusion initiatives and ongoingprofessional development.

In 2000, the Inspectorate published aProfessional Code of Practice onEvaluation and Reporting for theInspectorate (DES, 2000b). Thisformalised the principles underpinning thetraditional practices of the Inspectorate andoutlines the standards to which theInspectorate works. One of the generalprinciples of the Inspectorate is to “…reporton the quality of education in schools andon the system as a whole” (DES, 2000b:1),while an aim of evaluation is “…to promotecontinuing improvement in the quality ofeducation offered by schools.” (DES,2000b:1) The Inspectorate also commitsitself to providing reports of the highestquality, in both oral and written formats.

The role of the inspector also incorporates asupport function for teachers, managersand principals. The evolution of theInspectorate since its inception in 1831 isoutlined in The Inspectorate – A BriefGuide, yet the essence of the work remainsconstant:

However, its core tasks, - theinspection and evaluation of thequality of schooling, advising on

Section 4

themes either individually or collectively, oreven to focus on particular tenets withinthe themes, while there is also a facility tosubmit other themes that may relate to anindividual school context. The view of theInspectorate is congruent with that of muchof the literature regarding quality, that “…itmay be useful to think of a qualitycontinuum consisting of a number ofreference points representing stages ofdevelopment in the improvement process.”(DES, 2003a:X)

In 2003, the Primary School Inspectoratealso published a National EvaluationReport on Preschools for Travellers(DES, 2003b). The review focused on manyaspects of the functioning of the Travellerpreschools, including:

Management;

Pupil admission, registration andattendance;

Accommodation;

Funding;

Staff and staff training;

Teaching and learning;

Making linkages (DES, 2003b).

The Report concludes by affirming thepositive aspects of the Traveller preschoolsand the need to recognise and amelioratecertain aspects that may be reducing thequality of services:

The important role played byTraveller pre-schools in theprovision of early childhoodlearning experiences to TravellerChildren should be acknowledgedand steps taken to further enhancethe quality of the experience forpresent and future cohorts ofchildren attending these pre-schools.(DES, 2003b:75)

Management, in-schoolmanagement, staffing andorganisation, accommodation,parental involvement);

2. General Curriculum Issues (schoolplanning, teacher’s planning,principles and methodologies,resources, assessment);

3. Curriculum Areas (Irish, English,Maths, SESE, Arts education,Physical education, SPHE) (DES,2002d:7).

As an aid to assisting schools in conductingself-evaluation and self-review and to“…further assist school communities infulfilling their quality assuranceobligations,” the DES published Lookingat our School - An Aid to Self-Evaluation in Primary Schools (DES,2003a). As is stated within the Foreword:

Quality in schools is a matter for allconcerned with, and involved in, theeducation of our children. (DES,2003a:V)

In addition, the report goes on to say:

The maintenance of the quality ofeducation in individual primaryschools is a major aim of educationpolicy in Ireland. (DES, 2003a:VII)

For the purpose of conducting such anevaluation, five core themes are addressed,with each further broken-down into amyriad of aspects and components:

1. School management;2. School planning;3. Curriculum provision;4. Learning and teaching in curriculum

areas;5. Support for pupils (DES, 2003a:IX).

Schools are encouraged to look at these

Section 4

Implications for the National Framework for Quality -DESDefining Quality:

1. Quality is a difficult concept to define and is viewed by stakeholders in the systemfrom a variety of perspectives. This diversity of perspectives is seen as a positiveaspect of the ECCE sector and should be supported.

2. There can be no one single definition of quality; rather a set of core criteria should beidentified, which settings can work towards attaining.

3. The suitability and flexibility of the curriculum or programme in place is animportant characteristic of quality.

4. The quality of the service provided impacts upon the nature and duration of thebenefits to the child.

5. The quality of the personnel working in early years settings impacts significantly onthe quality of the services provided.

6. Effective management and leadership structures must be in place to ensure thesetting performs to its maximum potential.

7. Parental and community involvement and the establishment of positive home schoollinks are a key characteristic for quality.

8. It is imperative to acknowledge the evolving and dynamic nature of quality in settingsto ensure that quality remains attainable in the contemporary context.

9. Definitions of quality must include Input, Process and Outcome elements such aschild indicators, staff indicators, physical environment indicators, social indicatorsand natural indicators.

10. Adult-child interactions are seen as being an integral characteristic to high qualityservices.

11. Quality must be regarded as a continuum with a number of reference points that canbe worked towards either individually or collectively.

12. The provision of an intercultural curriculum is seen as an important support for theeducation of Traveller children.

13. Curricular guidelines must be flexible to accommodate the capacities and dispositionsof all pupils, including those with special needs.

Assessing Quality:

1. Careful inspection and evaluation of settings are a key element to ensuring thatquality is achieved and maintained. Such evaluation should incorporate widereducational stakeholders, including parents, teachers and management.

2. Assessment must include both self-assessment within settings and externalinspection to ensure quality is achieved.

3. Legislation underpinning the assessment of the education system affords a statutorybasis to the evaluation of the system as a whole.

4. The proposed QE mark should assess all aspects of the ECCE setting, includinghealth and safety and also educational elements within a single inspectionframework.

Section 4

5. Assessment must have the dual function of acknowledging the positive elements, aswell as identifying and planning around the weaker elements within the setting.

6. A professional code of practice is important to define and formalise the activities ofthe Inspectorate for all stakeholders in education.

7. Oral and written feedback is important to ensure that there is transparency andcommunication, leading to an improvement in areas highlighted as being deficient,and continued good practice in positive aspects of the setting.

8. Appropriate staff-pupil ratios are an important characteristic of quality services.

Supporting Quality:

1. Opportunities for internal planning within settings are imperative to ensure thatquality services are provided.

2. The role of the State provides a structure and a vision for the attainment of qualityand it plays an important role in relation to the curriculum, assessment, institutionalmanagement, training of teachers and facilitating planning.

3. Funding is a prerequisite of attaining quality.

4. Support services for ECCE personnel are essential to enhance their ability in thedelivery of quality service (e.g. psychological and guidance services).

5. Accurate and current information on all children in the form of databases, especiallyfor those with special needs, is imperative to ensure quality services are provided toall those in need and that there are appropriate follow-up services as the childprogresses and matures.

6. The coordination of the education system is seen as an important element in ensuringservices of a high quality.

7. The transition from preschool to primary is an important milestone for children andadequate supports must be provided to ensure this is facilitated without unnecessarystress.

8. The provision of opportunities for education, training and ongoing professionaldevelopment is a prerequisite of quality services. A national qualifications frameworkwith clear pathways of progression needs to be implemented.

9. The proposed QE inspection system should contain a supportive aspect to assistservices in their quest to attain quality.

4.5 Department of Healthand Children (DHC)

Traditionally, the Department of Healthwas involved in the provision of ECCE fortargeted groups by the funding of healthboard nurseries (Hayes, 1983). Thisprimarily focused on children affected bydisadvantage and grants were provided forthe purchase of equipment and also for the

annual running costs of such services(NDP/CSF, 2003:94). In 1990, theDepartment of Health published Needsand Abilities – A Policy for theIntellectually Disabled (DoH, 1990).This report places emphasis on theimportance of early intervention and theneed to support parents and families of achild with an intellectual disability. Ingeneral, such supports are to be provided

Section 4

Services are obliged to notify health boardsof their existence and following an initialinspection, settings are usually inspectedon an annual basis. Services who have notvoluntarily notified are also subject toinspection from Department of Health andChildren officials, focusing on thefollowing:

Inspection is designed to ensure thehealth, safety and welfare ofchildren and the promotion of theirdevelopment. It also is to ensurecompliance with statutoryrequirements. (DHC, 1998:41)

Following the implementation of the 1996Regulations and the focus placed on qualityof services, the Western Health Board(WHB) produced A Guide to QualityPractice in Preschool Services (WHB,2000). This focuses on all aspects of qualityin preschool services and provides apractical guide to their implementation.The Preschool Regulations are currentlyunder review and the outcome of thisprocess is expected shortly. In a personalcorrespondence from the Department ofHealth and Children, it was stated that “Itis proposed that the revised Regulationswill place a stronger emphasis on childdevelopment.” (Childcare Policy Unit, DHC,Personal Communication, 15th March,2004)

In 1996, the Department of Healthpublished Towards an IndependentFuture, relating to the health and personalsocial services for people with physical andsensory disabilities (DoH, 1996b). Thisplaces a special emphasis on early detectionand intervention and the coordination ofservices for young children with disabilities.Early detection ranges from services withinmaternity hospitals, to public healthnursing and services to detect anydevelopmental difficulties in childrenwithin the preschool or school system.Supports for parents and families ofchildren with disabilities, “…particularlythose aged under two…” (DoH, 1996b:41)

within the home where feasible and inaddition, attendance at a preschool fromage three is cited as an importantintervention. The transition from thepreschool to a primary or special school isnoted as a significant development in thechild’s life, that must be supported by closeliaison with all the agencies and the familyinvolved.

With the introduction of the Child CareAct (DoH, 1991), the Department receiveda legislative framework within which tooperate with ECCE services. Part VII(Articles 49-58) of the Act relates topreschool services, while Article 55authorised the Department to:

…make such examination into thecondition of the premises and thecare and attention which the pre-school children are receiving…(DoH, 1991:Section 55)

The provisions of the Child Care Act (1991)relating to ECCE services were given effectby virtue of the Child Care (PreschoolServices) Regulations (DoH, 1996a).The Regulations apply to preschools,playgroups, day nurseries, crèches,childminders looking after three or morechildren and similar services catering forchildren aged birth to six.

The Regulations elucidate the requirementsfor services in relation to a qualityenvironment and health and safety issues,including staff-child ratios, space affordedper child, ventilation, lighting andinsurance requirements. In addition,Article 4 states that providers:

…shall ensure that every preschoolchild attending the service hassuitable means of expression anddevelopment through the use ofbooks, toys, games and other playmaterials, having regard to his or herage and development.” (DoH,1996a:8)

Section 4

childcare services, Objective A of theStrategy relates to the provision of highquality childcare for all children:

Children’s early education anddevelopmental need will be metthrough quality childcare servicesand family-friendly employmentmeasures. (DHC, 2000:50)

It further elaborates on this objective,outlining the multiple positive effects ofhigh quality ECCE services for all children,with special emphasis placed on thebenefits to those with special needs andthose affected by disadvantage (DHC,2000:51)

In 2001, the DHC made funding availableto introduce a voluntary notificationscheme for childminders looking after threeor less children ( outside the remit of the1996 Regulations) in their homes. Uponnotification, they receive the support of thelocal childminder’s advisory officer, whoperforms a multiplicity of tasks insupporting and enhancing the quality of theservices provided (Childcare Policy Unit,DHC, Personal Communication, 15th

March, 2004).

The NCO was established in 2001 toimprove all aspects of children’s lives byleading and supporting the implementationof the National Children’s Strategy. Thefirst major policy document of the NCO isReady, Steady Play – A NationalPlay Policy (NCO, 2004), following onfrom the recommendations within theNational Children’s Strategy:

The National Play Policy is aboutcreating better play opportunitiesfor children. Its overall objective isto plan for an increase in public playfacilities and thereby improve thequality of life of children living inIreland by providing them withmore play opportunities. (NCO,2004:8)

is also recommended. The provision ofappropriate playgroup facilities, providing“…intensive early therapy services forchildren…” (DoH, 1996b:53) and theirfamilies are also considered vital in earlyintervention.

The DHC was the lead agency in theproduction of the National Children’sStrategy – Our Children, Their Lives(DHC, 2000). It provides a framework forIreland regarding children and youngpeople and follows from the ratification byIreland in 1992 of the UN Convention onthe Rights of the Child (UN, 1989). Itaspires to “…enhance the status andfurther improve the quality of life ofIreland’s children” (DHC, 2000:6) andoutlines a number of strategies for therealisation of these objectives. The vision ofthe National Children’s Strategy is asfollows:

An Ireland where children arerespected as young citizens with avalued contribution to make and avoice of their own; where allchildren are cherished andsupported by family and widersociety; where they enjoy a fulfillingchildhood and realise their potential.(DHC, 2000:10)

This vision incorporates three nationalgoals:

1. Children will have a voice in matterswhich affect them and their viewswill be given due weight inaccordance with their age andmaturity.

2. Children’s lives will be betterunderstood; their lives will benefitfrom evaluation, research andinformation on their needs, rightsand the effectiveness of services.

3. Children will receive quality supportsand services to promote all aspects oftheir development (DHC, 2000:11).

Specifically relating to the quality of

Section 4

Implications for the National Framework for Quality -DHC

Defining Quality:

1. The health and safety of the environment of the child is of paramount importance inensuring a quality service is provided, including space per child, lighting andventilation.

2. High staff-child ratios are an important aspect of ensuring quality within services.

3. Opportunities for the child to develop in a holistic way within settings areimperative through the provision of appropriate materials and possibilities forinteraction.

4. National policy underpinning and promoting the position of children in societygreatly assists practical implementation of initiatives in relation to ECCE andensures such issues remain on the political agenda.

5. Providing opportunities for children to experience a broad range of play experiencesgreatly improves the quality of life for children.

Assessing Quality:

1. A legislative framework is a necessity for an inspection system to ensure compliancewith the regulations prescribed.

2. The inspection system must evaluate all aspects of the setting, including the tangiblestructural aspects, as well as the more subtle and dynamic aspects, and must beapplicable to all settings where children birth to six are present.

Supporting Quality:

1. Early intervention for children with special needs or those affected by disadvantage,both in the home and in preschool settings, is important for the achievement ofquality within services.

2. Parents and families of children with special needs need to be supported to dealwith the additional implications involved.

3. Transition from preschool to primary is a significant event in a child’s life and must

The Play Policy cites the importantinvestment in childcare under the EOCP,“…with a significantly enhanced focus onthe quality of these services.” (NCO,2004:10) However, it also outlines the lackof available data on play opportunities forchildren cared for by childminders outsidethe Preschool Regulations. In addition, theopportunities for play afforded withprimary schools are examined and there isa recommendation that such opportunitiesbe developed (NCO, 2004:25). Within its

eight objectives, Ready, Steady, Play alsooffers a framework for the actions neededand the agencies responsible to ensure thatquality is achieved in play facilities forchildren.

Additionally, the NCO facilitates a HighLevel Interdepartmental Working Group,which addresses issues of coordinationbetween education and care and betweengovernment departments.

Section 4

child, as well as provides support tomothers who have to undertakeother commitments outside thehome. (DSCFA, 1998:61)

Strengthening Families for Life cites thecurriculum and the training andqualifications of staff as being integralelements of quality and recognises that“…quality early education experiences arevaluable and important to all children,”citing benefits in relation to aspirations,motivation and commitment to schooling,as well as long-term benefits into adulthood(DSCFA, 1998:269). The Report is alsoforthright in its assertion that quality is noteasily achieved and that a supportinfrastructure is a prerequisite of success inattaining quality services:

The Commission is of the view thatinspection alone will not secure highstandards. It would like to see theadoption of a supportive approachby the health boards alongside theinspection procedures. (DSCFA,1998:250)

4.6 Department of Socialand Family Affairs (DSFA)

In 1998, the DSCFA5

published the Reportof the Commission on the Family -Strengthening Families for Life. Thiswas the culmination of a long processinitiated in 1995, which incorporated thecompletion of related pieces of research inthe intervening years to support thepublication. The Commission on the Familywas established in 1995 to “…makerecommendations to government onproposals which would strengthen thecapacity of families to carry out theirfunctions in a changing economic andsocial environment.” (DSCFA, 1998:2) TheReport viewed quality childcare as anintegral element of supporting families, andchildcare was raised as an issue in one-third of the 536 submissions received:

Quality childcare was oftenperceived to be vital to family life inthat it supports the development,education, care and welfare of the

Implications for the National Framework for Quality -DSCFA

Defining Quality:

1. The use of an appropriate curriculum or programme is an important aspect inattaining quality within settings.

2. The training and qualifications of staff are of paramount importance in ensuring aquality service for young children.

be supported by close cooperation and liaison between agencies and institutions.

4. Services outside the remit of the current regulations must be supported to ensurethat all children are in receipt of a quality service.

5. It is important to have standardised and current data on the opportunities availableto children to play in all areas.

5 Up until 2002, this department was known as theDepartment of Social, Community and Family Affairs(DSCFA).

Section 4

In 1996, the European CommissionNetwork on Childcare (1996) producedQuality Targets in Services forYoung Children, an outline of fortytargets which it aspired would be achievedby most countries within a ten-year period.Within this document, quality isunderstood as a relative and subjectiveconcept that cannot be defined succinctlybut instead:

…should be seen as a dynamic andcontinuous process, involvingregular review and never reaching afinal, objective statement. (EuropeanCommission Network on Childcare,1996:7)

It further states regarding the definition ofquality:

That process needs to be dynamicand continuous. It should also bemulti-level, complex and democratic,because the process of definitionneeds to involve a wide range ofgroups with an interest in servicesfor young children… (EuropeanCommission Network on Childcare,1996:8)

The importance of policy to support qualityimprovement is a recurrent theme of thepublication, stating that “…high qualityservices accessible to all children can onlybe achieved with a national policyframework.” (European CommissionNetwork on Childcare, 1996:10) Otherimportant elements in the achievement ofquality include:

4.7 InternationalPerspectives

European structural funds began filteringinto the ECCE domain from the mid-1990s,largely framed within an equalityperspective regarding female participationwithin the workforce. This financedprojects such as the New Opportunities forWomen (NOW) Programme and thedissemination of this funding wasdependent on European guidelines.A number of international documentsproviding comparative reviews impingedirectly on policy regarding quality in theIrish context. In 1992, Balaguer et al.produced Quality in Services forYoung Children – A DiscussionPaper. The following aspects werehighlighted as important in the attainmentof quality:

Policy;

Legislation and standards;

Financing and resourcing;

Planning and monitoring;

Advice and support;

Staff training;

Inspection of physical resources;

Research and development;

Integration and co-ordination ofservices (Balaguer et al., 1992).

The report further acknowledges that theindividual context of each country was ofparamount importance in theinterpretation and application of suchaspects, yet all were significant in theattainment of quality.

Assessing Quality:

1. Inspection alone will not ensure quality services. A system of supports to complementinspection must be implemented to ensure quality is achieved and maintained.

Supporting Quality:

1. The provision of quality childcare is an important element in the supports providedto families, including mothers working outside the home.

Section 4

Childcare, 1996:5).

In 2002, a comparative review of familypolicy, Contemporary Family Policy –A Comparative Review of Ireland,France, Germany, Sweden and theUK was produced (Daly and Clavero,2002). It cites that childcare policy was notan issue in the Irish context until the mid-1990s, and then this was catalysed byeconomic as opposed to equality issues(Daly and Clavero, 2002:60). While thereport deals with the issue of childcare, itdoes not specifically mention or discuss theterm quality.

The OECD produced a comparative review,Babies and Bosses - ReconcilingWork and Family Life in Austria,Ireland and Japan in 2003 (OECD,2003). The provision of quality childcare isa core element in allowing parents to workand the report asserts that:

promoting child development andensuring that childcare services areof good quality warrant additionalpublic investment in childcare.(OECD, 2003:12)

The report goes on to state the importanceof quality in all countries, but especially inIreland where the role of the informalchildcare sector is significant vis-à-vis otherjurisdictions (OECD, 2003:160).

Coordination of responsibility forservices;

Curricular framework;

Appropriate staffing and staffconditions;

Appropriate physical environment;

Infrastructure for planning, monitoring,support training, research anddevelopment;

Adequate financing of services andinfrastructure (European CommissionNetwork on Childcare, 1996:5).

This requires sustained public and politicalawareness and interest of the needs ofchildren, parents and families. It outlines anumber of components of qualityapplicable in the European context,including the following:

Affordability;

Access to services in all areas - urbanand rural;

Access to services for children withspecial needs;

Combining safe and secure care with apedagogical approach;

Close and responsive relations betweenservices and parents/communities;

Diversity and flexibility of services;

Increased choice for parents;

Coherence between different services(European Commission Network on

Implications for the National Framework for Quality– International Perspectives

Defining Quality:

1. Legislation and a policy framework at national, regional and local level is importantfor the attainment of quality.

2. Planning is an essential component of ensuring services are of a high quality.

3. Staff training and qualifications are an important characteristic of quality services.

4. Services must remain integrated and coordinated to ensure there are noduplications and voids in services.

Section 4

policy publications at this time. Manyorganisations are in the process ofproducing such documents but they are asyet not complete for inclusion in this review(see Table 1, page 5).

This section begins by documenting thepolicies of the NVCOs, followed by a briefoverview of policies emanating from thecommunity sector. Due to the diverse arrayof organisations involved both directly andindirectly with ECCE, it is not feasiblewithin the confines of this review to includeall policies produced on ECCE in the pastfourteen years. The most prominent, thoseutilised widely and with universal

4.8 Policies Relating toNon-Statutory Agencies

The non-statutory element of ECCE inIreland had remained under resourced andconsequently, underdeveloped for manyyears in Ireland. The economic changes asoutlined earlier catalysed the developmentof the sector and there has been a myriad ofactivity by a multiplicity of organisationsand agencies in recent years. Theinfrastructure relating to much of the ECCEsector is in its infancy at present, and thus,while there is much activity in relation toquality, there is a scarcity of documented

5. It is important to acknowledge cultural variations in the definition, assessment andinterpretation of quality.

6. Quality is a relative and subjective concept that should be seen as a dynamic andcontinuous process as opposed to a product.

7. An appropriate curricular framework is an inherent characteristic of a quality service.

8. The affordability of services is a component of quality in ensuring they are accessibleto all children.

9. Quality is also impacted upon by the accessibility of services in all geographical areas,both urban and rural.

10. The quality of a service is also determined by its inclusion of children with specialneeds within the setting.

11. Parental and community links with the setting is a strong indicator of quality.

12. The ability for services to be flexible and to accommodate diversity is also animportant characteristic of quality.

Assessing Quality:

1. The inspection of physical resources within settings is an important indicator ofquality services.

Supporting Quality:

1. The financing and resourcing of the ECCE sector is imperative to ensure that qualityin services is achieved.

2. Advice and support internally and from external sources is a vital support in ensuringquality services are achieved.

3. There is need for ongoing research and development to inform and underpinprogress within ECCE services to ensure they remain dynamic and evolutionary.

4. The support of quality is particularly important in the Irish context where theinformal childcare sector is particularly large in international terms.

Section 4

setting for its members, incorporatinginformation on indoor and outdoor designand provides full information from siteacquisition to the layout and equipping ofthe setting. The importance of achievingthe correct design and layout is reiteratedthroughout:

Greater awareness as to whatconstitutes good quality childcarehas led to increasing recognition ofthe influence and contribution thatthe design and layout of premisesplay in the provision of quality careof children aged 0-14 years. (NCNA,2002a:1)

In 2003, Towards Quality Daycare –Minimum Quality Standards in aNursery (NCNA, 2003b) was published topromote quality among daycare providers.It outlines a number of aspects to supportthe attainment of quality within services,including management issues, staffing andqualifications, the environment,activities/programme for children,partnership with families, food andnutrition and the following of policies andprocedures (NCNA, 2003b). The NCNAalso disseminated a code of EthicalPractice Guidelines to its members tosupport quality interactions within thechildcare setting and to act as a guide whenpersonnel are in doubt regarding ethicalissues (NCNA, 2003c).

IPPA, the Early ChildhoodOrganisation is the largest voluntaryorganisation working for young childrenand their families in Ireland, committed topromoting quality play-based ECCE. In1998, it produced a Position Paper forthe National Forum on EarlyChildhood Care and Education (IPPA,1998). Within this, priority is placed on theimportance of a curriculum for all children,the need to standardise training andqualifications and for increasedprofessionalisation of the sector, the crucialimpact of parental and communitypartnership and the need to achieve greatercoordination in ECCE structures. The need

application, which will assist the devising ofthe NFQ, have been prioritised within thisreview.

4.8.1 National Voluntary ChildcareOrganisations

The National Children’s NurseriesAssociation (NCNA) was established topromote high standards of quality childcarein Ireland. The organisation realises thisaim through a multitude of activities,including education of owners, staff,parents and legislators, dissemination ofinformation and supporting practitioners(NCNA, 2003a:2). In the past decade, theNCNA has produced numerouspublications pertaining to quality. QualityNursery Care for your Child (NCNA,1990) was revised in 1997 (NCNA, 1997)and was followed in 1998 by TowardsQuality Daycare (NCNA, 1998), all ofwhich are detailed in Section 5. The NCNAoutlined its policy in relation to theprovision of after-school care in itspublication After School – The WayForward (NCNA, 2000a). Thispublication outlines a number of importantelements for the provision of a qualityservice including putting children first,providing a sense of belonging, creating theright environment, giving children choices,reconciling family life with after schoolprovision and the right of children to play(NCNA, 2000a:5-7).

The NCNA, in conjunction with a numberof the other national voluntaryorganisations, produced Guidelines forthe Protection of Children in EarlyChildhood Services (NCNA, 2000b).These guidelines support settings to makesure quality practice in relation to thewelfare and protection of children isachieved. The NCNA has been instrumentalin supporting quality from a variety ofperspectives and produced We Like thisPlace - Guidelines for Best Practicein the Design of Childcare Facilities(NCNA, 2002a). This publication outlinesthe salient features of the layout of a quality

Section 4

The recognition of the importance ofchildhood;

The central role of play;

The key role of adults in supportingdevelopment and learning;

The vital role of training;

Partnership with parents andcommunity. (IPPA, 2002a:9)

The IPPA acknowledge that in relation totraining and qualifications, “…the baselinein Ireland appears extremely low as themajority of staff have no accreditedqualification…” (IPPA, 2002a:10) It furtherpoints out that there is a need forrecognition of the fact that there is a“…wide chasm between minimumstandards and quality attainment” (IPPA,2002a:11) and that minimum standardscannot be perceived or interpreted asquality. The IPPA outlines the static (healthand hygiene, safety, space allocation, ratios,training and qualifications, equipment,policies and procedures) and dynamicelements (unique relationships andinteractions) of quality, recognising bothare interrelated and valid (IPPA, 2002a:13)These will be treated in greater depth in thepractice section when the IPPA QualityImprovement Programme (QIP) is detailed.

The assurance of such quality is seen froman assessment or developmental approach,depending on whether it is the static ordynamic variables being assessed. TheIPPA believe that working towards qualityis an ongoing process and further that:

dynamic elements of quality cannotbe imposed. There is no definedstandard, no final destination butrather movement in the rightdirection. (IPPA, 2002a:13)

The IPPA outline core constituents ofquality from the point of view of children,from the perspective of the setting, of themanagement and of the staff (IPPA,2002a:15-16). The publication concludeswith recommendations for the

for a national policy framework to achievethese objectives is also cited:

There is clearly a need for thedevelopment of a national policyand mechanisms at local andregional level for the effective andefficient delivery of early childhoodcare and education. (IPPA, 1998:23)

The IPPA also produced a QualityDiscussion Paper in 2001 (IPPA, 2001),which was revised and reissued in 2002(IPPA, 2002a). This outlines the IPPApolicy in relation to quality in Ireland,which is viewed in a holistic context. TheIPPA are adamant that quality as opposedto quantity should form the basis ofnational childcare policy. The organisation is also aware of the dynamicand subjective nature of quality and thatthis is influenced at societal, policy andpractice levels, as is evidenced by thefollowing statements:

Defining quality is a process ofongoing critical analysis, reflectivepractice and meaning making.(IPPA, 2002a:4)

Quality is subjective because itrelates to the values and beliefs ofthe stakeholders within a social andcultural context. (IPPA, 2002a:12)

Quality by its nature is dynamic andcontinuous. (IPPA, 2002a:17)

This process of defining quality must takeplace in the national context and it is aprocess that requires the search for answersto difficult questions, the process of whichis instrumental in attaining quality. TheIPPA perceive the DES proposedintervention as being a ‘top-down model,’the DJELR as an ‘outside perspective’ andinstead propose a bottom-up approach inrelation to quality by considering the child’sexperience within the service. The corevalues of the IPPA since its inception arenow proposed as indicators of quality,including:

Section 4

The Border Counties ChildcareNetwork (BCCN) produced a booklet onOut Door Play: Designs and Benefits(BCCN, 2002). This outlines thecharacteristics of quality outdoor playunder the following headings:

A broad balanced curriculum reflectingall aspects of child development;

Free flow access between indoor andoutdoor play areas;

Indoor and outdoor play planned andlinked together;

Adults playing a major role throughobservation and quality interaction;

Equal access to outdoor play provisionfor boys and girls;

Allowing access out of doors all yearround;

Allowing access for children with specialneeds;

Providing opportunities for challengeand problem-solving;

Adult and child responsibility for theequipment, behaviour etc.;

Discussion and planning with childrento provide a greater understanding andpromote ideas from children (BCCN,2002:15-16).

Barnardos has also been active in relationto the production of publications relating toquality in a variety of settings. It hasproduced a number of guides for theestablishment of a quality childcare service(Canavan and Gibbons, 1997; O’Sullivanand Gibbons, 1997) and to assist services inthe recruitment of quality personnel(Barnardos and ADM, 1999; Byrne, 2002).These outline background issues such asrelevant legislation, the selection andrecruitment process and also themanagement and supervision of personnelin their new position (Barnardos, 1999;2002; Dowd, 2002). Get it Right: AParent’s Guide to Choosing QualityDaycare provide insights for parents inhow to choose a quality childcare settingfor their children. Dowd (2000) outlines

improvement of quality by paying specialattention to the following four areas:

Diversity

Training

Specialist support

Capacity building (IPPA, 2002a:20-21).

The IPPA also disseminated Guidelineson Policies for Preschool Services(IPPA, 2002b) to its members. This is asupport to services that are in the processof developing or reviewing their policiesand procedures and provides samplepolicies for adaptation to the needs ofindividual settings.

Childminding Ireland producedChoosing Childcare – Solving ourChildcare Problems (Murray, 1993). Inthis, the characteristics of the childminderleading to a quality service are outlined,including sensitivity, availability, patience,support, security, discipline, practicality,trust, sense of humour and training(Murray, 1993:19-25). This was followed in2001 by The Childminding Handbook(Murray, 2001) as a support tochildminders in achieving a quality service:

The objective of the book is toexplore the issues leading to qualityin family childcare relationship andthe environment where childrenmay spend long hours. (Murray,2001:13)

This publication places great emphasis onthe intrinsic qualities of the individualchildminder, as due to the nature of thework, childminding often involves oneadult working alone with a child or group ofchildren. As Murray (2001:45) states:

Quality in Childminding is related toqualities in the person providing thecare, but quality is also related tothe nature of the relationshipbetween the children’s parents andthe Childminder.

Section 4

services to ensure quality on issues such as:

Policies and procedures;

Management;

Human resources;

Partnership with families andcommunity;

Child-centred environment;

Curriculum;

Observations and assessment andbehaviour management;

Health and safety (French, 2003).

The St. Nicholas Montessori Societyof Ireland (SNMSI) issued Guidelinesfor Montessori Schools (SNMSI, n.d.).These guidelines place great emphasis onthe “Prepared Environment,” both indoorand outdoors, in line with the teachingsand philosophy of Maria Montessori. Theyalso delineate the materials and subjectareas for activities to be conducted inMontessori schools. The guidelines arecurrently under review and a revisededition is expected shortly.

Pavee Point is a partnership of IrishTravellers and settled people workingtogether to improve the lives of IrishTravellers through working towards socialjustice, solidarity, socio-economicdevelopment and human rights (PaveePoint, Accessed at: http://www.paveepoint.ie/pav_about_a.html, 8th June, 2004).The organisation has produced many policydocuments relating to ECCE in Ireland,most notably Éist – RespectingDiversity in Early Childhood Care,Education and Training (Murray andO’Doherty, 2001). This document outlinesthe challenges of embracing diversity in theIrish context and the importance of an anti-bias approach to ensure a qualityexperience for all:

In accordance with the principles ofquality in early years provision, allservices for children need to putequality policies in place which

the core characteristics of quality childcareas incorporating opportunities for thefollowing:

To develop understanding of the worldaround them;

To form consistent, loving relationships;

To explore and experiment;

To engage in activities which encouragephysical development;

To enjoy learning through play;

To negotiate obstacles and conflict;

To celebrate effort and mastery of newskills;

To practise new skills

To develop a positive sense of self;

Learning how to learn (Dowd, 2000:5).

Dowd (2000) proposes that the quality of aservice can be determined by a number ofcriteria upon which the child’s interactionswith adults and other children depend, theopportunities for new experiences and theability to cope with different environmentsare central. Other criteria include thequality of the following elements:

Staff;

Curriculum;

Provision for children with specialneeds;

Parental involvement;

Discipline;

Diversity (Dowd, 2000:6-9).

Canavan (2000) Quality Childcare inthe Workplace – A Step-by-StepGuide for Employers outlines strategiesand provides exemplars for employersproviding quality childcare services in theworkplace. French (2000), superseded byFrench (2003), provides a comprehensiveguide to Supporting Quality (French,2003) in the Irish context. This detailssupports in regard to early childhood

Section 4

ordinating and supervising play andplay personnel throughout thehospital. (Association for the Welfareof Children in Hospital Ireland,1993:8)

An Outline Guide for the Provision ofHealthcare Services to Children andYoung People was issued in 2002 (CHI,2002a). This outlines 52 points of interestfor the care of children in a hospital setting.Collectively, these will ensure that the timespent in hospital is as stress-free andbeneficial to the needs of the child aspossible. Some of the topics reviewedinclude play, recreation and leisureactivities, education, children with specialeducational needs and children withdisabilities.

Later in 2002, it published a Charter forChildren in Hospital, incorporating tenarticles focusing on the needs and rights ofchildren. Article seven is of particularrelevance for this review, stating that:

Children shall have full opportunityfor play, recreation and educationsuited to their age and condition andshall be in an environment designed,furnished, staffed and equipped tomeet their needs. (CHI, 2002b:20)

The charter further stresses the importanceof appropriate play materials for allchildren, the provision of suitably qualifiedstaff and the nature of the architecture andinterior design of the environment.

protect children againstdiscrimination in accordance withthe grounds identified in the newequal status legislation. (Murray andO’Doherty, 2001:79)

In addition, the importance of training formanagement, staff and parents isemphasised in order to implement the anti-bias approach. The Report acknowledgesthe complexity of achieving such anapproach, making recommendations togovernment, to training, accreditation andcertification bodies, to early years providersand voluntary childcare organisations aswell as a number of generalrecommendations.

Children in Hospital Ireland (CHI)promotes the welfare of sick children bydrawing attention to their special needs foremotional security. In 1993, when it wasknown as the Association for the Welfare ofChildren in Hospital (Ireland), it publishedits report, Play for Child Patients inIrish Hospitals (Association for theWelfare of Children in Hospital Ireland,1993). It makes a number ofrecommendations regarding play facilitiesin hospitals, play personnel, financing ofplay and the types of play provided toensure a quality play experience for thechild. Regarding staffing, the report states:

The play should be organised by aqualified hospital Play Specialistwho would be responsible for co-

Implications for the National Framework for Quality– Non-Statutory Agencies

Defining Quality:

1. The interests and well-being of the child are of primary importance in theattainment of quality.

2. The environment of the child is a significant contributor to quality.

3. Affording children choices in the type of activities they pursue is an importantfeature of quality.

Section 4

4. Policies and procedures must be in place and followed to ensure that children areprotected and their welfare is promoted within services.

5. The design of settings, both indoor and outdoor, has an important contribution tomake in attaining quality.

6. The effective management of a setting is an important feature of a quality service.

7. Staff training and qualifications is an important feature of quality

8. The provision of an appropriate programme/curriculum or activities for children is akey characteristic of quality.

9. Partnership with parents and families is an inherent aspect of quality.

10. The provision of appropriate and nutritional food within settings is an importantfeature of quality.

11. Greater coordination and cooperation between those involved with ECCE, at national,local and regional level, is an important element of quality.

12. Quality is a subjective and dynamic term that must be constantly revised in light ofevolutionary developments.

13. Opportunities for play, both indoors and outdoors, are a central element in theprovision of a quality service for young children.

14. The traits or characteristics of personnel, especially where children spend a longperiod of time with one person, are a fundamental indicator of quality.

15. Inclusion of all children in services, in a non-discriminatory way, is an importantfeature of quality.

16. An anti-bias approach to ECCE services is an important characteristic of embracingdiversity and preventing discrimination.

Assessing Quality:

1. Quality can be assessed in a number of ways, including ‘top-down’, by outsiders or bya ‘bottom-up’ perspective.

2. The static and dynamic variables of quality are both valid and interrelated whenassessing quality.

3. There is a significant difference between minimum standards and a quality service.Minimum standards cannot be interpreted as quality.

Supporting Quality:

1. The education of all stakeholders in the ECCE arena is an important constituent ofattaining high quality services, including providers, parents, personnel and policymakers.

2. Quality cannot be imposed but must be supported to ensure services move in theright direction.

Section 4

all childcare facilities and the developmentof “…guidelines in relation to minimumhealth and safety standards for use byboth providers and users” (CPA, 1998a:6).

The CPA, in its Position Paper for theNational Forum for Early ChildhoodEducation, outlines the important rolequality ECCE plays in combating exclusionand disadvantage (CPA, 1998b:5). The CPAcalls for additional resources to increase thequality of ECCE provision, includingimproved adult-child ratios, utilisation ofimproved curricular and pedagogicapproaches and enhanced integration ofpolicy. In its recommendations, the CPAcalls for ECCE services to be child-centred,of a high quality, accessible, flexible andculturally appropriate (CPA, 1998b:8).

This theme has been repeated insubsequent submissions to government. In2001, the CPA published a Summary ofProposals to the National Anti-Poverty Strategy Review. In relation toeducational disadvantage, a key target wasthat “ All children should have access toquality early education before enteringprimary school.” (CPA, 2001:9) A priorityaction towards achieving this target wasidentified as the need to “Ensure thatcurrent and future provision is child-centred, of a high quality, well resourcedand with appropriately trained staff andgood adult child ratios.” (CPA, 2001:9)

The Irish National Teachers’Organisation (INTO) is the union ofprimary teachers in Ireland. It producesmany policy documents relating to primaryschools, thus impacting on the infantclasses and early childhood education. Thepublications reviewed here are those thathave specific remit for the infant classes asopposed to general publications. Recentyears have witnessed an increased focus onpolicy issues for ECCE. In 1995, the INTOproduced Early Childhood Education– Issues and Concerns (INTO, 1995).This explored many of the contemporaryissues in ECCE at the time such as

4.8.2 Other Organisations

The National Disability Authority(NDA) promotes and helps secure therights of people with disabilities of all agesin Ireland. As part of this brief, the NDAprepared a Submission toChildcare/Preschool (Services)Regulations 1996 and (Amendment)Regulations 1997 Review Group. Itoutlines the crucial nature of appropriateearly intervention for children with specialneeds on their future development:

Early experiences of inclusion orexclusion are crucial in shaping thefuture participation of people withdisabilities. (NDA, 2002a:2)

The NDA make a number ofrecommendations based on its submissionto enhance the quality of services forchildren with disabilities, including theappropriate provision of or attention to thefollowing:

Adult-child ratios;

Record keeping;

Premises and facilities;

Inspection;

Assessment;

Equal status / Discrimination;

Fees (NDA, 2002a:4-6).

The Combat Poverty Agency (CPA) hasa brief “…to work for the prevention anddecrease of poverty and social exclusionand the reduction of inequality in Ireland”.(CPA, 1998a:1) In their 1998 pre-budgetsubmission to the Minister of Social,Community and Family Affairs, Investingin Children, they highlighted their beliefthat “…all children have a right to qualitychildcare” (CPA, 1998a:6) due to the keyrole that it can play in “…combatingeducational disadvantage among children,facilitating labour market participation bywomen and alleviating family stress andsocial isolation. (CPA 1998a:6) They calledfor appropriate training and regulation of

Section 4

quality and comprehensive system of adultlearning and education. In 2003, itpublished Childcare and AdultEducation (Aontas, 2003). While itwelcomes the focus on quality provisionthrough staffing and capital grants, itbelieves that the EOCP does not allowflexibility and thus does not adequatelysupport the needs of people receivingtraining or returning to work. Itsubsequently makes recommendations forthe improvement of childcare to meetAontas aims and objectives.

The Ballyfermot Partnership publishedThe ABC Plan – Action forBallyfermot Childcare (BallyfermotPartnership, 2000). It places quality as acore issue in the Ballyfermot area,lamenting the fact that quality is not alwaysachieved in the area:

There is little quality control in thearea. The enforcement of qualitystandards is particularly importantin Ballyfermot/Cherry Orchard asthe quality of provision is ofteninferior in disadvantaged areas.(Ballyfermot Partnership, 2000:39)

It also cites the training and qualificationsof staff as a core constituent of quality andmakes a number of recommendations inthis regard:

Good quality training is essential ifchildcare services are to be of highquality and respond to the needs oftheir users. (Ballyfermot Partnership,2000:37)

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions(ICTU) carried out a study into childcarepractices among its members, IdentifyingMembers’ Childcare Needs (ICTU,2002). While the survey dealt largely withthe costs and availability of childcarefacilities, quality was also seen as animportant element:

Ensuring high standards of

educational disadvantage, the curriculum,play, the role of parents and teachereducation (both pre-service and in-service).

The INTO prepared a submission for theNational Forum for Early ChildhoodEducation in 1998, A Perspective onEarly Childhood Education (INTO,1998). This placed great emphasis on therole of the teacher in early childhoodeducation, the importance of anappropriate curricular framework and thecrucial nature of teacher education:

The quality of any sector of theeducational service is to a largeextent determined by the quality ofthe teacher and a prime contributorto the quality of the teacher is theprofessional preparation that isprovided, especially during pre-service. (INTO, 1998:9)

The INTO concludes by making a numberof recommendations on the followingsalient features:

Highly qualified teachers, anabundance of appropriate materialsand equipment, suitable facilities, achild centred curriculum, and lowteacher pupil ratio are prerequisitesof high quality early childhoodeducation. (INTO, 1998:22)

In 2000, the INTO and St. Patrick’s Collegeof Education hosted an early childhoodconference, the proceedings of which waspublished as Early Years Learning(INTO, 2000). Similar themes emergedfrom this conference such as the role of theteacher, the importance of the curriculumand appropriate methodologies, the pre-service training and ongoing professionaldevelopment of teachers, adult-child ratiosin the infant classroom, educationaldisadvantage and the provision for childrenwith special needs in the early years (INTO,2000).

Aontas promotes the development of a

Section 4

staff turnover, low amount of supportservices, funding and inappropriatenational policies for rural areas (Hayes andMoore, 1998:8-9).

In May 2004, Planet Childcare PolicyGroup, which represents the Partnerships,published Community ChildcareServices in Disadvantaged Areas -Current Review and FutureRecommendations. This publication wascompiled to present the results of a surveyof community childcare facilities which,“…raise concerns about what it sees as apotential crisis in community childcare”(Planet, 2004:1). The document isprimarily concerned with the sustainabilityof community childcare on foot of thepossible removal of their main source ofincome, i.e. Community Employmentschemes and the EOCP grant aid. Theymake the argument that the value ofcommunity childcare should be recognisedas a cost effective family supportmechanism with wide ranging potential inthis regard. In addition, it cites thepotential of the partnership companies todevelop an overall quality framework forchildcare that would harness the expertisethat has accumulated within thecommunity childcare services. This, it isenvisaged, could be achieved throughcollaboration with the CECDE. (Planet,2004:6)

childcare is of concern to Congressand working parents, high qualitychildcare provision makes a realcontribution to children developingtheir potential while poor qualityprovision can be damaging. (ICTU,2002:Foreword).

The Cross-Border Rural ChildcareProject produced a report, Quality inServices for Young Children in RuralAreas (Hayes and Moore, 1998). Thisreport discusses the complexity of definingquality and lists a number of perspectivesfrom which it can be identified:

The child development perspective;

The government/regulatory perspective;

The social service perspective;

The parent perspective;

The child perspective;

The social policy funding perspective

The staff perspective;

The cultural perspective (Hayes andMoore, 1998:3-5).

The report further identifies complexities inthe attainment of quality in the ruralcontext that exist in addition to challengesin urban areas, including scatteredpopulations, distance and transportproblems, small services leading to high

Implications for the National Framework for Quality– Other Organisations

Defining Quality:

1. High adult-child ratios are an important characteristic of quality services

2. The importance of record-keeping within services is seen as being an importantelement of quality.

3. The quality of premises and facilities impacts on the quality of the services.

4. Equal access to services by all children and their families is an inherentcharacteristic of quality.

5. Affordability for all, including those with special needs and affected bydisadvantage, is a key element in providing a quality service.

Section 4

6. The curriculum or programme followed, as well as the methodologies employedwithin services impacts on the quality of the service provided.

7. Parental involvement is a key characteristic of quality.

8. The training and qualifications of personnel, both at pre-service and in-service level,has an important bearing on the quality of the service provided.

9. Quality childcare must be flexible to meet the needs of parents and families accessingtraining or employment outside the home.

10. Quality is a subjective concept and can be viewed from a multiplicity of perspectivesdepending on the stakeholder or the objectives in question.

11. The availability of appropriate materials and equipment to enhance childdevelopment is an important feature of quality.

Assessing Quality:

1. The inspection and assessment of services is an important element in ensuringquality within service provision.

Supporting Quality:

1. High quality childcare is a necessity in all areas, regardless of socio-economicdisadvantage or other adverse conditions.

2. Quality needs to be supported in different ways and to differing degrees in variousareas, including rural and urban areas.

PracticeDevelopments1990 - 2004

5.1 Introduction

This section of the report reviews currentpractice related to the establishment andpromotion of quality in ECCE settings inIreland. The preceding section hasreviewed the policy context for this practiceand therefore the focus of this discussionwill include how policy has translated intothe practice of defining, assessing andsupporting quality in ECCE.

The review considers government and non-government initiatives separately. This isdone to provide a structure for the reviewof the materials and does not reflect thenature of practice. The level of interactionand flow of information between these twoarenas is significant and has beeninfluential in the development of qualityinitiatives over the period underconsideration.

5.2 Perspectives onQuality

As has already been discussed, quality hasbeen addressed in policy terms frommultiple perspectives. This is equally trueof practice initiatives. Three keyperspectives can be identified which haveinfluenced the quality of practice in ECCE.These are:

Statutory or legislative - e.g. reflects thestatutory responsibilities of the DHCand DES to implement minimumstandards for the operation of Pre-school services.

Section 5

Practice Developments 1990-2004

Practitioner/ provider – reflects theneeds and concerns of those activelyengaged in delivering early childhoodservices.

Education and training – reflects theposition that the quality of personnel,especially in terms of their educationand training, directly influences thenature, and quality of practice.

These perspectives are related andinterlinked and all of the above may haveinfluenced any one practice initiative.However it is useful to identify them asdistinct as they each have exercised uniqueinfluences on the quality of practice inECCE.

5.3 Defining, Assessingand Supporting Quality -Statutory Perspectives

As has been outlined in the policy section,key responsibility for ECCE serviceprovision is spread across, in the main,three government departments. These arethe DES, the DHC and the DJELR. The rolethat each play in the development of qualitypractice in ECCE is outlined below.

5.4 Department ofEducation and Science

In 1990, a Report of the PrimaryEducation Review Body (DoE, 1990a),which had been established in 1988,identified the factors upon which effectiveprimary education depends. As previouslyoutlined in the policy section, theseincluded the suitability of the curriculum,the competence and commitment ofteachers, effective management, parentalinvolvement and home-school links. (DoE,1990a:31).

A number of these issues were elaborated

on in detail and the report concluded withone hundred and seven recommendationsmany of which were concerned with theimprovement of quality practice in primaryeducation. In 1994, a NationalEducation Convention was convened todeliberate on the changing nature of Irishsociety and the type of education systemthat was required to meet the challenges ofsuch change (Coolahan, 1994). In thereport of this convention, a chapterdedicated to the issue of quality reflectedupon practice in primary schools and madesome interesting observations on ‘goodpractice’ in a number of areas (See Section4).

School planning was highlighted as anessential step towards improving quality ineducation. However, the following caveatwas issued, which illustrates the tone of thereport in general:

Should school plans be envisaged asfinal documents which rarely changeand only occasionally reviewed, theirinfluence on school improvement maybe marginal. Systematic evaluation ofschool practices needs to be conductedon a regular basis. In this wayincremental improvements can bemade and quality can be improved.(Coolahan, 1994:56)

It was further observed that school plansneeded to contain specific targets andcriteria, “...if only because they (staff) willnot receive precise feedback on theirefforts. Success will be difficult to identifyand stagnation rather than developmentcould follow”. (Coolahan, 1994:58)

Both the 1990 publication and the 1994report support the premise that qualityimprovements in education could only beeffected if clear and unambiguous targetswere established, if these weredisseminated to all those involved in theachievement of those targets and ifadequate support mechanismsaccompanied these targets.

Section 5

It is uncertain to what extent therecommendations of both these reportswere implemented as no follow updocumentation is available. However it ispossible to establish that there are fourcentral aspects to the role that the DESplays in defining assessing and supportingquality practice in ECCE. These arecurriculum development, inspection ofschools, teacher education and support,and targeted initiatives.

5.4.1 Curriculum

The impact of the curriculum on thepractice of teachers is extremely difficult toestablish, as there is very little nationalresearch in this regard. Within the periodunder consideration in this review, twonational primary curricula exert influence.The first, formulated in 1971 was known asthe New Curriculum (DoE, 1971) whilethe second and current Primary SchoolCurriculum, commonly known as theRevised Curriculum (DES, 1999b), wasfirst introduced in 1999. Teachers receivethe curriculum through a set of handbooks,which outline the aims and objectives of thecurriculum in general, and then by eachsubject area. Recommended teachingmethodologies are also outlined withexamples of good practice. The 1971curriculum Teacher Handbook (DoE, 1971)consists of two volumes, which identifiesthe following curricular areas; Religion,Language (Irish and English),Mathematics, Art and Craft activities,Social and Environmental Studies, Musicand Physical Education (DoE, 1971:20).The Revised Curriculum of 1999 consists of23 volumes addressing the followingcurriculum areas; Language, Mathematics,SESE, Arts Education, Physical Educationand SPHE.

In 1990, the Review Body on thePrimary Curriculum (DoE, 1990b)reported on the nature and implementationof the 1971 Curriculum and provided auseful picture of teaching practice inschools at that time. Detailed consideration

of the findings of this report are beyond thescope of this review. However, theevaluation of the operation andimplementation of the curriculum againstthe five key principles “…on which theprimary curriculum can be said to bebased…” (DoE, 1990b:13) provides avaluable window on practice at this time.Before reviewing the findings it is worthnoting that, “(T)he principles of thecurriculum are not formally specified inthe Teacher Handbook.” (DoE, 1990b:13)In other words, they are not listed in thedocument but have been extracted from itby the Review Body for the purposes of theevaluation.

These principles are:

1. Full and harmonious development -this reflects the belief that: “Allchildren are complex human beingswith physical, emotional, intellectualand spiritual needs andpotentialities.” (DoE, 1971, Vol. 1:13);

2. Due allowance for individualdifference – emphasises theimportance of curricular planning inrelation to the unique individualneeds of each child;

3. Activity and discovery methods–based upon the ‘active nature oflearning processes’ (DoE, 1990b:13);

4. Integrated curriculum – recognisesthat learning does not happen inisolated areas of knowledge andactivity; rather that each subject areais interrelated and interdependent;

5. Environment based learning – theenvironment is the most effectiveway of integrating various aspects ofthe total curriculum.

The Review Body conducted research withpracticing teachers to establish levels ofacceptance and implementation of theseprinciples. In general, there was a high

Section 5

degree of acceptance of all the principles byteachers at all levels of the primary school.Whilst the level of implementation varied, ageneral trend was that implementation wasmore successful in the Junior classes thanin the Senior classes where lessons becamemore didactic and subject-driven. Thefindings in relation to Principle 1 are alsointeresting:

…evidence suggests that teachersand inspectors saw greatest successin relation to cognitive and socialdevelopment. There is less success inrelation to aesthetic and creativedevelopment and to a lesser extentin relation to emotional and socialdevelopment. (DoE, 1990b:14)

The Review Body identified a number offactors, which impinged on the successfuldelivery of the curriculum and indeed someof these go to the heart of the provision ofhigh quality education:

Poor dissemination of the curriculum –there was a serious lack of support inthe form of information, and in-servicetraining for teachers;

Lack of resources and text books;

Large class sizes;

Post primary tests and other selectionprocedures skewed activities in seniorclasses of primary school (DoE, 1990b).

The Revised Curriculum was introduced in1999 and the DES has taken on board anumber of these issues and instigatedinitiatives to overcome them.

To ensure improved dissemination andimplementation of the Revised Curriculum,the Primary Curriculum SupportProgramme (PCSP) was set up to planand coordinate the ‘roll out’ of thecurriculum, providing information and aprogramme of in-service to all schoolsthrough the:

Promotion of ownership of the

curriculum by schools so that eachchild’s educational experience isenriching, meaningful and relevant tohis or her life;

Adoption of a partnership approach toplanning the support programme atnational, regional and local level;

Facilitation of quality in-careerdevelopment events whereby teachersbecome familiar with the content,principles, teaching methodologies andassessment approaches of thecurriculum;

On-going evaluation of the supportprogramme whereby future activities areinformed and shaped accordingly;

Encouragement for the development ofschool clusters and networks towardssharing best practice and developinglearning communities;

Accessibility of support and advice fromthe Primary Curriculum SupportProgramme personnel, personally andthrough ICTs. (PCSP, Accessed at:http://www.pcsp.ie/ 28th May, 2004)

The national network of Education Centres(which had previously been established ona voluntary basis by teachers, from theearly 1970’s onwards, with a view toprovide much needed support for theircolleagues) play a central role in the PCSPand have been commissioned to carry out abroad range of support activities. Theseinclude information dissemination and torespond to the needs of schools andteachers at a local level. Another importantelement of the PCSP is the establishment ofthe Regional Curriculum Support Serviceand the recruitment of Cuiditheoirí:

The role of the CurriculumCuiditheoir/Support Person is abroad one. Activities such asmeeting with principals, groups ofteachers, post-holders, individualteachers and/or whole staff,working with the teacher in the classand facilitating school andclassroom curriculum planning is

Section 5

undertaken. …facilitating exchangeof ideas and dissemination of goodpractice between schools include(s)…networking between schools,organising optional courses,establishing support groups in areasof special interest. (PCSP, Accessedat: http://www.pcsp.ie/, 10th June,2004)

Post primary tests and selection procedureshave been proscribed and a number ofinitiatives, including the recruitment andtraining of greater numbers of teachers,have been established to tackle thedifficulties associated with large class sizes.

The Revised Curriculum of 1999 is still inits implementation phase. The NCCA arecurrently engaged in a review of theimplementation of the Revised Curriculum:

… to increase our understanding ofteachers’ and children’s experienceswith the curriculum in theirclassrooms, to date. (NCCA,Accessed at:http://www.ncca.ie/j/index2.php?name=pcr_webpage, 24th May,2004)

It is anticipated that the outcomes of thisreview will support the future developmentof quality provision in education.

5.4.2 Inspection of Schools

The present role of the Inspectorate of theDES is defined within the 1998 EducationAct (DES, 1998) (see Section 4). In 2002, ABrief Guide to the Inspectorate waspublished to coincide with the “….majorreorganisation of its structure andmanagement, in order to serve better theneeds of its many clients within theeducation system.” (DES, 2002c:5). Withinthis publication the broad objectives of theInspectorate are outlined as:

To contribute to the evaluation of theeducation system;

To contribute to the development of theeducation system;

To contribute to the support of theeducation system. (DES, 2002c:7)

Annual programmes of inspection arecarried out with the school system asfollows:

School inspections (usually carried outonce every six years);

Subject inspections and evaluations ofprogrammes at second level;

Inspection of the work of individualteachers, including probationaryteachers;

Focussed evaluations of particularaspects of the system (DES, 2002c).

Different models of external evaluation ofschools exist at primary and secondarylevel. However this situation is beingreviewed at present with the intention ofproducing a common model. At primarylevel, “…schools are inspected on a cyclicalbasis in line with annual inspectiontargets. A school report (Tuairisc Scoile) isfurnished on a primary school on averageevery six years following a detailed schoolinspection.” (DES, 2002c:10) The schoolevaluation includes all aspects of teaching,school management and planning, learningand assessment as well as the schoolenvironment in terms of accommodationand resources.

Teaching and the practice of individualteachers is inspected in accordance with theRules for National Schools. (DoE,1965b). However, this statement isqualified in the guide to the Inspectorate bythe statement that “…much of this workrelates to the evaluation and support ofprobationary teachers.” (DES, 2002c:10)

It is difficult to establish exactly what thecriteria for such teacher assessment are dueto the fact that the last revised edition ofthe Rules for National Schools was issuedin 1965 and since this date many revisions

Section 5

to the Rules have been made through DEScirculars. In 1990, the Primary EducationReview Body reported on this anomaly andobserved:

In the absence of an up to datepublication, incorporating all thecurrent rules, there is difficultyestablishing a coherent picture ofthe rules and regulations as theyexist at present. (DoE, 1990:33).

On the basis of this observation, theyrecommended that a review and revision ofthe Rules for National Schools should beundertaken as a matter of urgency. This hasnot happened to date, and it is difficulttherefore to understand how theInspectorate and more importantlyteachers, especially those qualified in morerecent years, can successfully utilise theRules for National Schools to review theirown practice. In 1994, the Report on theNational Convention on Education(Coolahan, 1994) also expressed someconcern with regard to the inspection ofteachers in schools:

Present practice with regard toinspection of teachers variesbetween primary and post primaryas well as between the differentschool years in the latter case. Inmany cases the quality of teachinghas to be inferred from questioningof the class by the inspector. Suchpractices can hardly be regarded asthe most valid or defensible methodof evaluating teacher performance.(Coolahan, 1994:63)

This report also highlighted the traditionalinadequacy of preparation afforded tonewly recruited inspectors and welcomedthe “…improved induction programmebeing developed and a developmentprogramme aimed at those already in thesystem...” (Coolahan, 1994:64) which hadalready been established. Unfortunately itwas not possible to identify or accessinformation about the nature of these

programmes for this review.

Despite the fact that previous reports havegenerally observed that practice within theJunior and Senior classes in primaryschools varies significantly (DoE, 1990),inspection of schools does not take suchdifferences into account:

The Inspectorate does not use specificevaluation frameworks for particularclasses but rather a genericframework for school evaluations.(DES Inspectorate, PersonalCommunication, 21st April, 2004)

This generic framework has recently beenused as the basis for the development ofLooking at our School – An Aid toSelf-evaluation in Primary Schools(DES, 2003a). The evaluation document isstructured around five themes:

School management;

School planning;

Curriculum provision;

Learning and teaching in curriculumareas;

Support for pupils (DES, 2003a).

Each of these areas is divided into anumber of aspects which representthe different activities collectivelyconstituting the area of the school’soperation to be evaluated. Theaspects are further broken downinto components for each of which anumber of themes have beenidentified as a basis for evaluation.(DES, 2003a:ix).

The publication recognised that the uniquecontext of each school, e.g. size, location,socio-economic circumstances of pupils,physical, material and human resourcesavailable etc., will impact on the work ofthe school, and advises that these should betaken into account when carrying out theevaluation process.

Section 5

This aid to self-evaluation is a valuabledocument and should prove to be of greatassistance to schools and teachers as theystrive to improve the quality of theirprovision and practice. It is cited as one ofa number of publications being prepared,“…in support of all those engaged in thework of schools, with a view to improvingquality and standards in the education ofour children and young children.” (DES,2003a:v). Such commitment on the part ofthe Inspectorate bodes extremely well forthe future development of quality practicein primary schools in Ireland.

This evaluation framework builds on theearlier publication of a Code of Practiceon Evaluation and Reporting (DES,2000b), which “…sets out generalprinciples and guidelines in accordancewith which members of the Inspectorateengage in the process of evaluation andreporting” (DES, 2000b).

This document, in combination with thegeneric evaluation framework publication(DES, 2003a), should contribute toreducing inconsistencies in the inspectionprocesses as has been highlighted by theINTO in their recent Central ExecutiveCommittee Report (INTO, 2004:84). Inaddition, it is reported that the DES intendsto issue a guide to whole school evaluationin the Autumn 2004 that …”would assist inthe clarification and streamlining ofmatters.” (INTO, 2004:84)

5.4.2.1 Practice in schoolsAnother recent publication offers somesmall insight into the nature of the practiceof the Inspectorate and indeed of practicein primary schools. Fifty SchoolReports: What the Inspectors Say(DES, 2002d) paints a positive picture ofprimary education on the whole. However,there is no disaggregation in this report ofinformation on the junior and senior infantclasses in schools and so it does not allowus to gain a clear picture of what practiceactually looks like in these early childhoodsettings.

Despite these shortcomings, there are someinteresting recommendations within thereport which have resonance for earlychildhood practice; e.g. the need to improveparental involvement strategies andpractice, the need to reduce reliance on textbooks and employ teaching methodologieswhich promote interaction of knowledgeand integration of learning contexts. Theneed for more effective planning byteachers and management is also arecurrent theme and finally the need forsustained support services for theimplementation of the curriculum andother policy change within the school isadvocated.

5.4.2.2 Whole School EvaluationIn 1998 /1999, a pilot initiative wasestablished to explore a new approach toenhancing quality in national schools. Thepurpose of the Whole SchoolEvaluation (WSE) Pilot Project was to“…evaluate collaboratively the work of theschool as a unit and to foster and promotethe development of school activities as awhole.” (DES, 1999e:12)

The focus of WSE was:

The quality of learning and teaching;

The quality of school planning and;

The quality of school management(DES, 1999e:12).

The implementation of the projectcomprised four incremental steps:

1. Pre-evaluation meetings between theschool principal and the inspector, ageneral meeting with all staff and ameeting with representatives of theschool Board of Management(including parent representatives).These meetings explained andclarified the WSE process;

2. School and classroom visits by theWSE team of inspectors;

3. Post-evaluation meetings – theseinvolved the groups outlined in step 1

Section 5

and gave detailed feedback on areasof strengths and weaknesses;

4. The WSE Report – These wereintended to be a summary of thefindings discussed at the postevaluation meetings (DES, 1999e).

The value of the WSE Pilot Project for thisreview lies in the fact that evaluation dataon the impact of this initiative on practicewas gathered and published as part of theprocess. This data was gathered byquestionnaire and the findings revealedthat, “All types of respondents (teachers,principals, inspectors) reported positiveexperiences of the WSE project.”(DES,1999e:32) In particular, principalsresponded most positively to the initiative.When the responses are examined in moredetail, the data reveals a number ofinteresting insights into the nature of theresponses from participants. Of note wasthe view that teachers were “…less positiveabout the likely impact of the WSE processon future development of the school thanthey were about the way in which theprocess was actually carried out.” (DES,1999e:24) This was interpreted to suggestthat “…the WSE process to be whollysuccessful should not be seen as a ‘stand-alone’ process, but would be better seen aspart of an overall school developmentstrategy.” (DES, 1999e:24) Otherinteresting observations included thenecessity for finding a suitable mechanismfor discerning parent’s perspectives andalso the fact that the views of children hadnot been gathered or considered in theWSE process. The outcome of this pilotinitiative has been that the DES plans toextend the project taking on board thefeedback from the pilot initiative.

5.4.2.3 Evaluation of TravellerPreschools In 2000/1, the Inspectorate wascommissioned to conduct an evaluation ofTraveller Preschools, Preschools forTravellers: National EvaluationReport (DES, 2003b). These earlychildhood facilities were established

initially by community and voluntaryorganisations and later became recipientsof support from the DES. The purpose ofthe evaluation was, “…primarily to supportgood practice in the pre-schools.” (DES2003b:4) It examined management,accommodation and funding, issuesconcerned with staffing, the effectiveness ofteaching and learning and the involvementof parents and other partners. Thepublication of such a detailed report by theInspectorate on one type of earlyeducational setting provides very importantdata on the nature of practice. In particularthe evaluation of teaching and learningmakes observations regarding the feature ofthe “…most effective preschools.” (DES2003b:6)

More effective learning took placewhen the teacher motivated thechildren by matching activities totheir needs and interests, whenactivities were carefully paced so asto provide challenging and engagingtasks for the children, when pupil’sinvolvement was carefullymonitored, when a balancedcombination of free-play, structuredindividual activities and groupactivities was used. (DES 2003b:6)

An extensive list of recommendations wasmade within the report, many of whichrelated to the importance of support forteachers and childcare assistants. Thissupport not only related to pre-service andin-service education but also the provisionof opportunities for the dissemination ofexpertise and good practice. As the mostrecent and comprehensive review of earlyeducation provision in Ireland, albeitpertaining to one particular type ofprovision, this report could be a valuableresource to stimulate dialogue on thenature of good practice and the necessaryelements which must be provided tosupport its continued development in allECCE settings.

Section 5

5.4.3 Targeted Initiatives

As has already been stated in Section 4, theDES has taken a project approach to thedevelopment of new practice initiativesover the past decade. The impact of some ofthese initiatives has been evaluated and hasprovided some insight into theimplementation of policy in practice.

5.4.3.1 Disadvantaged Areas SchemeSchools included in this scheme receive avariety of different supports – over-quotateaching posts, additional capitation grants,a maximum class size of 29:1, school mealsand funding for book rental schemes (DES,2004, Summary of All Initiatives Fundedby the Department to help AlleviateEducational Disadvantage. Accessed at:www.education.ie/ servlet/ blob-servlet/si_summary_02.doc., 16th May,2004). Whilst these supports werewelcomed by schools it has been reportedthat:

While the scheme has served a usefulfunction in providing much neededresources to schools, particularlyones in urban areas, it cannot reallybe said to have operated positivediscrimination in favour ofdesignated schools. Given thissituation, it would be unrealistic toexpect it to have had much impacton students’ achievements or lifechances. (Kellaghan et al., 1995:63)

The conclusion appears to be that financialinput alone is insufficient to improve thequality of provision and practice in schools:

Funding is no longer a dailyproblem in the designated schools,yet the principals felt abandoned inrelation to guidance and supportneeded to disseminate such moneyin the most effective way. (Walsh,2001:108)

5.4.3.1.1 Home School CommunityLiaison (HSCL)This initiative is again targeted into

designated disadvantage schools and isdesigned to:

… address the discontinuity betweenthe children’s home and communityexperiences and the demands ofschooling by maximising activeparticipation of targeted pupils inthe learning process and bypromoting active co-operation andcollaboration between home, schooland community. (Murphy, 2000:11)

Parental involvement has been identifiedconsistently within national policy andpractice documentation as a key indicatorof quality practice (DJELR, 1999; DES,1999a; French 2003; NCNA, 2003b).

Evaluation of this initiative was completedin 1999 (Ryan, 1999), which addressed itsimpact on schools, parents and children. Ingeneral, the findings of the evaluation werepositive, citing the fact that the assignmentof a dedicated HSCL officer succeeded inincreasing the level of interaction betweenteachers and parents, the school and thecommunity, and also facilitated morecoordination between support services e.g.remedial, therapeutic. These results wouldlend support to the position that levels ofparental involvement can act as anindicator of quality provision.

5.4.3.2 Early StartThis initiative was established in 1994/5 aspart of an integrated approach toeducational disadvantage. It built on theRutland Street Pre-school model(Kellaghan, 1977) and represented the firstsubstantial intervention by the DES in thearea of early childhood education. A total offorty schools are involved in the projectwhich provides three-year-old children withone year of early education prior to entryinto primary school. Some key features ofthe Early Start project which distinguish itfrom the infant classes in primary schoolsare; the shorter school day (children attendfor up to 2.5 hours either in the morning orthe afternoon), a maximum class size of

Section 5

fifteen pupils, the presence in each class oftwo trained adults (a primary teacher and achildcare worker) and the strong emphasison parental involvement.

In 1998, the Curricular Guidelines forEarly Start were developed (In-careerDevelopment Team, 1998). This publicationprovides guidance on the broad learningdomains in Early Start settings, includingcognitive, linguistic, personal, emotional,social, creative and aesthetic aspects.Insights are also forthcoming on ensuringquality practice is achieved and maintainedwithin Early Start by virtue of the use ofappropriate methodologies, child-observations, adequate planning and recordkeeping and parental and communitypartnership. Play is cited as a centralmediator of the curriculum, whereby:

The quality of the play childrenengage in and experience must be ofa high quality to support theirdevelopment as effective learners.(In-career Development Team,1998:15)

The approach advocated was summarisedin the Educational Research Centre’s (ERC)evaluation report, Early StartEvaluation: Report on ObservationVisits to Schools as “…one that embracesa structured, child centred, play oriented,self–directed learning experience in whichadult-child interaction, including parentalinvolvement is seen as central.” (Lewis andArcher, 2003:25) In addition to thecurriculum guidelines, innovative models ofin-class teaching support were piloted. This project has been evaluated in 1998(ERC, 1998) and in 2003:

All aspects of implementation wereexamined including enrolment andattendance patterns, the nature andduration of classroom activities, theteacher-childcare workerrelationship, and the extent ofparental involvement. Tracking theachievement of pupils also formed a

major part of the evaluation. (Lewisand Archer, 2003:1)

As a result of the initial evaluation, anumber of recommendations were made totry to improve the impact of the Early Startinitiative on the cognitive and languagedevelopment of the children. Theseincluded more clearly defined objectives,more emphasis on small group work, betterplanning and preparation based on theprofiling of student achievements,clarification of the role of the child careworker, expanded in-service provision andincreased parental involvement. The secondevaluation report was published in 2003and the outcome of this process is ofparticular interest to this review as itincluded observation of classroom practicein its methodologies. The observationinstrument used was the Early ChildhoodEnvironment Rating Scale – Revised(ECERS-R) (Harms et al., 1998). Thisinstrument is structured around a set ofquality indicators which are rated on aseven point scale (1 = inadequate, 3 =minimal, 5 = good, 7 = excellent). It alsoprovide a set of questions for use ininterview with teaching staff. Theresearchers adapted the ECERS-R to suitthe context of the study and a total of sevensubscales were measure these included:

Space and furnishings;

Personal care routines;

Language reasoning;

Activities;

Interaction;

Programme structure;

Parents and staff (Lewis and Archer,2003).

The conclusions that were drawn in thisevaluation yield some valuable insight intopractice in this Irish early childhoodsetting.

Observation of practice in thecentres visited lends support to theconclusion that Early Start is a high

Section 5

quality intervention with a strongemphasis on adult child interaction.(Lewis and Archer, 2003:15)

Despite this very positive statement, it wasgenerally observed that there was room forimprovement in all classrooms. Oneparticular concern was that“…implementation of the curriculum wasobserved, though not to the degree ordepth presented in the curriculumguidelines.” (Lewis and Archer, 2003:15)However, this was felt to raise morequestions about the suitability of thecurricular guidelines than the practice ofthe teachers:

More fundamentally, perhaps, itmay be necessary to ask if thestandards in the guidelines arepitched at a level beyond the reachof most three to four year olds.(Lewis and Archer, 2003:16).

This report is a unique piece of researchregarding practice in early childhoodsettings in Ireland in the period under

Implications for the National Framework for Quality -DES

Defining Quality:

1. Early Start evaluation highlights the necessity of clearly defined target/objectives,small group work, better planning and preparation based on students achievements,and clarification of roles are key ingredients of quality practice.

2. Levels of parental involvement is an important indicator of quality.

Assessing Quality:

1. A comprehensive review of the current inspection system for schools and thedevelopment of appropriate materials, training and support mechanisms are intrain. This provides a possible infrastructure upon which to build the ECCEinspection processes.

Supporting Quality:

1. There is limited information on practice in infant classrooms in Ireland – researchin this area would be of benefit to the development of the NFQ.

review and affords a welcome opportunityto engage in debate regarding the nature ofquality practice.

5.4.3.3 Breaking the CycleUnder this initiative, which again istargeted at combating educationaldisadvantage, selected schools are allowedto employ extra staff to reducepupil:teacher ratios in the Junior classes to15:1. In addition, dedicated in-service forstaff and increased funding is provided.

Evaluation of this initiative has also beencompleted, and in general, reported thatthe initiative had succeeded in improvingthe achievement levels of pupils (Weir etal., 2002a;2002b). However, some concernhas been expressed that the potential ofthis initiative is not being fully realised dueto the lack of qualified teachers. Evaluationof classroom practice is not a feature ofthese reports; however, they do highlightthe importance of training andqualifications of teachers and lend supportto the premise, established in research, thatthere is a positive correlation between thisfactor and the quality of service provision.

Section 5

2. Support for quality must include comprehensive in-service training anddevelopment of teachers.

3. Opportunities for the dissemination of good practice are essential to theimplementation of quality .

4. The need for specialised support and guidance for management is stronglyindicated.

5. The existence of written guidelines/standards does not in themselves guaranteequality.

5.5 The Department ofHealth and Children(DHC)

The Child Care Act (DoH, 1991) imposesa statutory duty on health boards to inspectpre-school services. It also places anobligation on the providers of preschoolservices to notify the relevant health boardof their existence and to conform to theChild Care (Preschool Services)Regulations (DoH, 1996a). In 1998,Preschool inspection teams wereestablished in each health board. The staffof these teams comprised an environmentalhealth officer and a public health nurse.Preparation and support of these teamsvaried according to the health board,however, training was not generally givenprior to the commencement of theinspection process (Duignan, 2003).

5.5.1 The Inspection Process

Once a preschool service has complied withthe Regulations by notifying their healthboard of their existence, the Inspectionprocess outlined within the Child Care(Preschool Services) Regulations1996 and Child Care (PreschoolServices) (Amended) Regulations1997 and Explanatory Guide toRequirements and Procedures forNotification and Inspection (DHC,1998) commences. The guidelinesrecommend that services be inspected on aregular basis.

It is considered good practice thatthe first inspection occurs within 3months of receipt of the notificationand thereafter once a year from thatdate. (DHC, 1998:42)

It is important to note that in practice, thefrequency of inspections is highlydependent on the number of serviceswithin the health board area and indeed onthe availability of staff (Duignan, 2003).The purpose of the inspection is outlined inthe Explanatory Guide as follows:

Inspection is designed to ensure thehealth, safety and welfare ofchildren and the promotion of theirdevelopment. It is also to ensurecompliance with statutoryrequirements. To this end theinspectors will consider:

How the children are being cared forand how their development and welfareis being promoted;

The suitability and safety of thepremises;

The standards of the premises in termsof space, heat, lighting, cleanliness,ventilation and repair and maintenance;

The suitability of the person providingthe services;

The availability and suitability of toysand equipment. (DHC, 1998:41-42)

The Regulations require health boards tosend a written report of the outcomes of aninspection to the service provider. If this

Section 5

necessary, implementation has been variedand dependant upon the individual capacityof the preschool inspection teams.

The Mid-Western Health Board conducteda Review of Preschool Inspection andInformation Services 1997-1999 andconcluded:

While the standard of care in anumber of services inspected wasseen to be of a high standard, thestandard of services generally wasconsidered to reach only a basic andsatisfactory level. In most casesproviders were dedicated andcaring people but were limited intheir capacity to provide higherquality in their services. (Mid-Western Health Board, 1999:34)

It should be noted that this review wasconducted at the end of the ‘start – up’phase of the Preschool Inspection Serviceand refers to one health board area.Unfortunately, no other health boardconducted comparable research nor hasthis study been replicated more recently. Inresponse to this literature review, the EarlyChildcare Services of the Western HealthBoard submitted a report on their qualityinitiatives in ECCE. They report, “A reviewof interpretation of the current preschoolregulations on a county by county basis iscurrently underway in order to achieve aregional standard.” (Bernard, J., PersonalCommunication, Manager Early ChildcareServices, 27th February, 2004)Furthermore they report that, “A review ofcompliance levels in County Roscommon2003 indicated a low level of complianceand a low standard in child development.”(Bernard, J., Personal Communication,Manager Early Childcare Services, 27th

February, 2004) Improvement on thisposition was indicated as a priority for2004.

It is not possible to make inferences aboutthe impact of the Regulations on the qualityof service provision based on such limited

report highlights any areas of non-compliance with the Regulations, theprovider is given a timeframe within whichto reply to the report with details of howcompliance will be ensured. If thedeficiencies in service provision are deemedto be presenting a risk to the welfare of thechildren, then a second inspection visit isconducted within a shorter interval thanthe standard. In cases of serious andpersistent breaches of the regulations, thehealth board may bring the matter to theattention of the District Court under PartVII of the Child Care Act, 1991 (DoH, 1991).

5.5.2 Implementation of theInspection of Preschool Services

Inspection of preschool services have beenin place since 1998. However, there is verylimited information available at a nationallevel on the implementation of theRegulations and no national evaluation oftheir impact on practice has beenconducted. A communication from theDHC in response to a request forinformation for this paper stated thefollowing with respect to theimplementation of the inspection process:

The experience of the pre-schoolinspection teams is that the majorityof preschool providers wish toachieve a high standard of serviceand work in partnership with theteams to achieve and maintain thisstandard. (Childcare Policy Unit,DHC, Personal Communication, 15th

March, 2004)

A review of the Preschool ServiceRegulations has been ongoing since 2002and it is anticipated that this will becompleted in 2004. Submissions to thisreview process were invited from a broadrange of stakeholders in ECCE, but theseare not within the public domain.

Anecdotal evidence from the ECCE sectorsuggests that whilst regulation has beenbroadly welcomed and perceived as

Section 5

the advisory officer is outlined by the DHCas follows:

Setting up and speaking at publicinformation meetings for childminderswho are looking after three or fewerchildren;

Facilitating the establishment of localnetworks of such childminders;

Preparing information literature;

Supplying information and/ororganising training courses on a widerange of appropriate topics e.g. childdevelopment, child protection, healthand safety, grant schemes, tax incentivesetc.;

Providing advisory visits to thechildminders home to assist them indeveloping best practice;

Acting as a referral point betweenparents and childminders (ChildcarePolicy Unit, DHC, PersonalCommunication, 15th March, 2004).

This initiative is recent and as yet has notbeen evaluated. It does, however, representan important step towards quantifying andqualifying the scope and nature ofchildminding in Ireland.

In response to this review, the SouthWestern Area Health Board (SWAHB)submitted an information pack they havedeveloped within the ChildmindingAdvisory Service in conjunction withKildare CCC, Childminder’s AdvisoryService – Information Pack. It aims togive “a brief overview of what is entailedin the running of a Childminding service”.(SWAHB and KCCC, 2003:1)

It outlines the key legislation thatchildminders should be aware of, givesdetails of useful contacts such as theNVCOs, Social Work services, insurancecompanies and highlights “…importantpoints…”(SWAHB and KCCC, 2003:5) forchildminders to consider under theheadings of business, health and safety andchild welfare and development. It also

evidence. Only one small piece of researchhas addressed this specific issue, A Studyof the Impact of the Child Care(Preschool Services) Regulations(1996) on the Quality of EarlyChildhood Services in Ireland: TheIEA Pre-Primary Project Revisited(O’Kane, 2004). Whilst the sample involvedis limited, it does conclude that there issome relationship between improvement inthe quality of provision and theimplementation of Preschool Regulations:

Findings suggest that theRegulations may be directlyresponsible for the fall in themaximum group figure. They mayalso be responsible for the slightreduction reported in average ratiosize. (O’Kane, 2004:22)

The report concludes that as these variableshave been shown to be predictors ofclassroom quality in so far as they facilitatehigh quality interaction between adults andchildren, it can be argued that, “…theregulation of structural variables canaffect quality in ECCE settings.” (O’Kane,2004:22)

It would be worthwhile at this point in timeto establish some research to evaluate theimpact of the existing Regulations on thequality of service provision. Such researchwould assist in any future development ofregulatory frameworks for ECCE.

5.5.3 Childminder VoluntaryNotification Scheme

The Child Care (Preschool Services)Regulations 1996 do not extend tochildminders who look after, in their ownhome, three or fewer children in the birthto six age range. Concern for this omissionled to the establishment in 2001 of theabove scheme. The intention is toencourage childminders to notify the healthboards of their service and in return receiveadvice and support from their localchildminders advisory officer. The role of

Section 5

Health Board is the CommunityPlaygroup Initiative 2001-2004(CPI). This was established to providesupport and funding to five speciallyselected community playgroups in order toenhance the quality of their provision. Theproject provides capital funding and thesupport of a coordinator who visits theplaygroups regularly to advise and mentorthe planning and implementationprocesses. The project is due to becompleted in 2004 and evaluativeprocesses have been built in to the projectdesign. An interim report (CPI, 2003)highlighted the following as key elements ofquality within the CPI:

The interaction of those involved, bothchildren and adults;

The development of parentalinvolvement;

Attention to both staff and committeemembers;

The development of links and networkswith others;

The management of the playgroup;

The physical environment, inside andoutdoors (CPI, 2003).

The final evaluation report, which will becompleted in 2004/5, will address thefollowing criteria; profile of service,playgroup management, human resources,child-centred environment, activities androutines, interaction, parental involvement,links to statutory and voluntary bodies,finance and the CPI-model of delivery. Itwill be a welcome contribution to thegrowing understanding of what constitutesquality practice in ECCE in Ireland.

provides brief guidelines on issues such asrecord keeping, partnership with parents,tax, PRSI, work permit/visa, some sampleforms for contracts with parents, keeping ofchild records and the administration ofmedicine.

5.5.4 Other Initiatives

In addition to reporting on actionsspecifically related to the implementationof the regulations, the report from EarlyChildcare Services in Roscommon alsooutlined a number of ‘Approaches toQuality’ (Bernard, J., PersonalCommunication, Manager Early ChildcareServices, 27th February, 2004) within theWestern Health Board area. These include:

Provision of support, since 2002, byEarly Childcare Services in CountyRoscommon for the implementation ofthe High/Scope approach to quality withsixteen groups;

Participation in a recently formedQuality and Training Sub committee ofthe Roscommon CCC with a brief toreview approaches to quality in thecounty;

Collaboration by Mayo Early ChildcareServices with the Mayo CCC in theimplementation of the Effective EarlyLearning (EEL) approach from theUniversity of Worcester with a targetgroup of 25 ECCE services. (See Section5.7 for more details).

Another interesting project established in2001 by the Katherine Howard Foundationin partnership with the South Eastern

Implications for the National Framework for Quality - DHC

Defining Quality:

1. The outcomes of the review of the 1997 Pre-School Regulations may change thestatutory environment for the operation of Pre-school services and as such willimpact on the development of the NFQ.

Section 5

of the projects were also allocated capitalfunding to increase the capacity of localchildcare facilities through “…support,mentoring and training.” (ADM, 2002:1)

Throughout the evaluation report of thisinitiative the term “quality childcareprovision’” featured repeatedly. Theindicators of quality expressed in the reporthighlight the importance of clearmanagement/operational structures for thechildcare facility, appropriately qualifiedstaff and the establishment of goodrelationships/networks with parents,families and the local community. Theevaluation concluded that the projectstargeted “…had, in the main very weakorganisational structure and managementand planning skills. However over theduration of the Programme they haddeveloped their capability to meet theirreporting and monitoring requirements.”(ADM, 2002:34)

The capital funding under this initiativeprovided the opportunity for the targetedservices to upgrade their facilities to meetthe requirements of the Preschool ServiceRegulations under part VII of the 1991Child Care Act, which were coming intoeffect in 1998/1999. This was a majorbenefit as it was observed in the evaluationreport that “…many of these facilitieswould have faced closure, due to theirinability to meet increasingly stringent

5.6 Department ofJustice, Equality and LawReform (DJELR)

The policy perspective for the involvementof the DJELR in ECCE is that of affordingequality of opportunity for parents toparticipate in the labour force (see Section4). A Pilot Childcare Initiative (1994–1997)provided capital grants to communitybased childcare projects with a view tomaking more childcare places available toparents living in disadvantaged areas. Theevaluation of this initiative, DevelopingChildcare Services in DisadvantagedAreas (McKeown and Fitzgerald, 1997)highlighted in particular the key role playedby appropriately qualified staff in capacitybuilding within childcare facilities.

This recommendation resulted in theestablishment in 1998 of the CommunitySupport Childcare Initiative. It wasevaluated in 2002, Staffing, Qualityand Childcare Provision (ADM, 2002).Twenty–five childcare projects, each in adisadvantaged area, were allocated IR£40,0006 for two years to “…be utilised byprojects to enhance their staffingstructures and thus improve the qualityand sustainability of the childcare servicebeing delivered.” (ADM, 2002:1) Seventeen

6 Approximately €50,000

2. Key elements of quality which have been identified to date through health boardinitiatives include: interaction of children and adults, parental involvement, supportfor staff and committees, networks/links to other groups, management, the externaland internal physical environment.

Assessing Quality:1. There is very little known about the impact of regulation upon the quality of practice

in ECCE settings. Research in this regard would provide valuable data for thedevelopment of future initiatives related to quality.

Supporting Quality:

1. Initiatives to support childminders, addressing the issue of quality practice, are intheir very earliest stages and therefore their capacity to engage with the NFQ maynot be as great as those of other ECCE providers.

Section 5

funding requirements.” (NDP/CSF,2003:iv)

The second effectiveness indicator of thequality sub-measure is the establishment oflocal networks. Thirty-three CCCs havebeen established as a result. As outlinedabove, evaluation data is not available toestablish the effectiveness of thesestructures in practice terms. However, theresponse rate to this survey indicates thatthe level of activity within and across theCCCs is variable. Seven of a total of thirty-three CCCs were able to submit materialspertinent to this review and three otherothers indicated that they were at anadvanced stage of production with relevantdocuments.

The third effectiveness indicator was thesupport being given to the NVCOs. Theevaluation reported that seven of the ninerecognised NVCOs were being supported atthe time of the review. However, again, theimpact on quality practice was notevaluated or documented. Interestingly thisliterature review has yielded evidence thatfive of the seven funded organisations wereable to submit materials related to practicalquality improvement initiatives and thismaterial will be considered later in thissection. This is a potential indicator of thepositive impact of the EOCP funding on thedevelopment of quality practice in theECCE sector.

The impact on practice of the EOCPthrough initiatives and activities of theNCCC has much potential, e.g. thepublication of the Model Frameworkfor Education, Training andQualifications (DJELR, 2002a), whicharticulates clearly and for the first time, aset of guiding principles for practitioners ofECCE. Unfortunately, no evaluation of theimpact of this and other activities onpractice has been established to date.

The most recent initiative under the EOCPrelates to the support and development ofChildminding in Ireland. This has been

childcare regulations.” (ADM, 2002:34)This observation provides some insight intothe state of childcare facilities in Ireland atthis time. The Regulations described as“stringent” (ADM, 2002:34) by ADM inthis report did present great difficulties formany ECCE service providers despite thefact that they were regarded as minimumstandards by the DHC (DHC, 1998).

These difficulties found a forum forexpression in the development andpublication of the National ChildcareStrategy (DJELR, 1999). Practitioner andprovider representative organisations,amongst others, were able to voice theirconcerns regarding the need for support forproviders to comply with the regulations.This lobbying effort, combined with theupsurge in demand for childcare as a resultof the booming economy, resulted in theestablishment of the most significantnational initiative to develop and enhancethe provision of childcare in the history ofthe State – the Equal OpportunitiesChildcare Programme (EOCP).

The details of the EOCP (2000-2006) havealready been outlined (see Section 4).However, their impact on practice is theconcern here. It is noteworthy that the keyeffectiveness indicator for the quality sub-measure of the EOCP is the number oftrained childcare workers. In 2003, theNDP/CSF completed a mid term review ofthe EOCP, Evaluation of the EqualOpportunities Childcare Programme2000-2006 (NDP/CSF, 2003). The reportreveals that the observations made in theevaluation of the Community SupportChildcare Initiative (ADM, 2002),regarding the management/ structuralcapacity in services still applies:

..a major constraint facing theprogramme is the lack of capacityon the part of beneficiaries to draw-down funding. This relatesprimarily to under developedbusiness management skills andinexperience in meeting public

Section 5

detailed in the Section 4. It is an importantinitiative for practice because it indicatesrecognition on the part of the DJELR thatfunding alone is not a guarantee ofimprovement in quality practice. Support inthe form of training and networking is alsoimportant.

5.7 The City/CountyChildcare Committees

A consistent theme in literature pertainingto the development of the ECCE sector inIreland has been the need for a coordinatedinfrastructure which would ensure thatchildren, parents and families, as well asservice providers and practitioners, areafforded equal access to appropriatesupports. This relates to their ECCE needs,in the case of the former and/or their rolein meeting those needs, in the case of thelatter. To this end, the ChildcareDirectorate in the DJELR establishedthirty-three CCCs with a clear remit tosupport and enhance the development ofquality childcare places in their respectivejurisdictions.

At this stage in the roll out of the EOCP,there has been variable progress inachieving this brief. All CCCs have preparedand published Strategic Plans, whichoutline their proposed actions related to thedevelopment of quality. The CCCs wereprovided with equality and diversityguidelines by the NCCC to support thisprocess. The actions outlined in the plansinclude; audits of quality, production ofinformation materials, hosting seminars,facilitating networking and advisorysupport and training. Anecdotal evidencesuggests that much activity in support ofthe development of quality is taking place.A number of committees have developedmaterials specifically designed to supportquality and others have them inproduction. Several have invited otherorganisations such as the BCCN, NCNA orIPPA, the Early Childhood Organisation, to

deliver their quality assurance/improvement packages to ECCE providersin their region.

Some of the material submitted by theCCCs for this review has already beencovered in the policy section. In generalmost of the practical literature has beendesigned either to support parents in theirchoice of ECCE services or to supportprospective ECCE service providers inestablishing a service. This statement fromthe Cavan CCC, in their publication, BriefGuide to Establishing a ChildcareFacility in Cavan, is reflected in many ofthe documents: “Any childcare facilitywhich is being set up in Co. Cavan shouldbe a quality childcare facility.” A qualitychildcare facility is further defined as onewhich has trained and committed staff;high adult/child ratio and in which “…theoverall developmental needs of the childare being met.” (Cavan CCC, 2001:1)

Each Committee operates autonomously torespond to the unique needs of theircounty. For example, Galway CCC, one ofthe earliest established committees, haspublished a broad range of information tosupport practitioners as they developservices (Galway CCC, 2003a-f), including acomprehensive guide to developing policiesand procedures, recruitment guidelines anda Childminder’s information pack. Theyalso have produced a video to assist parentschoosing childcare. All their materials areavailable in Irish and English to cater forthe needs of all the constituents of thecounty.

Waterford CCC has produced a Guide toTraining in Childcare and SocialCare in Waterford (CommunityConsultants, 2003), responding to thetraining needs of practitioners in theircounty. In addition to developing materialsthat respond to local needs, the CCCs arealso establishing links with other supportservices e.g. the health boards and NVCOsto coordinate the dissemination ofinformation.

Section 5

validated externally (Centre forResearch in Early Childhood, n.d.).

The dimensions of quality are identified as:

Aims and objectives;

Learning experiences/curriculum;

Planning, assessment and recordkeeping;

Staffing;

Physical environment;

Relationships and interaction;

Equal opportunities;

Parental partnership, home andcommunity liaison;

Management, monitoring andevaluation (Centre for Research in EarlyChildhood n.d.).

The programme is implemented through aQuality Evaluation and Improvement Cycle,which, “…enables practitioners, parentsand children to work collaboratively andsystematically on the development of theirpractice.” (Centre for Research in EarlyChildhood, n.d.) The Mayo CCC report thattwenty-five early childhood services willparticipate in this programme over the nextthree years.

Sligo CCC have published Managing aChildcare Business in County Sligo(Sligo CCC, 2002). This document largelydraws on the work of the BCCN in relationto quality and promotes the BCCN QualityAssurance Programme (details below). Italso comprises information related tolegislation, finance and business planningand development.

As has already been stated, many of theCCCs are supporting the implementation ofquality assurance programmes with ECCEservice providers in their area. Forexample, Mayo CCC has chosen toimplement the Effective EarlyLearning (EEL) Programme developedby the Centre for Research in EarlyChildhood in Birmingham and UniversityCollege Worcester, in the UK. Thisprogramme aims:

To develop a cost effective strategy toevaluate and improve the quality andeffectiveness of early learning availableto young children in a wide range ofeducation and care settings;

To achieve this through a collaborative,systematic and rigorous process of selfevaluation, which is supported and

Implications for the National Framework for Quality -DJELR

Defining Quality:

1. Indicators of quality identified through evaluation of DJELR initiatives include: theimportance of appropriately qualified staff, clear management/operational structurein ECCE services, establishment of good relationships/networks with parents and thewider community.

Assessing Quality:

1. Assessment of quality must include both internal and external evaluation processes

Supporting Quality:

1. Management skills within ECCE services need to be supported and developed if thecapacity to engage with national policy is to be enhanced.

2. Funding alone is not sufficient to ensure quality practice - a broad range of supports

Section 5

Pavee Point

The National Children’s NurseriesAssociation (NCNA)

St. Nicholas Montessori Society ofIreland.

5.9 1990 - 2000

All community and voluntary organisationswould argue that the rationale for theirestablishment, dating in the case of theIPPA to the 1960s, was the desire toprovide children with positive, enrichingand quality early childhood experiences. However, practical initiatives suffered fromlack of funding and whilst the organisationsthemselves endeavoured to establishsupport infrastructures for theirmembership, inability to afford full timestaff and heavy reliance upon voluntarywork made the establishment of anynational quality assurance programmevirtually impossible.

Despite the difficulties with funding, therewere efforts made by the more developedvoluntary childcare organisations topublish information related to qualitychildcare. The NCNA published QualityNursery Care for Your Child in 1990,and an updated version in 1997. Thispublication was targeted primarily atparents seeking full day care. In theabsence of any statutory regulations, itattempted to respond to parents’ expressedneed for guidance in this importantselection process. A key statement in thisearly document articulates a definition ofquality childcare as follows:

5.8 PractitionerPerspectives

The history of the ECCE sector in Ireland,outside the provision of national schooleducation prior to 1990, is largelycharacterised by a laissez-faire attitude onthe part of the State. This climate fosteredthe proliferation of a broad range ofcommunity and voluntary activity to makeprovision for the ECCE needs of babies,young children and their families. Overtime, much of this activity resulted in theformation of support organisations whosebrief was to develop and enhance thequality of practice in early years services forthe benefit of children and families.Unfortunately the largely voluntary natureof many of these organisations in theirearliest stages precluded them fromdocumenting their activities in any greatdetail and so much of the earliest initiativesin quality practice in ECCE in Ireland areunavailable for review. With the availabilityof funding, particularly since the advent ofthe EOCP (1998 to present day), there hasbeen a notable upsurge in the number ofpublications addressing the quality issue.Requests for information for this reviewyielded documentation from the followingorganisations:

Barnardos

Border Counties Childcare Network(BCCN)

Childminding Ireland

Children in Hospital Ireland

High/Scope Ireland

IPPA - the Early ChildhoodOrganisation

must also be in place.

3. Many different initiatives related to the development of quality in ECCE are atvarious stages of development and implementation. This raises the issue of potentialduplication, confusion and general quality ‘overload’ for ECCE practitioners.

4. The infrastructure developed as a result of the EOCP provides a potential support forthe NFQ.

Section 5

diverse groupings. Many began toparticipate in consultative processestowards the development of a variety ofpractice initiatives (OMNA, 2000) and thisin turn supported internal development ofpolicy and practice documentation.

In 1998, the NCNA revisited the issue ofquality and published a set of qualityguidelines for practitioners delivering fullday care services, Towards QualityDaycare (NCNA, 1998). A total of twelveheadings or categories were identified witha detailed list of quality indicators undereach heading. The categories included staffand management, child-staff ratios,premises and facilities, caring for babies,play provision and equipment, safety andhygiene, fire safety, record keeping, andlegal requirements. The influence of thenewly commenced Preschool Regulations isevident in the inclusion of the last threecategories which themselves attract specificmention within the Regulations.

It is worth noting that during this period,funding from the European StructuralFunds of the European Union, particularlythose targeted through the NewOpportunities for Women (NOW)programme enabled many ECCE services tobegin development work toward theimprovement of the quality of theirservices. In many cases, this fundingfacilitated the recruitment of staff andallowed for investment in staff educationand training (OMNA, 2000).

In 1996, the European CommissionNetwork on Childcare published QualityTargets in Services for YoungChildren (European Commission Networkon Childcare, 1996). This document didinfluence policy development in Ireland,however the influence on practice is harderto quantify as no research has beenconducted in this regard. What is possibleto detect, however, is the influence that thisdocument has had on quality improvementmaterials that have been developed sincethe advent of the EOCP in 2000.

Good quality care means meetingeach child’s needs and, above all,fulfilling their need for love andattention. (NCNA, 1997:5)

Parents are provided with a series ofprompts and checklists to support theirvisit to prospective day care settings. Thesecover the premises, safety precautions,equipment, hygiene, nutrition, staffing,activities and education.

During this time, IPPA, the EarlyChildhood Organisation, had also beendeveloping and circulating a range ofleaflets advising members on a wide varietyof quality-related issues. In 1994 these weregathered together in the IPPAInformation Pack. This publication wasdesigned to support practitioners whowished to set up playgroups and included acode of standards for playgroups whichcovered accommodation, washing and toiletfacilities, ages and numbers of children,staff, adult-child ratios, equipment, healthand hygiene, safety, records, insurance andplanning permission. A set of fire safetyguidelines was also provided. These wereaccompanied by a set of information sheetsgiving a basic outline of legislation relatedto playgroups, training courses available,suitable equipment and stockists, roles ofmanagers, play-leaders, dealing with childabuse, welcoming a child with special needsand contact details for a wide range ofpotential support organisations. The aimsof the IPPA are outlined at the beginning ofthe document and include a commitment“…(t)o maintain a code of standards forplaygroups.” (IPPA, 1994:1)

Throughout the 1990s the awareness of theimportance of ECCE grew rapidly, and withit, concerns related to quality of provisionof early years services. The National Forumon Early Education (Coolahan, 1998) andthe processes established by the DJELRtowards the publication of The NationalChildcare Strategy (DJELR, 1999) (seeSection 4), catalysed a sense of commonpurpose and identity amongst the many

Section 5

promoting and respecting their rights in alltheir work. They:

Provide a wide range of services toeffectively respond to the needs ofchildren and their families;

Increase the understanding and skills ofparents and professionals;

Influence the development of policy andprovision for children and families inIreland, as a vocal advocate for children.(Barnardos, 2004, Accessed at:http://www.barnardos.ie/about.php?PHPSESSID=e541edd83a6bcb1e8a586802c7fb58c7, 10th June, 2004)

Supporting Quality (French, 2003) isthe title of the most recent publicationpertaining to quality produced byBarnardos, with the aim:

To provide information for childcareprovides to help to enhance qualityof services to children. (French,2003:11)

It defines good practice as being a dynamicprogression towards achievement of a set ofcore criteria. (French, 2003:12). It isdivided into eight chapters, each dealingwith a specific aspect of childcare. Undereach heading criteria for good practice areoutlined and considered. The headings are:

Management;

Human resources;

Partnership with families andcommunities;

Curriculum;

Observation, assessment and behaviourmanagement;

Health and safety (French, 2003).

Barnardos have adopted the High/Scopeapproach to early years curriculum. In thispublication, French (2003) outlines tenfeatures of good early learning curricula.

5.10 2000 - Present

The materials submitted by the listedorganisations all relate to current initiativesand activities on quality. Some of theorganisations have targeted their qualitymaterials to reflect the nature of theirmembership, thus the ChildmindingIreland materials are intended to supportchildminders, the NCNA primarily dealwith full day care provision and the IPPAwith sessional services. Others such asthose produced by Barnardos, are moregeneric and pertain to a variety of earlyyears settings.

Most of the organisations have developedand implemented quality assuranceprograms. These programs culminate in anaward being made to the successful service.These awards do not have any creditagainst the national inspection systems.However, as will be seen, when the natureof these programs are unpacked andexamined, they do take account of thelegislative requirements for practice inearly years services and supportpractitioners in meeting theserequirements.

As has already been outlined in precedingsections, many community and voluntaryorganisations have published policydocuments in respect of quality in ECCE. Itis also true that representatives of theseorganisations have been involved in thedevelopment and drafting of national policydocumentation e.g. The National ChildcareStrategy (DJELR, 1999). The focus of thissection is the practical initiatives that arebeing taken to support early childhoodpractitioners develop implement andsustain quality in their work with children.They are briefly described here inalphabetical order.

5.10.1 Barnardos

Barnardos is Ireland’s largest children’scharity. It is committed to the best interestsof children and young people in Ireland,

Section 5

in early childhood services, which arecharacterised by huge diversity:

This programme was devised inorder to respect that difference. Itallows for the identification ofproject specific standards,assessment of each projects ownstrengths and areas forimprovement (using this manual)and then returning for guidance onwhat is and how to make the nextstep. (FÁS and Barnardos, 2001:3)

The manual contains fourteen separatesections for completion; thirteen of theseprovide information and guidance on keycriteria for quality:

Aims and objectives;

Management and administrationsystems;

Planning, monitoring and reviewingsystems;

Human resources;

Relationships and communications;

Curriculum to include childdevelopment and play;

Child observation and assessmentsystems;

Equality opportunities;

Accessibility;

Parent and community and statutoryinvolvement;

Health and safety. (FÁS and Barnardos,2001)

No evaluation of this programme has beenconducted to date.

5.10.2 Border Counties ChildcareNetwork (BCCN)

The BCCN is a unique network funded bythe DJELR’s EOCP 2000-2006 and by theNorth Eastern and North Western Health

The document presents a summary of bestpractice provided at the end of each chapterheading with a view to promoting self-assessment of the part of the serviceprovider.

Barnardos have also responded to theimportance of staffing for quality serviceprovision by producing PersonnelPractice in Early Years Services: AGuide (Barnardos, 2002). This addressesthe three key areas: policies, proceduresand legislation; recruitment and selectionprocesses and management andsupervision. Once again, it is structuredwith self-assessment checklists at the endof each section.

In 2001, Barnardos collaborated with ForasÁiseanna Saothair (FÁS), the nationaltraining authority, to develop AssuringQuality: Manual for Assessment ofCommunity Employment ProjectsProviding Early Childhood Services.(FÁS and Barnardos, 2001.) Thisprogramme is delivered in three distinctbut related stages:

Stage 1: Quality Assurance – Standards.Participants are assisted in thedevelopment of standards for theirindividual projects. Training is delivered ona range of topics considered key to thedelivery of a quality service.

Stage 2: Assessment – Monitoring.Participants assess their own service, usingstructured questionnaires supplied in themanual, and are supported with mentoringand advice and further training.

Stage 3: Implementation – Response.Development plans are produced tosupport the implementation of changesneeded within the service that have beenidentified in stage 2. Further training isprovided to support this process.

The programme is informed by communitydevelopment principles and recognises thata ‘one size fits all’ approach is not possible

Section 5

Staffing;

Partnership with parents;

Premises;

Safety health and hygiene;

The learning environment;

The preschool curriculum (BCCN,2004).

This process allows a childcare service toidentify its areas of strengths andweaknesses. With the support of the BCCNQuality Officer, each service then embarkson its own individualised qualityimprovement programme. This may involvesome training that is designed anddelivered by the BCCN. The servicecompletes a quality portfolio and this isthen submitted to a panel of expertsrecruited by the BCCN for accreditation.The scoring procedure used in the BCCNdocumentation involves using a 1-5 LikertScale, with a range of performanceindicators under the seven unit headings. Ifthe service is awarded BCCN accreditation,then an award is made to the service whichis valid for two years. After this period, areview of the service under the samecriteria is deemed necessary to continueaccreditation.

Closely associated with the BCCN, theLagan Family Daycare Network, directlyfunded by the DJELR, under the EOCP,produced Best Practice Guidelines forChildminders in 2003. This document isdesigned to support childminders, andpotential childminders, in their role ofproviding “…a quality, flexible andaccessible childcare service.” (LaganFamily Daycare Network, 2003:1) Issuesaddressed include the PreschoolRegulations, parental involvement, playactivities, nutrition, health and safetyrequirements and administration.

The evaluation of the impact of theseinitiatives is not available to date.

Boards. The funding is primarily aimed atsupporting the development of a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of highquality early childhood services in thecounties of Monaghan, Meath, Louth,Cavan, Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim. TheBCCN has been actively promoting thedevelopment of quality in ECCE for anumber of years and have produced a widevariety of publications in support of thisgoal. As a direct result of the EOCPfunding, the BCCN has developed aQuality Assurance Programme forsessional pre-school services which they arecurrently implementing. The intention isthat similar programmes will also bedeveloped and implemented for full daycare and family day care in the near future.The aim of the BCCN Quality Assuranceprogramme is:

To promote good practice insessional preschool services byproviding a comprehensive qualitypackage. (BCCN, 2004)

The package has four elements;information, evaluation, bytes (sic) oftraining and accreditation. Each oneconsiders four aspects of childcare;children, parents families andcommunities, environment and legislation,and management and staff. Theprogramme is underpinned by a set ofeighteen principles. It involves thechildcare provider in a process of producinga portfolio of evidence of the quality oftheir service. Two distinct stages in thequality assurance process are identified:

Stage 1 – Sign up and service evaluation;

Stage 2 – Accreditation (BCCN, 2004).

The service evaluation system that has beendeveloped involves a series of questionswith tick boxes. There are seven separateunits and the questions are very detailedand specific. The seven headings are:

Legislation and management;

Section 5

to support self-reflection, mediatingregulations and legislation with the familyenvironment of the home.

5.10.4 Children in Hospital Ireland(CHI)

Children In Hospital Ireland is anationwide voluntary organisationpromoting the welfare of sick children bydrawing attention to their special needs foremotional security. Since its foundation in1970, it has supported and helpedthousands of parents before, during andafter their child’s stay in hospital.

CHI offers an advice and informationservice by post and phone for parents andprofessionals, maintains a dialogue withparent groups and all concerned with thecare of sick children. It also organiseshospital play schemes and seeks to increasethe awareness of policy-makers to thespecial needs of sick children.

In addition to research and educationprogrammes, CHI publishes a range ofinformative literature for parents, children,hospitals and health professionals andconducts research into the most pressingrequirements of sick children. Of particularrelevance to this review of practice in ECCEis the Charter for Children inHospital that outlines ten principles ofgood practice in this field of ECCE (CHI,2002b). Issues addressed in the charterare; the right of children and parents toinformation mediated in age appropriatemanner, right to informed participation inall decisions involving their healthcare,children’s need to have full opportunitiesfor play, recreation and education, theimportance of appropriately trained andqualified staff, need for continuity of careand confidentiality, privacy and respectissues.

In 2000, Guidelines for the Care ofChildren with Special Needs inHospital (CHI, 2000) were published.

5.10.3 Childminding Ireland

Representing, arguably, the mostcommonly used form of childcare inIreland, this organisation was establishedin 1983 by a small group of Childmindersproviding family day care, and is now thenational body for childminding, funded bythe DHC.

The aims and objectives are to :

1. Promote high standards in family-based day care for children;

2. Promote the interests ofChildminders as a very importantcomponent in the workforce;

3. Provide training, support and advicefor Childminders and Parents;

4. Establish a network of local groups;5. Maintain a Register of Childminders.

Recently Childminding Ireland has beenengaged in the development of QualityIndicators in Family based Day-care(Childminding Ireland, 2004). Thispublication takes the stance that the qualityof family based day care is highlydependant on the personal characteristicsof the individual childminder and states:

The role of the childminder is toprovide a comfortable, friendly safehome-from-home environment withaccess to outdoor play for a smallnumber of mixed age children,which actively promotes learning,exploration and fun. (ChildmindingIreland, 2004:3)

Five areas for quality are identified:

Children

Parents

Wider community

Self and family

Employees (Childminding Ireland,2004).

It is intended that the document willprovide a practical but encouraging manual

Section 5

2. Implementation of High/Scope inthe early years setting - participationin cluster groups of other similarlyplaced services for ongoing supportand training (may include onsite andoffsite activities.)

3. Application for Accreditation – aportfolio of relevant documentation(detailed specifications supplied)must be submitted to High/ScopeIreland.

4. Use of Program QualityAssessment Tool (PQA) -High/Scope assessors carry out sitevisits over two days. They conductinterviews and collect evidence onseven key indicators of effectivelearning environments:

- Physical learning environment- The daily routine;- Parental involvement and family

services;- Staff development;- Setting management;- Curriculum planning and

assessment;- Adult-child interactions.

5. Accreditation panel evaluation - theevaluation report is issued and ifsuccessful, accreditation is awarded(High/Scope Educational ResearchFoundation, 2003a; b).

The PQA tool has been developed andadapted from the materials originallydeveloped by High/Scope in the UnitedStates. It has been designed especially forpre-school sessional settings and usesrating scales as scoring mechanisms. Theclaimed strength of the PQA is that thepsychometric properties have beensubjected to rigorous testing:

A series of national and state-wideevaluation studies shows thePreschool PQA to be a highlyreliable and valid instrument for

These are “…intended to augment, notreplace, those principles and practicesembodied in professional roles orestablished good practice in theworkplace.” (CHI, 2000:3) Very practicalguidelines are offered in this document, e.g.communicating with children; involvingparents in childcare and support; physicalcare, including positioning, feeding, diet etc(CHI, 2000).

5.10.5 High/Scope Ireland

Established in 1999, High/Scope Irelandbrings together representatives from thevoluntary, statutory, independent andcommunity sectors in Northern Ireland andthe Republic of Ireland who wish toenhance the quality of ECCE through theHigh/Scope approach.

High/Scope is an approach to earlylearning derived from developmentalprinciples. Grounded in practice, it hasbeen researched, developed and shaped bynew knowledge and understanding over a40-year period. It is an approach based onthe principle that active, participatorylearning in supportive environments isconducive to the growth and strengtheningof open democratic societies.

High/Scope Ireland has developed theHigh/Scope Accreditation Pack that isconceptualised as a “…journey of personaland practice development between thetrainer and practitioner.” (High/ScopeIreland, 2003:3) It involves workingthrough a series of stages as follows:

1. Curriculum Implementation Course– comprises 10 workshops over a 10month period. A variety ofcurriculum areas (e.g. activelearning, the physical learningenvironment, the daily routine,observation and record keeping)must be undertaken by the earlyyears practitioner as a first steptowards becoming an accreditedHigh/Scope setting.

Section 5

A series of detailed questions under eachheading are also included for serviceproviders, designed to help them evaluatepractice within their own setting. It alsoforms part of the assessment process forthe IPPA Quality ImprovementProgramme.

In 2002, IPPA established a QualityImprovement Programme (QIP) tosupport early childhood services in theirpursuit of quality provision. Thisprogramme focuses on “ the quality of thelearning experiences of children andfamilies involved in the service and thequality of relationships between children,adults and between children and adults inthe service.” (IPPA, 2002c:15) There are anumber of different elements to the QIPincluding: “monthly training workshops,on site support and evaluation/assessment.” (IPPA, 2002c:14) There aretwo distinct phases in the IPPA QIP:

1. The set-up phase during which theprogramme supports the service toestablish a basic service frameworkthat involves all the dimensions ofthe service including:

- Aims and values;- Physical environment;- Daily routines and rituals;- Activities and experiences of

children;- Interactions, learning and

teaching strategies;- Observation, consultation and

analysis;- Assessment and planning;- Partnership with families and

communities;- Staff and management.

2. The Quality Cycle phase – this is the“…action research phase that aimsto establish on-going reflectivepractice within the service incollaboration with thestakeholders.”( IPPA, 2002c:16) Itinvolves four stages; Evaluation,

measuring program quality anddetermining its relationship to staffqualifications, staff developmentinitiatives and young children’sdevelopmental outcomes.(High/Scope Educational ResearchFoundation, 2003a:15)

These evaluations were carried out in theUnited States and have not been replicatedin the Irish context to date.

5.10.6 IPPA, the Early ChildhoodOrganisation

IPPA, the Early Childhood Organisation, isthe largest voluntary organisation workingfor young children and their families inIreland. It was founded in 1969, andpresently has a membership of over 2,000services. This includes a wide range ofservice provision - Playgroups, Parent andToddler Groups, Full Day Care Groups,After-school and Out-of- School Groupsand individual members. IPPA is anationwide practice-based organisation,representing members at local levelthrough the IPPA branches and at nationallevel through the National Committee. In2000, IPPA produced a quality assessmenttool, Quality Indicators for ChildcareServices (IPPA, 2000a). Six headings areidentified in the document:

The Physical Environment;

Activities and Experience;

Adult- child Interactions;

Partnership with Parents;

Observation and Assessment;

Staff and Management (IPPA, 2000a).

Under each heading, a detailed list ofquality indicators is outlined anddescriptors are provided to enable assessorsto rate the early years provision against athree point rating scale; Minimal, Adequateand Good.

This can be used as a self-assessment tool.

Section 5

Action Planning, Implementationand Reflection, and is designed toestablish these processes in theeveryday practice of the service andservice provider. The QIP is viewedas a long term strategy and itrequires a commitment of three yearsparticipation from each service. TheIPPA Quality Officers providestructured support in the form oftraining and mentoring for the firsttwo years of the programme and thethird year involves participation in anetwork of other such early yearsservices. At the end of the two years,the service may apply foraccreditation by IPPA. Accreditationis available for both the service andthe practitioners participating in theQIP. The assessment processinvolves self-assessment andvalidation by the IPPA QualityOfficer against the aforementionedIPPA quality indicators. The evidencefor the accreditation process willhave been gathered during theintensive two-year quality cycle e.g.Support visit reports completed bythe Quality Officer.

The QIP was piloted with eight services in1999/2000. A Report on the PilotQuality Improvement Programmegiving details of the implementation of theprogramme was produced in 2000 (IPPA,2000b). Some interesting observations aremade in the report including:

The unsuitability of established baselinequality measurement tools such as theECERS for use with the services in thepilot programme;

The low wages and lack of resources,including time, that characterise manyof the services does not encourage staffto be enthusiastic about improvingquality;

The majority of staff had low levels ofappropriate training;

Parental expectations regarding literacy

and numeracy often guided theprogramme of activities in the services(IPPA, 2000b).

The evaluation of the programme wasconducted through observation by thequality support worker, completion ofquestionnaires and evaluation forms byparticipants, conversations with childrenand informal feedback from externalagencies. The findings are reported asuniversally positive, with improvements inthe experiences of participants, parents andchildren cited. A key recommendation wasthe need for more intensive support fromthe Quality Officer for services, especially inthe early stages of the process. The reportconcludes that:

Quality programmes can only workwhen these three elements, training,on-site support and assessment arein place. It is clear that informationand advice are not sufficient.Services in general do not have thecapacity or expertise to implementself-assessment and improvement ontheir own. They may meetregulation standards but they willnot go beyond them. (IPPA,2000b:47)

The IPPA’s continuing commitment to thedevelopment of quality in ECCE isreinforced by their recent publication ofPower of Play – A Play Curriculumin Action (Brennan, 2004). Thisdocument is an exploration of play practiceand related theory in a variety of ECCEsettings. Through the use of pictures andassociated learning stories, this publicationaims to encourage practitioners to engagein reflective practice towards the improvedrecognition of and provision for qualityplay experiences for children.

5.10.7 National Children’s NurseriesAssociation (NCNA)

The NCNA was established in 1988 topromote high standards of quality

Section 5

childcare. This countrywide organisationhas a membership of over 400. Members ofthe association promote the physical,intellectual, emotional and socialdevelopment of the children in their care,in a warm, welcoming and safeenvironment. The work of the NCNAmainly concentrates on providing advice,support and training for member nurseries,as well as raising public awarenessregarding issues affecting the childcaresector. Since 2000, the NCNA have, incommon with five of the other NVCOs

,been in receipt of funding under theQuality Sub-measure of the EOCP. As aresult of this funding, a number of practicerelated publications have been produced toassist service providers to achieve andimprove quality standards and the NCNACentre of Excellence Award (CEA) has beenestablished.

In 2000, the NCNA published the first in aseries of publications related to qualitypractice in ECCE settings. The GoodPractice Self-Assessment Manual(NCNA, 2000c) is designed to support self-assessment by managers in full day careservices. It is influenced, as are much of thepublications produced by the NCNA, by thework of the National Association for theEducation of Young children (NAEYC), aNorth American based organisation, andthe writing and theory of Diane Trisker-Dodge, a North American based expert oneffective practice with young children.(Dodge, 1991, NAEYC, 1998) Thepublication is highly structured andemploys Likert Scales and checklists undera range of headings to facilitate a detailedreview of practice, both by the service andthe individual. The main guiding questionsit addresses are:

What exactly is good practice?

How can it be promoted through self-assessment?

What can a self-assessment manualaccomplish for those who use it?(NCNA, 2004, Accessed at:www.ncna.net., 11th May, 2004)

The next publication, chronologically,After School – The Way Forward(NCNA, 2000a), addresses the subject ofafter-school provision, i.e. care andeducation services for children of schoolgoing age (4 years plus) out of schoolhours. This is a very under developed typeof service provision in Ireland and thepublication is designed to provideinformation and advice on establishingafter school provision. It does considerquality practice and “…(t)he principle aimsof the guidelines are to promote theestablishment of good practice across theafter-school sector and to provide a guideto understanding and meeting the variedneeds of the school-aged child.” (NCNA,2004, Accessed at: www.ncna.net., 11th

May, 2004)

It draws on United Kingdom (UK) practiceand experience and cites a number of UKpublications, which makerecommendations on good practice in thisarea.

We Like this Place… Best PracticeGuidelines for the Design ofChildcare Facilities followed in 2002(NCNA, 2002a). This publication isintended to “…offer practical informationand guidance on best practice in theplanning, design and adaptation ofchildcare facilities and draw attention tothe current statutory requirements.”(NCNA, 2002a:3) The information coversall aspects of the design, layout, alteration,renovation and extension of childcarefacilities and it also contains referencesections that provide recommendedresources for further information.

In 2003, the issue of quality standards wasrevisited with the publication of TowardsQuality Daycare - Minimum QualityStandards in a Nursery (NCNA,

7 Childminding Ireland, Barnardos, IPPA, the EarlyChildhood Organisation, St. Nicholas Montessori Society ofIreland and Forbairt Naíonraí Teo (formerly An ComhchoisteRéamhscolaíochta Teo.)

Section 5

Implementation of policies andprocedures;

Evaluation and review of nursery(NCNA, 2003d).

Providers are asked to rate themselves on ascale of 1-10 under each criteria and aminimum rating of 6 is required for eachbefore the profile will be acceptable forsubmission for validation. If this target isachieved, the service provider may thensubmit the portfolio for the next step in theaward process i.e. assessment visit fromNCNA external validators. The duration ofthe visit depends on the size of the servicebut will generally require validators to bepresent in the service for one or two days tocomplete an in-depth evaluation of alldimensions of practice. If an award is madeafter completion of this process, it is validfor two years. After this time, the servicemust reapply to renew their award (NCNA,2003d).

To date thirty services have been given aCEA nationally.

5.10.8 Pavee Point

Section 4 has outlined the contribution ofPavee point to the policy debate on theissue of diversity and equality in ECCE inIreland. Subsequent to the publication ofÉist (Murray and O’Doherty, 2001 ), adevelopment initiative was established topursue the practical implementation of thisdocument’s policy recommendations. Thiswork resulted in 2004 in the publication ofAr an mBealach – On the Way,Diversity and Equality TrainingManual for Early ChildhoodTrainers (Pavee Point, 2004b). Thismanual offers a “…structured programmeof exercises and tasks to bring participantson a journey of change; offering accurateinformation, attitudinal exploration andskills for working with children andfamilies.” (Pavee Point 2004b:7) Themanual offers a conceptualisation of qualityin ECCE based upon “….inclusive, equitable

2003b). The primary aim of the publicationis “..to promote the establishment of goodpractice within the membership of theNational Children’s Nurseries Association.”(NCNA, 2004, Accessed at: www.ncna.net.,11th May, 2004) This document updatesand revises the earlier NCNA publicationsunder the same title. As with itspredecessors it attempts to providecomprehensive details of the criteria forquality practice in full day care provision. The standards are divided into a number ofsubject categories from health and safety topartnership with parents. They combinelegal requirements and best practiceguidelines.

In addition to the publication of supportdocumentation is the aforementionedCentre of Excellence Award (CEA) in2002. This is a very comprehensiveassessment and validation system which“…acknowledges NCNA members who areproviding excellent standards of care forchildren in Ireland”. (NCNA, 2004,Accessed at: www.ncna.net., 11th May,2004)

Upon application, service providers receivea Self-Evaluation Profile (SEP), whichmust be fully completed and returned tothe NCNA. The NCNA can provide a rangeof supports including advice, informationmentoring and training for those in theprocess of applying for the CEA.

The SEP is very structured and requiresproviders to assess themselves against verydetailed standards under the followingheadings:

Activities and programmes for children;

Relationships in the nursery;

Partnership with families;

Health, safety and hygiene;

Staff conditions and professionaldevelopment;

Physical environment;

Food and nutrition;

Management and administration;

Section 5

collaborative ‘umbrella’ group to consider awide range of issues related to thedevelopment of quality in ECCE. Thisgroup is funded under the EOCP QualitySub-measure and provides a useful forumfor debate and information disseminationon this key issue. One example of thebenefits of such a group is the publicationof Guidelines for the Protection ofChildren in Early Childhood Services(NCNA, 2000b). The booklet was producedto set down principles of best practice inchild protection in order to safeguard thewelfare of children and reflects theconsensual position of all those groups whoparticipated in its development andpublication.

5.10.11 Quality Programmes inDisability Services

A number of disability services in Irelandmake provision for young children in thebirth to six age range. In recent years manyhave adopted a model of qualitydevelopment produced by the Council onQuality and Leadership, a not-for-profitorganisation based in the United States.

The Council supports the enhancement ofquality in services for people withdisabilities through the development ofstandards of quality and through thedissemination of materials and training.The Council also operates an AccreditationProgramme and the accrediting body formany disability services in the UnitedStates.

Among the Irish services using this modelare a number of the Health Boards (NorthEast and South East) and the largeorganisations that provide services tochildren with disability, including St. Johnof God, Brothers of Charity, St. Michael’sHouse and Western Care.

The Council defines quality asresponsiveness to people rather thancompliance with organisational process.Outcome measures for families with young

provision that supports children’s well-being” (Pavee Point, 2004b:8) andchallenges practitioners to achieve ECCEprovision where “…diversity and equality isacknowledged, affirmed and respected…”(Pavee Point, 2004b:8)

5.10.9 St. Nicholas MontessoriSociety of Ireland (SNMSI)

As a result of EOCP funding, aCertification Process for MontessoriSchools was established. This processaims “…to improve the quality ofMontessori schools in Ireland and topromote Montessori Education.” (SNMSI,2003) It is deemed to be a process thatcontains five elements:

Self evaluation of the Environment;

Montessori Education Advisor visits theclassroom;

Report on the environment;

Evaluation of the process;

Certification committee (SNMSI, 2003).

If certification is passed, then the school isissued with a certificate valid for threeyears, after which time the process must berepeated. This certification process is openonly to fully qualified Montessori teachers.The self-evaluation instrument is designedto facilitate a description of the schoolenvironment and does not contain anyevaluation elements such as rating scales. Itseeks to discover facts regarding teacherqualifications, adult-child ratios, toiletfacilities, numbers of children, classroomsize and compliance with Preschool serviceregulations. In addition, it seeks toestablish the range of Montessoriequipment and activities under eachcurricular area.

5.10.10 National Voluntary ChildcareOrganisations’ Collaboration

In addition to their individual work, thesevoluntary organisations have established a

Section 5

children are used to measure the quality ofearly intervention services. There aretwenty of these outcomes. The outcomesare predicated on the provision of a family-centred service. This is the model ofservice that is now universally consideredto be the most effective way of providingservices to young disabled children andtheir families (Guralnick, 1997). Keycomponents of this approach are that:

Services centre on the needs of families;

Services are based in the community;

Services are able to integrate thecontributions of multiple disciplines;

Services have the capacity to plan andco-ordinate services and supports.

The Council system (www.thecouncil.org)also uses outcomes for organisations tosupport organisational assurances and

leadership. These outcomes focus ongovernance, accountability and leadership

5.11 Summary

The profusion of qualityassurance/improvement initiatives thathave emerged from the NVCOs have anumber of common themes under theheadings of defining, assessing andsupporting quality in ECCE services inIreland. These are summarised in the tablefollowing.

As can be observed below there is strongconsensus across these programmes. Asthese materials have generally been evolvedthrough a consultative process, theyprovide a strong rationale for the validityand relevance of these themes to the NFQ.

Table 2: Thematic Summary of NVCO Quality Programmes

Defining (indicators) Assessing Supporting

Complex, multi-faceted Internal and external Funding - sustainabilityand dynamic mechanisms necessary

Physical environment Clear, unambiguous criteria Education, training and mediated by guidelines for qualification opportunities

variety of ECCE settings for staff

Safety health and hygiene National certification Information

Programme/curriculum/ Biennial review Mentoring and routine networking systems

Adult-child interactions Observation as a tool

Parental and Reflective practicecommunity involvement

Staffing issues Feedback essential - formative and summative

Management and Openness and administration transparency

Philosophy, policies Portfolio buildingand procedures

Section 5

5.12 The Influence ofPractitioner Educationand Training

The positive correlation between the levelof education, training and qualifications ofadults working with young children and thequality of service provision is an issue thathas attracted much support in literature inIreland and in other countries (Ball, 1994;Oberhuemer and Ulich, 1997; DES 1999a;DJELR, 1999; DJELR, 2002a). However,there is relatively little research evidence tosupport this position internationally andnone that has been conducted in the Irishcontext. Despite this lack of empiricalsupport, this position has exertedsignificant influence on practice in theECCE sector in Ireland especially since1990. This influence is demonstrated in therecognition by the DES of the need formore qualified teachers and a subsequentupsurge in intake by the teacher trainingcolleges, the development and review ofeducation and training programmes at alllevels from entry to higher degree in ECCEand the emergence of a community ofresearchers in ECCE in the Irish context.

Education, training and professional

development opportunities for those whowork with children from birth to six yearsare as diverse and varied as the range ofearly years settings that exist in Ireland.Primary school teacher training has been todegree level since the mid 1970s, and whilstit is argued that in-service training isinadequate (DES, 2002f; INTO 2004),there is a standard level of in-serviceavailable to all qualified teachers. Thesituation for personnel working withchildren in settings other than primaryschools is not so straightforward orstandardised. Degree and postgraduatelevel programmes in early childhoodstudies have only been available since themid 1990s. Currently, approximately 175places per annum are available on degreeprogrammes and demand vastly outweighsthis capacity. The majority of education andtraining for ECCE personnel therefore isoffered by education and trainingproviders, whose courses may be nationallyor non-nationally accredited to sub-degreelevel, or which indeed may not have anyrecognised accreditation at all.

In response to the conviction that improvededucation and training of personnel willlead to improved quality in ECCE service,

Implications for the National Framework for Quality -Practioner Perspectives

1. The NVCOs have been working with ECCE practitioners towards the development ofquality service provision for many years and therefore have developed materials andexpertise, which could support and enhance the implementation of the NFQ.

2. Each quality assurance/improvement programme has addressed the issues ofdefining assessing and supporting quality. There is strong consensus across theseand they provide good evidence of the key issues that must be taken into account forthe development of the NFQ.

3. Evaluation is planned on a number of these quality assurance initiatives and thiswill be of great value to the development and refinement of the NFQ.

4. The NFQ must take account of, and provide a reference point for, the wide range ofexisting programmes related to quality in ECCE. It should incorporate somemechanism for affording credit to those ECCE services, which have completed suchprogrammes.

Section 5

there has been a great deal of effort andcommitment made by ECCE personnel inIreland to improve their own level ofeducation and training. In 2002, the NCCCpublished a Model Framework forEducation, Training andProfessional Development for EarlyChildhood Care and EducationPractitioners in Ireland (DJELR,2002a). This document represented theculmination of a comprehensive andlengthy consultation process and outlinedthe core skills and knowledge appropriateto each occupational profile within thesector. In addition, it set out for the firsttime the agreed core values that shouldunderpin quality practice of all personnel. The ECCE sector values:

Childhood in its own right;

The rights of children, who are activeagents in their own growth anddevelopment;

Parents, guardians and families as thechildren’s primary source of well –being;

Professional development as central togood practice;

The role of the practitioner as thefacilitator of enhanced well-being anddevelopment of the child;

Diversity by acknowledging andpromoting each child’s and each adult’sindividual personal and culturalidentity;

Equality of access and participation inservices;

A positive approach to the Irishlanguage and culture;

The right of children to protection fromany form of abuse, neglect anddiscrimination;

The right of children, families andchildcare staff to confidentiality,balanced with the interests of the childand the right of all to protection fromharm;

Experiences and activities whichsupport learning and allow children to

actively explore, to experience, to makechoices and decisions and to share inthe learning process;

Play as the natural, constructive mode ofchildren’s interactions with their peers,adults and environment. (DJELR,2002a:17)

This set of agreed values provides usefulinsight into the vision ECCE practitionershave of good practice in ECCE in Ireland.If, as intended, it does inform the futuredevelopment of all education and trainingprogrammes for ECCE practitioners, then itwill have contributed a great deal towardsthe achievement of consistent, coordinatedand quality practice across all settings inECCE.

The Model Framework recognises thatachieving ‘quality practice’ placesincreasingly complex demands upon ECCEpersonnel. It also acknowledges that allprofessional practitioners involved in thedevelopment and delivery of education andcare services for children in Ireland mustbe prepared to meet the challenges of thefuture. For example, commitment to aholistic approach to the delivery ofeducation and care services for childrenrequires that the perceived dividing linesbetween care and education mustdisappear. If the “Whole Child” perspectivetaken in the National Children’s Strategy(DHC, 2000) is to be realised thenintegrated service delivery is essential. Thiswill require practitioners to be able to workas part of a multidisciplinary team ofprofessionals. This has obviousimplications for the future development ofeducation and training programmes.The key skills and knowledge required bypractitioners in ECCE are outlined in theModel Framework document as:

Child Development – including thedomains and stages of development, theinfluences of environmental, biological,social and cultural influences, the rolesand responsibilities of adults, methodsand importance of child observation.

Section 5

diverse and high quality services foryoung children can be created andsupported, but research indicatesthat the better the pay andconditions, training and support forstaff, the better the quality of theservice. (Bernard, 1997:14)

In 2003, ADM produced NationalChildcare Census Baseline Data1999-2000, and as part of this process,some observations were made on the levelof education, training and qualifications ofstaff in childcare settings (ADM, 2003).The overall conclusion was that ECCE wasa low wage, low status occupation and therewere low levels of training andqualifications amongst personnel employedin ECCE services. Whilst anecdotalevidence would suggest that this situationhas improved substantially to date, there isno further national research evidence tosupport this.

Presently, there are no regulationsregarding the education, training orqualifications of ECCE practitioners inIreland in setting outside those operatedand fully funded by the DES. Thisrepresents a major division in terms of theeducation and training of practitioners.Whilst a growing number of ECCEpractitioners are qualified to bachelordegree level, teachers in the infant classesof primary schools must have achieved atleast this standard and level of education(as outlined by the DES) in order to be fullyqualified to practice.

The pre-service training that infantteachers receive is designed to preparethem to teach all classes and ages withinthe primary school, i.e. 4 to 12 years. Thestructure of primary teacher training hasbecome standardised since 1974 and allteachers must now qualify to bachelordegree level involving three years study (ora postgraduate eighteen months course)and have completed a one year supervisedprobation period before achieving fullyqualified status.

Education and play – including theoriesand processes of learning in earlychildhood, curriculum processes andapproaches, role and importance ofplay.

Social environment – includingsignificance of social knowledge andexperiences to development of socialcompetencies in children, roles andresponsibilities of adults.

Health hygiene, nutrition and safety –including: knowledge of relevant theoryand legislation, ability to implementrelevant policies and practice,knowledge and ability to keepappropriate records.

Personal professional development –including independent learning skills,ability to engage in reflection on ownpractice, development of key skills ofliteracy, numeracy, etc.

Communication, management andadministration – including ability tosupport relationships and interactionscentral to development of the youngchild (e.g. adult-child, child-child),ability to plan and maintain anenvironment conducive to optimaldevelopment of child, ability to establishand maintain effective informationsystems (DJELR, 2002a).

There is very little research on the level oftraining and qualifications amongst staff ofearly childhood services. Evidence fromlocal research initiatives such as thatconducted on behalf of the West of IrelandNetwork for New Sources of Jobs, givessome insight into the situation as it was inthe late 1990s. Entitled Training, theKey to Quality, the report concludes that“…low grade, low status, low rates of pay,lack of professional support and lack ofaccess to accredited training describes thecurrent status of many staff in earlychildhood services.” (Bernard, 1997:14)This, it is argued, has direct implicationsfor the quality of service provision:

There are many ways in which

Section 5

Implications for the National Framework for Quality - The Infuence of Practioner Education and Training

1. There is a general consensus that the education, training and qualifications of adultsworking in ECCE services has a direct impact on the quality of service provision.

2. Outside the formal education system, there are no standard qualifications requiredfor practitioners in ECCE services.

3. A broad array of education training and qualifications has been developed to meetthe needs of ECCE service providers.

The structure of the B.Ed degreeprogramme is similar in all the colleges ofeducation. “In general the B.Edprogramme is structured to apportion40% to Education, 40% to academicsubjects and 20% to Teaching Practice.”(DES 2002f:28) The subjects covered inEducation include Psychology andSociology of Education, Music, Art andDrama in Education, Teaching studies,Curriculum English, MathematicsEducation evaluation and assessment. Theacademic subjects include English,Geography, Mathematics, French andReligious Studies. Early ChildhoodEducation is offered as an academic subjectin two of the five recognised Colleges ofEducation.

5.12.1 Review of Primary TeacherEducation

In 1999, a working group on PrimaryTeacher Education was established by theMinister for Education and Science. Thiswas prompted in part by the introduction ofthe Revised Curriculum but also inacknowledgement of the fact that primaryteacher education had not been reviewedsince the early 1970s when it was extendedto a three-year Bachelor of EducationDegree. Many changes in the social anddemographic profile of the country hadoccurred in the interim and these changeswere making demands on the practice ofteachers, which required support in termsof education and training. The extensive

deliberations of the review body concludedin 2002 with the publication of a report,Preparing Teachers for the 21st

Century, detailing sixty-onerecommendations, covering a wide range ofissues from selection of students toteaching practice and incentives forpostgraduate study:

The main conclusion of the Workinggroup is that teacher educationneeds to be reconceptualised andprogrammes radically restructuredin the context of the framework andrecommendations presented in thisreport. (DES, 2002f:154)

Whilst the report does provide some usefulcomment on the nature of teaching inprimary schools, it does not specificallyaddress the particular demands of infantteaching. Therefore, it is not possible toisolate what changes are beingrecommended for teaching in these earlyyears settings. The Colleges of Educationare presently taking on board therecommendations of this report and anumber of them are engaged in internalreviews of their pre-service educationprogrammes. One college has recentlyinitiated a new Early Education degreeprogramme, and whilst this may becompletely unrelated to the report of thereview body, it is a welcome innovation inthat it expands the very limited capacity fordegree level study for those who wish towork with young children in Ireland.

Section 5

4. Many adults working with young children have years of experience but do not haveany recognised qualifications.

5. The situation of infant teachers regarding terms and conditions of employment isstandardised and regulated. This is not the situation for other ECCE practitionersoutside the formal education system. In many instances, ECCE staff are affordedlow status and poor terms and conditions of employment. This situation is notconducive to the implementation of a NQF.

ResearchDevelopments1990 - 2004

6.1 Introduction

In this section of the review, we considerthe implications of research on quality inthe Irish context. Some of the literaturemay already have been included in previoussections, in particular, evaluation reportswhich have provided insight into theeffectiveness of both policy and practiceinitiatives. To avoid repetition therefore, wehave only included research not mentionedheretofore. The relatively small body ofresearch does not fall easily into distinctcategories and therefore each piece ispresented chronologically rather thansubdivided into sections.

Research from individual academics isoutlined in Section 6.4.

Research into quality in ECCE is limited inIreland. The recently published An Auditof Research on Early Childhood Careand Education in Ireland 1990 –2003 (CECDE, 2003b) revealed:

…there has been little research in thearea of quality in the Irish context,both in relation to quality indicatorsor the evaluation of more subtle andintangible aspects of quality.(CECDE, 2003b:141)

Indeed, out of a total of 1,082 separateentries, only fifty-three directly address theissue of quality. A number of factors mayhave contributed to this situation:

Higher education degree programmes,outside the teacher education colleges,have only been available in ECCE sincethe mid 1990s. Therefore, it is only veryrecently that graduates, equipped with

Section 6

Research Developments 1990-2004

the necessary research skills, have beenavailable to initiate, develop and expandresearch programmes;

Dissemination opportunities forresearchers that would, in themselves,be a motivating force for research arevery limited. There is no dedicatedECCE research association or journal inIreland;

Funding for ECCE research hastraditionally been scarce and it is onlysince the publication of a broad range ofpolicy documents in the late 1990s thatany substantial funding for researchprogrammes has been offered.

The CECDE Research Strategy (CECDE,2003a) has a specific focus on quality andshould do much to redress the findings ofthe Audit of Research as outlined above. Asa first step towards the development of theNFQ, a consultation process was carriedout with a broad range of ECCEstakeholders on the subject of quality.Talking About Quality (CECDE,2004b) elucidates the views of close to 400practitioners in relation to defining,assessing and supporting quality asexpressed in a series of nationalconsultative seminars in late 2003. Theperspectives of participants, includingpractitioners, parents, researchers, policymakers, infant teachers and healthprofessionals, are consonant with many ofthe policy and practice documents cited inthis review.

In addition, an international review ofquality in several jurisdictions has alsobeen completed, Making Connections,A Review of International Policy,Practice and Research Relating toQuality in Early Childhood Care andEducation, drawing many importantconclusions for the Irish context (CECDE,Forthcoming B). These pillars of researchwill continue to inform CECDE policy as wecontinue with our brief of developing theNFQ.

6.2 1990 - 1998

The DES has traditionally commissionedresearch to support and evaluate itsinitiatives in early education. The ERC haslargely been charged with the task of suchresearch and has made a valuablecontribution to the body of knowledge ineducation in Ireland.

The ERC was established on the campus ofSt Patrick’s College, Dublin, in 1966. Theresearch relevant to the issue of quality inECCE is mainly the evaluation of initiativesand new programmes. These include theevaluation of the Rutland Street Project,Breaking the Cycle, Early Start and theHSCL Scheme. Whilst none of thesespecifically address issues of quality, eachinitiative was designed to explore theimpact of changes, which have beenarticulated as indicators of qualityelsewhere, e.g. lowering adult-child ratios.Most of these reports have been included inprevious sections and the implications forthe development of the NFQ drawn out.

The Rutland Street Pre-school Projectwas initiated in 1969 and was theforerunner and model for the Early StartPilot Project. The evaluation of thisinitiative was not included as its originalevaluation predates the time span of thisreview (Holland, 1979). However in 1993,the ERC revisited the Rutland StreetProject to conduct a follow up on theeducational development of the studentswho participated in the first five years ofthe programme. Whilst this report does notcomment on the nature of the Project andfocuses on the participants’ development, itnevertheless does reiterate the continuedvalidity of some of the original findings e.g.the critical importance of parental andwider community involvement and theneed for continuity and coordinationbetween pre-school and primary.

In the same year as the follow up RutlandStreet Report, the Association for theWelfare of Children in Hospital (Ireland),

Section 6

(now known as Children in HospitalIreland), produced a report of a survey ofPlay for Child Patients in IrishHospitals (Association for the Welfare ofChildren in Hospital (Ireland), 1993).Quality is not the main focus of this reportand the overall observations relate to thegeneral paucity of play provision inhospitals. Despite this, it is useful to ourunderstanding of the nature of playprovision in hospitals at that time by virtueof the comments and recommendations onthe limited provision that did exist. Thesehighlighted issues such as the necessity forsuitably qualified staff, for adequate space,materials and equipment, for clearlyarticulated policies and guidelines, forplanned programmes of activities that areage and stage appropriate.

O’Flaherty et al. (1994) conducted anEvaluation of St. Audeon’s ParentPreschool Health Promotion Project,located in a disadvantaged area in Dublin.This focused on the reading and cognitiveability, emotional and social adjustment ofchildren who partook in the project as wellas control groups. A core characteristic ofthe project was active parental involvementand participation. The findings include“…an early rise in the IQ measurement ofthe children and a subsequent fadingwithin three to four years.” (O’Flaherty etal., 1994:35) However, children were betterprepared for entry to formal schooling andwere in a position to compete with theirmore advantaged peers.

Curriculum has emerged as a key criterionfor quality in ECCE and in 1995, O’Flahertycompiled an evaluation of the High/Scopecurriculum, Intervention in the EarlyYears (O’Flaherty, 1995). In this, sheoutlines the variety of perspectives in whichquality can be viewed, including:

Childcare workers – staff experiencesand working conditions;

Parents – extent to which service meetstheir needs and fulfils their expectation;

Social service perspective – provision of

a comprehensive care service;

Children – the child’s perception of theexperience;

Government/regulatory – social andmoral obligation to set and monitorstandards;

Social policy funding perspective –extent of State support for childcare;

Cultural specific perspective – qualitydefined in terms of the social norms,values, customs and beliefs of the people(O’Flaherty, 1995:19).

O’Flaherty further identifies structuralaspects that contribute to quality childcare,including group size, adult-child ratios,training and qualifications, a plannedprogramme, professional supports for staff,parental involvement, premises andequipment, working conditions of staff andadult-child interactions (O’Flaherty,1995:20). However, these are more markersas opposed to measures of quality and it isnecessary to utilise a range of qualityindicators when assessing quality(O’Flaherty, 1995:108). This evaluationreport, whilst valuable, is again limited toone approach in ECCE.

In 1995, a significant piece of research wasundertaken which examined a broad rangeof variables of quality in a wide range ofECCE settings, A Window on EarlyEducation in Ireland. The IEA Pre-primary Project (1995-1997) was:

…designed to assess the need for,and utilisation of, early childhoodcare and educational arrangements,the quality of the child’s experiencein these settings… (Hayes et al.,1997:2)

Thus a focus on quality was one of the threeaims of the Project and the complexity ofdefining and evaluating quality in the Irishcontext are addressed in detail. This waspart of a large cross-national investigationand involved 396 children in the Irishdimension of the project. The study found

Section 6

great differences in the quality ofexperiences of four-year olds, depending onwhether they were attending preschool orinfant class settings, in terms ofcurriculum, group sizes, equipment andresources, training and qualifications andactivities pursued. Aspects such as thestructural characteristics of the settings,teacher and parent expectations, theobservation of children and adults and thechild’s developmental status wereexamined. Findings include the greaterprevalence of training among teachersworking in schools, much lower pupil-teacher ratios in preschool settings, thegreater availability of equipment andresources in preschools and the emphasison pre-academic skills and activities in theinfant classes. One of the overallimplications of the study was the call for:

A national debate about qualityearly education and the needs ofyoung children is necessary. Such adebate would include parents,managers, practitioners,educationalists, researchers andpolicy-makers. (Hayes et al.,1997:114)

6.3 1998 - Present

Post 1997, the ECCE sector becameengaged in a series of national consultationprocesses towards the development of keypolicy documents (see Section 4). A varietyof research was carried out in support ofthese processes, however, such researchwas not always published or made availablefor public consumption. In general though,the research sought to establish baselinestatistics regarding the range and nature ofservice provision and staffing issues, suchas the levels of education and training.Research exploring the issue of quality inECCE was not a feature of this research. Asthe Section 4 has clearly describedhowever, quality featured as a prominentissue in the majority of these policy

documents. This reflects the fact that manynon-statutory organisations were activelypursuing the achievement of quality inservices and were conscious of theinfrastructure and supports needed to aidthis process. Engagement in theconsultation process provided a forum forthese issues to be expressed and recorded.Therefore, the policy documents that wereissued after 1998 relating to ECCE are inthemselves research reports, which reflectthe collective views on the essential natureof quality in ECCE.

The data from the aforementioned IEAproject was revisited when the originalparticipants were seven years old andwithin the primary school system, SevenYears Old: School Experience inIreland (Hayes and Kernan, 2001). Onceagain, this was part of a larger cross-national investigation and in the Irishcontext, included 94% of the original cohortof four-year olds. The study revealed thatlarge amounts of time (65%) were spent onthe core subjects of English, Irish andMathematics, with a consequent negativeimpact on the remaining subjects withinthe Primary School Curriculum (DES,1999b). Pupils were also to be found inlarge classes of between 24 and 36 pupils,with only one adult in 92% of cases. Thestudy focused on pupils in both designateddisadvantaged schools and those withoutdesignation and found a “…statisticallysignificant…” difference on cognitive,linguistic, reading, maths and scienceability in favour of pupils within non-designated schools (Hayes and Kernan,2001:66).

As has been referred to in previoussections, the CCCs have been establishedunder the EOCP to support thedevelopment of quality childcare places intheir regions. In order to establish baselinestatistics on existing provision, a number ofthe CCCs are in the process of conductingresearch. One such example of this is theNorth Tipperary CCC InformationGathering Exercise (North Tipperary

Section 6

CCC, 2002). This baseline researchestablished that three in ten children in thearea accessed some form of childcare, twoin ten parents used childminders, sessionalservices accounted for the majority ofcentre based childcare services and themajor deficit in provision related to full daycare. This research does not address theissue of the quality of services. This is mostlikely due to the recent nature of theestablishment of the CCCs and the fact thatquality improvement programmes arepresently being set up and will not be readyfor evaluation for some time to come.

Despite this, some CCCs are conductingresearch on specific issues, which, it can beargued, are related to the provision ofquality in ECCE services. One such issue isprovision for diversity in children’s needs.Waterford CCC published Children,Diversity and Childcare (Rush, 2003).The objective of the study was “…toresearch to what extent childcareprovision in the city was meeting the needsof the following specific diverse groups;Traveller children, children with adisability, children in gay and lesbianfamilies and refugee and asylum seekerchildren.” (Rush, 2003:iii) The conclusionsand recommendations of the reporthighlight the fact that service provision fallsshort of meeting the diverse needs ofchildren. A number of factors contribute tothis, including the general lack of provisionof childcare services, the particular scarcityof provision for children under three yearsof age and children with disability and thespecific need for integrated services forTraveller children. Additionally, it washighlighted that parents needed to beinvolved to a greater extent than is currentpractice in order to achieve quality inservice provision.

The NVCOs and other community andvoluntary organisations have been veryactive in recent years and have produced awide number of publications related toquality (see Section 5). Undoubtedly, muchresearch and review of literature has

underpinned these publications. However,there is very little actual published researchon the specific issue of quality in ECCE inthe Irish context. One exception to this isthe IPPA publication Child’s Play – AnExploration into the Quality ofChildcare Processes (Carswell, 2002).This documents a survey of themembership of the IPPA to:

…assess the experiences of childcareproviders/workers in an attempt toexamine everyday pedagogicpractices with specific focus on theproviders subjective interpretation ofplay and learning within the contextof early childhood education andcare. (Carswell, 2002:3)

Despite a disappointing response rate(18.3%), which in itself tells its own storyabout the challenge of conducting researchin the ECCE sector in Ireland, the reportmakes a case that quality in childcare isdependant upon the everyday practice ineach childcare setting. It argues that untilwe establish the nature of the “everyday”(Carswell, 2002:4) and engage withpractitioners at the level of this “everyday”practice, then quality standards will noteffectively impact on the experiences ofchildren. The insight afforded by this pieceof research into the everyday practices inchildcare settings revealed that whilst therewas much to be positive about in terms ofthe adults genuine concern for the wellbeing of children, there were a number ofconcerns regarding the prevalent view ofthe child as “…needy and dependent…”(Carswell, 2002:8).

Although the organisation of theeveryday is based on a child centredethos, the overwhelming view of thechild as being needy presentsdifficulty for the pro-child ideology.(Carswell, 2002:22)

The report concluded that qualityimprovement measures, “…must seek tolimit the extent of this contradiction.”

Section 6

(Carswell, 2002:23) The method advocatedto achieve this was the promotion of“..pedagogic reflexivity…” (Carswell,2002:24) in practice.

Access to service is considered to be a keyissue in quality and in 2003, the NorthernArea Health Board conducted a piece ofresearch, A Consultation Report onAccess to Care and EducationServices for Pre-School Age Childrenwith a Disability in North CountyDublin. As with other reports, quality as aseparate and distinct issue was notidentified; however again therecommendations highlight issues, whichcould be described as criteria for quality.These were:

The importance of early identificationand intervention,

The need for coordination and planningof services;

The need for appropriately trained andprofessional staff;

The importance of information,knowledge and support for parents(Northern Area Health Board, 2003).

6.4 Individual Academics1990-2004

A number of individuals are alsoresponsible for an array of researchdocuments in the Irish context. Childcarein Ireland: Challenge andOpportunity, provides a now historicalperspective on the emergence of qualityand equality in the Irish context (McKenna,1990). Among many other issues, such asthe need for increased female participationin the workforce, quality of services is seenas essential to entice women into the labourmarket:

The issue of quality care for herchild affects the equality ofopportunity for the mother and

women will not have genuineequality of opportunity until theyhave a quality alternative to theirown care. (McKenna, 1990:18)

Gilligan (1991) provides a comprehensiveoverview of Irish Childcare Services:Policy, Practice and Provision,focusing particularly on child welfare andprotection issues. Within this, the quality ofservices is cited as an issue in the Irishcontext, as there was no regulation ofpreschool services at this time.Furthermore, Gilligan asserts theimportance of attaining quality withinservices if they are to have the desiredeffect for children:

For those concerned with childwelfare, the battle for the quality ofday care for the pre-school childmust be fought hard. (Gilligan,1991:142)

Hayes (1995:12-13), in her publication, TheCase for a National Policy on EarlyEducation, notes the complexity, yetnecessity, of defining the more subtle andintangible aspects of quality in Ireland:

While it may be a difficult task tolegislate for or assess such qualitycriteria, they must be discussed anddetailed if effective early education,that will impact positively on thelater educational experiences ofchildren, is to be provided.

Quality in Early Educationacknowledges the complexity of definingquality in the Irish context, yet asserts that“…this should not excuse us from trying toidentify elements in provision that arecrucial to quality.” Hayes (1996:3) Onceagain, the more subtle and dynamicelements of quality, such as adult-childinteractions and the developmentalappropriateness of activities, are cited asthe most important, and indeed the mostdifficult to identify and assess (Hayes,1996:5). Hayes concludes by identifying

Section 6

three main areas relating to quality in needof review:

Structures – coordination between thetraditional divide of childcare and earlyeducation;

Training – for all staff dealing withyoung children, at pre-service and in-service level;

Curriculum – taking account of thetotality of the child’s needs (Hayes,1996:9-10)

Hayes (1999a) examines the impact of thecurriculum and curriculum implementationon the quality of services, Partnership inCurriculum Development. A focus isplaced on the role of society, the impact ofparents and the role of educators indevising and implementating of thecurriculum. Hayes (1999a:17) concludesthat “...in the early years settings thecurriculum is more than a statement ofgoals or desirable outcome; it is a processintimately associated with practice.” Thus,curriculum should emerge from practice,from “…loose curricular guidelines thatallow for the curriculum to emerge…” andbe informed by the daily child-adultinteractions, as opposed to following aprescribed curriculum (Hayes, 1999a:17).

Hayes returns briefly to the subject ofquality in Children’ Rights – WhoseRight? (Hayes, 2002). Once again, qualityis placed at the centre of the childcareprocess, whether that be within the homeor in another setting. Furthermore, theperspective from which quality must beregarded is from the best interests of thechild, as opposed to other competinginterests:

It would focus on the quality of theprovision for all children ratherthan addressing childcare as aservice for parents who wish to, orneed to, return to the labour market.(Hayes, 2002:71)

Duignan (1997) studied the factors affectingparental selection of childcare for youngchildren, Choosing Childcare. Five keyfactors were identified by parents as beingof paramount importance in choosingchildcare, namely, hygiene, space, stafftraining/experience, staff-parentrelationships and staff-child interactions(Duignan, 1997:28). Moreover, Duignan(1997:29) notes with interest that “…noneof the parents referred to educationalopportunities, reliability, food/nutrition ortrust as factors in their choice.” Thus, theneed to acknowledge the differentperspectives from which parents viewquality is affirmed.

Hearns (1998) examined The Impact ofTraining on Workers in EarlyChildhood Education, following afoundation course in playgroup practice.The study noted that the cohort thatundertook training scored higher onpositive relationships and detachment incomparison to a control group. Overall,Hearns (1998:61) concludes that:

The results indicate that thecompletion of a 120 hour trainingprogram resulted in higher levels ofcaregiver sensitivity and higherlevels of children’s development.

Hennessy and Delaney (1999) conducted astudy on the appropriateness of Using theEarly Childhood EnvironmentRating Scale in Ireland to assess globalquality indicators. This scale was developedin the USA and rates settings on an array ofcriteria associated with qualitycharacteristics. They note “…considerabledebate in Ireland on what constitutesquality in early childhood services andhow such quality can be achieved in thebest interests of children, parents and childcare workers.” (Hennessy and Delaney,1999:14) Following a study of the use ofECERS in a variety of settings, Hennessyand Delaney (1999:24) conclude that,“…ECERS yields reliable observations in arange of different pre-schools in Ireland.”

Section 6

However, certain factors such as culturalvariations in interpretations of quality andthe types of services using ECERS werecited as warranting further attention.

Douglas et al. (2000) produced ProjectEYE. An Irish Curriculum for theThree to Four Year Old Child, byobserving and documenting the experienceand expertise of practitioners. Theaspiration was that:

Through encouraging practitionersto identify, question and share theprinciples which inform theirpractice, it was hoped that theoverall aim of raising the quality ofthat practice for all, would berealised. (Douglas et al., 2000:5)

Project EYE focused on the processapproach to curriculum as opposed toproduct, placing great emphasis on learninghow to learn. It focused on thedevelopment of the child as a holisticexperience, and although it separateddevelopmental domains for thepresentation of the curriculum, reiteratesthat each element is interrelated andinseparable. The following domains aretreated:

Spiritual and moral development;

Physical development;

Cognitive development;

Creative development;

Language development;

Social development;

Cultural development;

Environmental awareness anddevelopmental education (Douglas etal., 2001).

Horgan and Douglas (2001) analysed anumber of research projects that hadfocused on early years settings in SomeAspects of Quality in EarlyChildhood Education. This studyincluded a junior infant class, a Montessorischool, a community playgroup, a junior

infant class in a Gaelscoil and a Naíonrasetting. The observations made in thesesettings were analysed for aspects such ascognitive, linguistic and social challengesfor children. Horgan and Douglas(2001:138) conclude that “…the pursuit ofquality in early years education and carehas been stymied and stultified by severalfactors.” For the voluntary sector, theseinclude a lack of coordination betweengovernment departments and the variousproviders, the lack of training and theabsence of adequate funding. Theachievement of quality has also beenimpeded in the formal sector byenvironmental constraints such asinadequate space, high adult-child ratiosand attitudinal negativity (Horgan andDouglas, 2001:139).

Educational Provision for PreschoolChildren provides a critique of the WhitePaper, Ready to Learn (McGough, 2001).She notes as striking the constant referenceto quality within the White Paper as aguiding principle and a defining note ofearly childhood education. McGough holdsthat it is of paramount importance tointerpret quality from the child’sperspective, “…quality of educationalprovision will be constituted in differentways for different children according tothe imperative to meet individualchildren’s needs.” (McGough, 2001:3)Further concerns are raised in relation tothe commitment to quality within theWhite Paper, especially for groups that areaffected by disadvantage or who havespecial needs and McGough concludes byhoping that:

…this body (the Early ChildhoodEducation Agency) will pursue theprinciple of quality in the context ofwhether and how the system canmeet the children’s needs, ratherthan proposing to map the children’sneeds on to the existing, whollyinadequate system. (McGough,2001:12)

Section 6

Murphy (2001) completed bothquantitative and qualitative research onParental Involvement in Early YearsEducation and Care in the CorkArea. The research found that there wasless parental involvement in infant classsettings and that a true partnership was ararity in ECCE services. However, Murphy(2001:306) would hold that:

One of the hallmarks of a qualityearly years education service is thatit works in partnership with parentsto provide an environment in whichchildren can develop to their fullestpotential, and in partnership withall the other services which impingeon the life of the young child.

Bernard (2002) examined the quality andcustomer focus in early childcare services,On the Journey to Quality. Interviewswere conducted with service managers inrelation to six main themes; quality,inspection and quality frameworks,influences and networks, role of themanager, customers and human resources,while childcare providers in Mayo weresurveyed. In conclusion Bernard (2002:112)calls for “…a strategic and cross-sectoralapproach to quality, incorporating astrong client focus…” Many of the otherrecommendations from this research arebeing undertaken within the Programme ofWork of the CECDE (CECDE, 2001),including the development of a qualityframework for ECCE services.

OMEP Ireland has held an annualconference in Ireland since 2002 and theproceedings of this conference arepublished annually. Many of thepresentations shed light on postgraduateresearch studies that are completed andongoing in Ireland. These include a widevariety of research material on all aspectsof ECCE in Ireland. However, this sectionwill focus on a number that relate directlyto quality.

Murphy (2002), Rethinking Parental

Involvement in Early YearsEducation and Care, advocates that aninherent characteristic of quality in ECCE isparental involvement, especially forchildren affected by disadvantage. In theCork area, Murphy examined parentalinvolvement in a variety of settings andnoted that with increased employment forfemales and the growingprofessionalisation of the sector, amongother factors, levels of parental involvementwas impacted upon negatively. Sheconcludes by acknowledging that thetraditional forms of parental involvementare evolving and that parental partnershipcan only be achieved through dedicationfrom staff and parents, and when adequatetime and resources are afforded (Murphy,2002:134).

Martin and Fitzpatrick (2002) alsoexamined parental partnership in earlyyears settings, Parents as Partners inEarly Years Services in Ireland. Thisinvolved using observations, questionnairesand in-depth interviews with parents andstaff in approximately 200 settings in theDublin region. Martin and Fitzpatrickfocused on policies relating to parentalinvolvement, participation withinmanagement structures, location forparental involvement, parents attitudes andexpectations and attitudes of staff. Thestudy concluded that the mainimpediments to participation was the lackof time, the lack of opportunity toparticipate and the sense that the activitiesthey did participate on were “…staffdirected and not characterised by a senseof partnership or mutual understanding.”(Martin and Fitzpatrick, 2002:151)

O’Kane and Kernan (2002) presented apaper outlining their proposed Study ofthe Impact of the Child Care (Pre-school Services) Regulations (1996)on the Quality of Early ChildhoodServices in Ireland. This process wouldinvolve issuing questionnaires to 54settings in the east of Ireland, as well asqualitative observations in a smaller sample

Section 6

of settings. The quality of services prior tothe introduction of the regulations waselicited from the IEA Pre-primary Projectconducted in 1994. In this, the debate onthe nature of the relationship betweenregulation and quality is analysed and thetime scale for the research outlined.

O’Kane (2004:8) outlines the findings fromthe aforementioned O’Kane and Kernan(2002) study, The Impact of the ChildCare (Pre-school Services)Regulations (1996) on the Quality ofEarly Childhood Services in Ireland,concluding that “…Generally speakingimprovements were found in the quality ofthe structural characteristics examined inthe present study as compared to that ofthe original study.” These includedimproved training and qualifications, staff-child ratios, equipment and resources andrecord keeping. Observations also elicitedimproved adult-child interactions, wherebystaff “…not only include giving/receivingacademic type information, but alsoinclude offering choices to the child,encouraging the child’s activities andproviding assistance or clarification.”(O’Kane, 2004:17) Some of theimprovements were directly attributable tothe regulations, while improved levels oftraining were also understood to be animportant factor in certain elements of theimproved quality witnessed.

Corbett (2004) describes the content andworkings of the NCNA Centre ofExcellence Award: The Contributionto Quality. Corbett describes thecomplexity of defining and measuringquality within services, especially the moredynamic and subtle elements. Ten keyaspects to quality were identified:

1. Activities and programmes forchildren;

2. Relationships in the nursery;3. Partnership with families;4. Health, safety and hygiene;5. Staff conditions and professional

development;

6. Physical environment;7. Food and nutrition;8. Management and administration;9. Implementation of policies and

procedures;10. Evaluation and review of the nursery

(Corbett, 2004:255).

The process of supporting and evaluatingservices participating in the initiative isoutlined and preliminary findings areindicated to be positive. However, Corbett(2004:263) acknowledges the evolutionarynature of quality and that the CEA “…is adeveloping and growing work inprogress.”

Daly (2004) describes the workings of theCommunity Playgroup Initiative2001-2004, which was established toenhance the quality of provision incommunity playgroups. The complexity ofdefining quality and the multipleperspectives it is viewed from are analysed.For the purpose of the research, the mainelements examined are adult and childinteractions within the setting, staff,management, the physical environment,parental involvement and liaison withothers. To this end, particular emphasiswas placed on “…training, planning,monitoring and the development ofreflective practice.” (Daly, 2004:269) Thefinal report of the evaluation of theinitiative will be available in 2005.

Walsh (2004) provided An Overview ofIrish Research Pertaining to EarlyChildhood Education and Care 1990-2003. At this point, 1,097 pieces ofresearch had been identified and classifiedwithin eleven thematic areas. Onenoteworthy finding of this research auditwas the paucity of research in the Irishcontext relating to quality, comprising only54 of the 1,097 publications. The lack ofresearch on quality related both “…toquality indicators or the evaluation of themore intangible and dynamic elements ofquality.” (Walsh, 2004:312)

Section 6

Implications for the National Framework for Quality -Research Developments

1. The existing research base pertaining to quality in ECCE in Ireland is not sufficientto provide a solid evidential base for the future development of policy and practice.

2. The availability of funding dedicated to the establishment of research and practicerelated to quality in ECCE in Ireland since 2000 will yield very valuable data for thefuture development of policy and practice.

3. Likewise, the rapid growth in postgraduate studies in ECCE will also make apositive contribution to the body of knowledge on ECCE in the Irish context.

4. The lack of dissemination fora for ECCE research, policy and practice is a potentialbarrier to the future development of the ECCE sector.

5. The national infrastructure provided by the CCCs, Education Centres and theNVCOs has strong potential to facilitate dissemination of ECCE research, policy andpractice.

6. These agencies are currently engaged in evaluation and research, which will providevaluable data for the future development of the ECCE sector.

7. Existing research by organisations and individual academics supports the validity ofindicators of quality such as low adult-child ratios, parental involvement,appropriately qualified staff, well-resourced environments, clear policies andprocedures, accessibility, respect for diversity and skilled management.

8. Research highlights the need for a children’s rights based approach to the provisionof ECCE, the necessity of developing tools for assessing quality that are tuned to theparticular historical and cultural context of ECCE in Ireland, the absolute necessityof coordination by one agency of all development in the ECCE sector and the needfor sustained long term funding.

9. More recent research (particularly that from the CCCs) has provided indicators ofissues that must be addressed in the provision of quality ECCE services. Theseinclude: the low levels of ECCE service provision for children under three, theregulation of childminding, low levels of training of staff in ECCE settings, lowstatus of ECCE practitioners, scarcity of services for children with special needs andgeneral inadequacy of provision in ECCE services for the diverse needs of childrenand families.

Conclusions andRecommendations

This report set out to review Irish literatureunder the headings of policy, practice andresearch pertaining to quality in ECCEservices for children aged birth to six yearsin Ireland. The key objective of this exercisewas to extract implications for thedevelopment of the NFQ. In this section,the implications are grouped under theheadings of generic implications followedby those related to defining quality,assessing quality and supporting quality.Recommendations are presented at the endof the section based on a distillation of theimplications.

7.1 Generic Implications

The review of the historical context forquality in ECCE in Ireland reveals thatearly childhood services did not feature inpolicy documentation to any great degreeup until the late 1980s, and that quality wasnot a feature of this limited discourse.

A wide variety of perspectives on the role ofECCE exist in Ireland. These include:

ECCE as a mechanism for promotingequality of access to the workforce forwomen and as such, a support foreconomic development;

ECCE as a mechanism for combatingeducational disadvantage or socialexclusion and;

ECCE as an essential support tochildren’s well-being and optimaldevelopment.

These different perspectives are reflected innational policy documents and programmeinitiatives, with the first two beingtraditionally dominant.

Section 7

Conclusions and Recommendations

In more recent literature, there has been acall for the greater recognition of the manybenefits of ECCE to children, families andsociety as a whole. This perspective, whichasserts the rights of the child to ECCEservices, requires national policy that moreaccurately reflects this position. It istherefore imperative that the NFQ fulfilsthis condition.

In addition to the wider variety ofperspectives on the role of ECCE, there isalso a multiplicity of viewpoints on whatconstitutes quality services. In effect,quality is seen as a concept that issubjective, dynamic and evolving. This willrequire the NFQ to incorporate sufficientflexibility to accommodate a broad range ofapproaches to quality service provision.

Despite the above statement, there is strongconsensus on the importance of ensuringhigh quality ECCE service provision inIreland. This belief is held by the majorityof stakeholders and is rooted in theperspective that poor quality ECCE servicescan have a negative impact on the welfareand well-being of children.

This commitment translates into a numberof specific conclusions regarding defining,assessing and supporting quality and thesewill be dealt with in greater detail insubsequent sections. However somegeneral conclusions can be stated whichinclude:

Regulation alone will not ensure quality.

A national registration system is a futureimperative for all ECCE providers.

Insecurity regarding long-term supportsfor ECCE in Ireland constantlyundermines quality improvementinitiatives.

Political commitment to supportingchildren’s rights is an importantprerequisite to ensure theimplementation of quality in ECCEservices.

Ongoing research in ECCE in the Irish

context is essential to the achievementof quality.

With regards to the NFQ, there is concernthat the existing initiatives that have beenestablished within the ECCE sector can finda reference point and indeed be accreditedwithin the NFQ. There is a clearlyexpressed fear of duplication, confusionand voids in terms of the provision ofquality improvement programmes andquality service provision. The NFQ shouldseek to allay these fears and ensure clarityand consistency in all approaches to theprovision of quality ECCE services.

7.2 Defining Quality

The following conclusions can be drawnfrom the review of literature in relation todefining quality in ECCE service provisionin Ireland. Throughout this section, theimplications and recommendations are notpresented in a hierarchical format:

Quality is a subjective and dynamicconcept that is difficult to define. It isconstantly evolving and the journeytowards quality must be perceived as acontinuous process as opposed to aproduct.

Various stakeholders can perceivequality from a multiplicity ofperspectives and any attempt atdefinition must include such diverseviewpoints.

Quality must be viewed as a continuum,containing a variety of elements that canbe worked towards, both individuallyand collectively.

Staff training and qualifications is animportant indicator in the attainmentand maintenance of quality.

Services must be flexible and inclusivein order to accommodate all aspects ofdiversity within settings, includingcultural, ethnic and linguistic variations.

Quality services must provide adequate

Section 7

opportunities for play for all children,taking cognisance of their age and stageof development.

The environment of the child is ofparamount importance in ensuringquality services. Such aspects includehealth and safety elements, theequipment, materials and resourcesavailable and the space available forplay, both indoors and outdoors.

Parental, family and communityinvolvement are inherent characteristicsof quality in ECCE settings andmechanisms for meaningfulcooperation, links and partnership mustbe forged to harness the positivepotential of such involvement.

The curriculum or programme inoperation within settings has asignificant impact on the qualityattained. Such a framework must bewell-planned, flexible to meet the needsof individuals and employ appositemethodologies for its implementation.

The presence of efficient managementstructures and capable leadership withinsettings makes a significant contributionto the achievement of quality. Trainingand ongoing professional developmentis an important component in achievingthis end.

The crux of quality within ECCE lies inthe nature of the adult-child interactionsthat take place on a daily basis. Staffdispositions are an important element inthis regard.

The level of planning and preparation ofall personnel within settings impactsgreatly upon the quality of the serviceprovided.

Record keeping, both in relation to thechild and other aspects of the work ofthe setting, is an essential component inthe achievement of quality withinsettings.

The accessibility of services to allchildren and their families, regardless ofsocio-economic status or geographicallocation, is an important indicator ofquality.

The existence of policies andprocedures, their implementation andongoing review, assists the achievementof quality within settings.

Placing the needs, abilities andpreferences of the child at the centre ofprovision within settings is an inherentindicator of quality.

7.3 Assessing Quality

Conclusions regarding assessing qualityalso emerged from the review. Consensuswas apparent on the following issues:

In the assessment of quality, themultiple dimensions entailed must beacknowledged and any evaluationsystem must embrace the multipleperspectives and indicators of quality.

As adult-child interactions are such acrucial factor in the assessment ofquality, observations within settings arean integral component of assessment.

Quality is a multi-faceted conceptobserved from a multitude ofperspectives; therefore assessmentshould involve all stakeholders in theECCE setting.

There are two aspects to assessment.Internal self-assessment by themanagement, staff and stakeholders isan important aspect evaluating thequality of services. External assessmentby agencies is also a valuable componentin the assurance of quality. Acombination of both these elementswould provide a greater overview of thequality of the service as opposed toeither individually.

A legislative framework to ensure thatthe provisions of the system arecomplied with and hold weight withinthe sector should underpin theevaluation or inspection system.

The assessment system should beholistic and developmental, praisingaspects that are of high quality while

Section 7

also highlighting areas that are in needof improvement and remediation. Aclear pathway should be delineated toinform services of how to improvequality within such aspects.

The procedure for assessment withinsettings should be clearly stated andthese guidelines or principles should bereadily available to all stakeholders.

Definite, unambiguous information andfeedback should result from aninspection with clear recommendationsfor future progression. Such reportsshould be available to all stakeholderswithin the setting.

It should be clearly understood by allthat minimum standards do not equatewith quality services and services shouldbe encouraged to exceed merecompliance with minimum standards.

Any new inspection system, focusingholistically on the care and educationaspects of settings, should build on theexisting DES and DHC inspectioninfrastructures.

7.4 Supporting Quality

The conclusions in relation to supportingquality in ECCE again centre on a numberof key themes. These include:

Coordination of policy, practice andresearch activities can only be achievedif one centralised agency, such as theECEA (as envisaged by the White paperon Early Education), is established.

Sustained long-term commitment toadequate financial supports on the partof the State are essential to thedevelopment of quality ECCE serviceprovision.

The availability of a qualified workforcewith clearly defined career structures,good terms and conditions ofemployment and regular opportunitiesfor continuing professional development

is fundamental to the development ofquality in ECCE.

A coordinated, cohesive infrastructure atnational, regional and local level isessential for the delivery of qualityservices.

Comprehensive, multi-media channelsshould be developed to ensure thatrelevant information on policy, practiceand research developments can becommunicated to all stakeholders as andwhen they need it.

Support systems must make provisionfor regular communication between allstakeholders in ECCE.

Regular review and reflection uponpractice is a cornerstone of quality. Thiscapacity should be initiated throughtraining, and be supported in practice,by allocating adequate time forteamwork and continuous professionaldevelopment.

Support for children, families andpractitioners is especially required attimes of transition from oneenvironment to another e.g. home topre-school, pre-school to primary.

Multidisciplinary supports are requiredfor the delivery of quality ECCE services.

Specialised supports are required forfamilies at risk of disadvantage or with achild with special needs.

7.5 Recommendations

7.5.1 General

1. A national strategy should bedeveloped towards the promotion ofquality ECCE services in Ireland.This should incorporate:

- An adequate and sustainablefunding commitment;

- A national data strategy to gatherand provide accurate, reliableinformation to support thedevelopment of quality ECCE

Section 7

services at national regional andlocal level;

- Mechanisms to support theeducation, training andprofessional development ofadults working in ECCE serviceprovision.

2. Professional practice in ECCE mustbe recognised, rewarded andsupported. Clear career pathways,opportunities for education andtraining and a national code of ethicsshould be developed andimplemented. This should supportreflective practice and respectfuldecision-making in all aspects ofECCE service provision.

7.5.2 Recommendations for theDevelopment of the NationalFramework for Quality

1. The National Framework for Qualitymust take account of the multipleperspectives on the nature of qualitythat exists in Ireland. It must beflexible enough to accommodate theevolving, dynamic nature of qualityand also the constantly changingneeds of children, families and Irishsociety in general.

2. The National Framework for Qualitymust be child-centred and have achildrens’ rights focus. It shouldthereby provide a reference point forthe coordination of all other national,regional and local policy, practiceand research in relation to ECCE.

3. The National Framework for Qualityshould provide clearly statednational standards for quality inECCE in relation to the indoor andoutdoor environment, parentalinvolvement, professionalqualifications and practice,programme/curriculum, resourcesand materials. These should beinterpreted by a series of guidelines

for implementation in the variety ofenvironments that exist in ECCE .

4. The National Framework for Qualityshould incorporate assessmentmechanisms, which complement andbuild upon established and existingexpertise and infrastructure. Itshould afford national accreditationfor existing quality assurance/improvement programmes andshould promote both internal andexternal assessment processes. Itshould also make provision for theestablishment of a nationalregistration system for all ECCEservice providers.

5. The National Framework for Qualitymust incorporate a comprehensiverange of support mechanisms thatshould include:

- Establishment of networks toprovide advice and mentoring forall stakeholders;

- Multidisciplinary support teams(e.g. educational, therapeutic,administrative) to meet thediverse needs of children, familiesand service providers;

- Reliable, comprehensive and upto date information in accessibleformats;

- A comprehensive programme ofinitial and continuingprofessional development for allstakeholders.

6. The National Framework for Qualitymust promote coordination ofexisting national policy, practice andresearch. To this end, theimplementation of the NFQ shouldbe the responsibility of a centralisedagency, which is in turn supported bya coordinated infrastructure atnational, regional and local level.

References

Advisory Subgroup (for Children withSpecial Requirements, Minority EthnicGroups and Traveller Children) to theNational Childcare Co-ordinatingCommittee (Forthcoming). Equality andDiversity: Guidelines for Developing YourCounty Childcare Plan for CountyChildcare Committees. Dublin: Departmentof Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

An Comhchoiste Réamhscolaíochta Teo.(1979). Lámhleabhar do StiúirthóiríNaíonraí. Baile Átha Cliath: AnComhchoiste Réamhscolaíochta Teo.

An Lárionad um Fhorbairt agus Oideachasna Luath-Óige (2003b). Iniúchadh arThaighde in Éirinn maidir le Cúram agusOideachas na Luath-Óige 1990-2003. BaileÁtha Cliath: An Lárionad um Fhorbairtagus Oideachas na Luath-Óige.

An Lárionad um Fhorbairt agus Oideachasna Luath-Óige (2004a). De Réir Sprice?Iniúchadh ar Sholáthar Seirbhísí aDhíríonn ar Míbhuntáistí agusRiachtanais Speisialta i measc leanaí óBhreith go Sé Bliana d'Aois in Éirinn. BaileÁtha Cliath: An Lárionad um Fhorbairtagus Oideachas na Luath-Óige.

An Lárionad um Fhorbairt agus Oideachasna Luath-Óige (2004b). Ard-ChaighdeánFaoi Chaibidil - Tuarascáil ar PhróiseasComhairliúcháin ar Ard-Chaighdeán igCúram agus in Oideachais na Luath-Óige. Baile Átha Cliath: An Lárionad umFhorbairt agus Oideachas na Luath-Óige.

An Roinn Dlí agus Cirt, Comhíonannaisagus Athchóirithe Dlí (2002a). CúramLeanaí D'Ardcháilíocht & FoghlaimFadsaoil: Creat Eiseamlárach d'Oideachas,d'Oiliúint agus d'Fhorbairt Ghairmiúil sanEarnáil Luathchúraim agus OideachaisLeanaí. Baile Átha Cliath: Oifig antSoláthair.

Section 8

References

Aontas (2003). Childcare and AdultEducation – A Discussion Document.Dublin: Aontas.

Area Development Management (2002).Staffing, Quality and Childcare Provision:An Evaluation of the Community SupportStrand of the Equal OpportunitiesChildcare Programme 1998-2000 - ReportCommissioned from Goodbody EconomicConsultants. Dublin: Area DevelopmentManagement.

Area Development Management (2003).National Childcare Census Baseline data1999-2000. Dublin: Area DevelopmentManagement.

Association for the Welfare of Children inHospital (Ireland) (1993). Play for ChildPatients in Irish Hospitals. Dublin:Association for the Welfare of Children inHospital (Ireland).

Association for the Welfare of Children inHospital (Ireland) (1995). Papers From theConference: The Shape of Things to Come :An Integrated Child Health Service for the‘90’s and Beyond. Dublin: Association forthe Welfare of Children in Hospital(Ireland).

Balaguer, I., Mestres, J. and Penn, H.(1992). Quality in Services for YoungChildren: A Discussion Paper.Luxembourg: European CommissionNetwork on Childcare.

Ball, C. (1994). Start Right; TheImportance of Early Learning. London:Royal Society for the Encouragement ofArts, Manufacturers and Commerce.

Ballyfermot Partnership (2000). The ABCAction Plan for Ballyfermot Childcare.Dublin: Ballyfermot Partnership.

Barnardos (1998). Childcare inDisadvantaged Areas: A PartnershipApproach to Viability. Dublin: Barnardos’National Children’s Resource Centre.

Barnardos (1999). Choosing the Best forYour Child: A Parent’s Guide toChildminders, Nurseries/Crèches andBabysitters. Dublin: Barnardos’ NationalChildren’s Resource Centre.

Barnardos (2002). Personnel Practice inEarly Years Services: A Guide. Dublin:Barnardos.

Barnardos (2004). Accessed at:http://www.barnardos.ie/about.php?PHPSESSID=e541edd83a6bcb1e8a586802c7fb58c7, June 10th, 2004.

Barnardos and Area DevelopmentManagement (1999). Staffing a Preschool/Day Care Service – Recruiting withConfidence. Dublin: Barnardos’ NationalChildren’s Resource Centre.

Bernard, J. (1997). Training – The Key toQuality: A Training Needs Analysis ofEarly Years Staff in the Western HealthBoard Region. Mayo: The Council for theWest.

Bernard, J. (2002). ‘On the Journey toQuality’. An Examination of Quality andCustomer Focus in Early ChildcareServices. M.Sc Thesis. Dublin: TrinityCollege Dublin.

Bernard, J. (2004). PersonalCommunication, Manager Early ChildcareServices, 27th February, 2004.

Border Counties Childcare Network (2002).Out Door Play: Design and Benefits.Monaghan: Border Counties ChildcareNetwork.

Border Counties Childcare Network (2004).Quality Assurance Programme.Monaghan: Border Counties ChildcareNetwork.

Border Counties Childminding AdvisoryOfficers (2004). Childcare Journal. Dublin:AMO Productions.

Section 8

References

Border, Midland and Western RegionalAssembly (2000). Accessed at:http://www.bmwassembly.ie/main.asp?lang=en&text=&doc=operation&chapter=7&level=3&title=7%2E6%2E2+Equality+Impact&parentID=97, May 6th, 2004.

Brennan, C. (Ed.) (2004). Power of Play: APlay Curriculum in Action. Dublin: IPPA,the Early Childhood Organisation.

Byrne, M. (2002). Personnel Practice inEarly Years Services – A Guide. Dublin:Barnardos’ National Children’s ResourceCentre.

Byrne, M. and Area DevelopmentManagement (2003). A Guide toDeveloping Policies and Procedures in aChildcare Setting. Dublin: AreaDevelopment Management.

Canavan, A. (2000). Quality Childcare inthe Workplace – A Step-by-Step Guide forEmployers. Dublin: Barnardos’ NationalChildren’s Resource Centre.

Canavan, A. and Gibbons, N. (1997).Establishing a Day Care Service: AnInformation Pack. Dublin: Barnardos’National Children’s Resource Centre.

Care Sector Consortium (1994). NationalOccupational Standards for Working WithYoung Children and Their Families(Second Edition). Luton: The LocalGovernment Board.

Carswell, D. (2002). Child’s Play? AnExploration into the Quality of ChildcareProcesses. Dublin: IPPA, The EarlyChildhood Organisation.

Cavan County Childcare Committee (2001).Brief Guide to Establishing a ChildcareFacility in Cavan. Cavan: Cavan CountyChildcare Committee.

Cavan County Childcare Committee(2003a). A Career in Childcare: TrainingAvailable. Cavan: Cavan County ChildcareCommittee.

Cavan County Childcare Committee(2003b). Funding and Support Options forChildcare Providers in Co. Cavan. Cavan:Cavan County Childcare Committee.

Cavan County Childcare Committee(2003c). Executive Summary of the CavanCounty Childcare Committee Ltd. StrategicPlan 2000-2006. Cavan: Cavan CountyChildcare Committee.

Cavan County Childcare Committee andMonaghan County Childcare Committee(2003). Childminding: A Guide forParents. Cavan: Cavan County ChildcareCommittee.

Cavan County Childcare Committee andMonaghan County Childcare Committee(n.d.). Childminding Advisory Worker:Information Leaflet. Cavan: Cavan CountyChildcare Committee.

Central Statistics Office (1990-1997).Annual Labour Force Surveys. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Central Statistics Office (2002a). CensusPrincipal Demographic Results. Dublin:The Stationery Office.

Central Statistics Office (2002b). Census2002 Preliminary Report. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Central Statistics Office (2002c). QuarterlyNational Household Survey, SecondQuarter 2002. Dublin: The StationeryOffice.

Central Statistics Office (2002d). QuarterlyNational Household Survey, FourthQuarter, 2002. Dublin: The StationeryOffice.

Central Statistics Office (2002e). Census2002 Volume 3 - Household Compositionand Family Units. Dublin: The StationeryOffice.

Centre for Early Childhood Developmentand Education (2001). Programme of

Section 8

References

Work. Dublin: Centre for Early ChildhoodDevelopment and Education.

Centre for Early Childhood Developmentand Education (2003a). Research Strategy– A Work in Progress. Dublin: Centre forEarly Childhood Development andEducation.

Centre for Early Childhood Developmentand Education (2003b). An Audit ofResearch on Early Childhood Care andEducation in Ireland 1990-2003. Dublin:Centre for Early Childhood Developmentand Education.

Centre for Early Childhood Developmentand Education (2004a). On Target? AnAudit of Provision of Services TargetingDisadvantage and Special Needs amongChildren from Birth to Six Years inIreland. Dublin: Centre for Early ChildhoodDevelopment and Education.

Centre for Early Childhood Developmentand Education (2004b). Talking AboutQuality – Report of a Consultation Processon Quality in Early Childhood Care andEducation. Dublin: Centre for EarlyChildhood Development and Education.

Centre for Early Childhood Developmentand Education (Forthcoming A).Perspectives on Childhood. Dublin: Centrefor Early Childhood Development andEducation.

Centre for Early Childhood Developmentand Education (Forthcoming B). MakingConnections - A review of InternationalPolicy. Dublin: Centre for Early ChildhoodDevelopment and Education.

Centre for Health Promotion Studies(1995). An Evaluation of the LifestartEarly Learning Programme withReference to the Community Mothers andAr Leic An Teallaigh Programmes. Galway:Centre for Health Promotion Studies.

Centre for Research in Early Childhood

(n.d.). Effective Early LearningProgramme: Evaluating and ImprovingQuality in Early Childhood Settings: AProfessional Development Programme.Worcester, UK: Birmingham and UniversityCollege.

Childcare Directorate (2003). NationalChildminders Initiative – ChildmindersDevelopment Grants: Funding Details andGuidelines for City/County ChildcareCommittees. Dublin: Childcare Directorate.

Childcare Policy Unit (2004). PersonalCommunication, 15th March, 2004.

Childminding Ireland (2004). QualityIndicators in Family based Day-care.Wicklow: Childminding Ireland.

Children in Hospital Ireland (2000).Guidelines for the Care of Children withSpecial Needs in Hospital. Dublin:Children in Hospital Ireland.

Children in Hospital Ireland (2002a). AnOutline Guide for the Provision ofHealthcare Services to Children and YoungPeople. Dublin: Children in HospitalIreland.

Children in Hospital Ireland (2002b). TheEACH Charter for Children in Hospitaland Annotations 2002. Dublin: EuropeanAssociation for Children in Hospital.

Children’s Rights Alliance (2003).Children’s Rights Alliance Submission tothe Joint Committee on Education andScience in relation to the Education forPersons with Disabilities Bill 2003. Dublin:Children’s Rights Alliance.

Cleary, A., Nic Ghiolla Phádraig, M. andQuinn, S. (Eds.) (2001). UnderstandingChildren, Volume 1 - State, Education andEconomy. Dublin: Oak Tree Press.

Cleary, A., Nic Ghiolla Phádraig, M. andQuinn, S. (Eds.) (2001). UnderstandingChildren, Volume 2 – Changing

Section 8

References

Experiences and Family Forms. Dublin:Oak Tree Press.

Combat Poverty Agency (1998a). Investingin Children – Submission to the Ministerfor Social, Community and Family Affairson the 1999 Budget. Dublin: CombatPoverty Agency.

Combat Poverty Agency (1998b). PositionPaper for the National Forum on EarlyChildhood Education. Dublin: CombatPoverty Agency.

Combat Poverty Agency (2000). PublicSubvention of Childcare: An Anti-PovertyPerspective. Dublin: Combat PovertyAgency.

Combat Poverty Agency (2001). ASummary of Proposals to the NationalAnti-Poverty Strategy Review. Dublin:Combat Poverty Agency.

Community Consultants Ltd. (2003). Guideto Training in Childcare and Social Care inWaterford. Waterford: Waterford CityChildcare Committee.

Community Playgroup Initiative (2003).Community Playgroup Initiative 2001-2004. Tipperary: Community PlaygroupInitiative.

Coolahan, J. (1981). Irish Education: ItsHistory and Structure. Dublin: Institute ofPublic Administration.

Coolahan, J. (Ed.) (1994). Report of theNational Education ConventionSecretariat. Dublin: National EducationConvention Secretariat.

Coolahan, J. (Ed.) (1998). Report on theNational Forum for Early ChildhoodEducation. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Corbett, M. (2004). “NCNA Centre ofExcellence: The Contribution to Quality”(in) Hayes, N. and Kernan, M. (Eds.)(2004). Transformations, Proceedings of

the OMEP Ireland Conference, pp. 254-263.

Council for Social Welfare (1991). TheRights of the Child: Irish Perspectives onthe UN Convention. Dublin: The Councilfor Social Welfare.

Curtin, C. and Varley, A. (1984). “Childrenand Childhood in Rural Ireland: AConsideration of the EthnographicLiterature” (in) Curtin, C., Kelly, M. andO’Dowd, L. (1984). Culture and Ideology inIreland. Galway: Officina Typographica,Galway University Press. pp. 30-45.

Daly, M. (2004). “The CommunityPlaygroup Initiative 2001-2004. A Projectto Enhance Quality in Early Years Settings”(in) Hayes, N. and Kernan, M. (Eds.)(2004). Transformations, Proceedings ofthe OMEP Ireland Conference, pp. 264-280.

Daly, M. and Clavero, S. (2002).Contemporary Family Policy – AComparative Review of Ireland, France,Germany, Sweden and the UK. Dublin:Institute of Public Administration and theDepartment of Social and Family Affairs.

David, T. (Ed.) (1998). Researching EarlyChildhood Education: EuropeanPerspectives. London: Paul ChapmanPublishing.

Department of An Taoiseach (2002). AnAgreed Programme for Governmentbetween Fianna Fáil and the ProgressiveDemocrats. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of An Taoiseach (2003).Sustaining Progress – Social PartnershipAgreement 2003-2005. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education (1965a).Investment in Education. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education (1965b). Rules

Section 8

References

for National Schools. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education (1971). PrimarySchool Curriculum. Teacher’s Handbook -Volumes 1 and 2. Dublin: The StationeryOffice.

Department of Education (1980). WhitePaper on Educational Development.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Education (1984).Programme for Action in Education 1984-1987. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Education (1990a). Reportof the Primary Education Review Body.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Education (1990b). Reportof the Review Body on the PrimaryCurriculum. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Education (1992). GreenPaper on Education – Education for aChanging World. Dublin: The StationeryOffice.

Department of Education (1993). Report ofthe Special Education Review Committee.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Education (1994). TheEducation of Traveller Children inNational Schools – Guidelines. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education (1995). WhitePaper on Education – Charting OurEducational Future. Dublin: The StationeryOffice.

Department of Education (1997). Breakingthe Cycle. Information Leaflet. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(1998). Education Act, 1998. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

(1999a). Ready to Learn - A White Paperon Early Childhood Education. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(1999b). Primary School Curriculum.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(1999c). Primary School Curriculum –Your Child’s Learning - Guidelines forParents. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(1999d). The New Deal – A Plan forEducational Opportunity. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(1999e). Whole School Evaluation – Reporton the 1998/1999 Pilot Project. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(2000a). Education (Welfare) Act, 2000.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(2000b). Professional Code of Practice onEvaluation and Reporting for theInspectorate. Dublin: Department ofEducation and Science.

Department of Education and Science(2001). Giving Children an Even Break byTackling Disadvantage. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(2002a). Early Start Preschool PilotProject. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(2002b). Guidelines on TravellerEducation in Primary Schools. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(2002c). The Inspectorate – A Brief Guide.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Section 8

References

(2002d). Fifty School Reports: WhatInspectors Say. Quality of EducationalProvision in Primary Schools. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(2002e). Thematic Review of EarlyChildhood Education and Care:Background Report - Ireland.(Unpublished).

Department of Education and Science(2002f). Preparing Teachers for the 21st

Century. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(2003a). Looking at our School: An Aid toSelf-evaluation in Primary Schools.Dublin: Department of Education andScience.

Department of Education and Science(2003b). Preschools for Travellers:National Evaluation Report. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(2003c). Statistical Report 2001-2002.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(2003d). Education for Persons withDisabilities Bill 2003. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Education and Science(2004). Summary of All Initiatives Fundedby the Department to help AlleviateEducational Disadvantage. Accessed at:www.education.ie/servlet/blob-servlet/si_summary_02.doc., May 16th,2004.

Department of Education and ScienceInspectorate (2004). PersonalCommunication, 21st April, 2004.

Department of Education and ScienceEvaluation Support and Research Unit(1999). Whole School Evaluation: Reporton the 1998/1999 Pilot Project. Dublin:

Department of Education and Science.Department of the Environment and LocalGovernment (2001). Childcare Facilities -Guidelines for Planning Authorities.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Equality and Law Reform(1995). Report of the Task Force on theTravelling Community. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Health (1990). Needs andAbilities – A Policy of the IntellectuallyDisabled: Report of a Review Group onMental Handicap Services. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Health (1991). Child CareAct. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Health (1996a). Child Care(Preschool Services) Regulations. Dublin:The Stationery Office.

Department of Health (1996b). Towards anIndependent Future – Report of theReview Group on Health and PersonalSocial Services for People with Physicaland Sensory Disabilities. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Health and Children (1997).Services to Persons with a MentalHandicap/Intellectual Disability: AnAssessment of Need 1997-2001. Dublin:The Stationery Office.

Department of Health and Children (1998).Child Care (Preschool Services)Regulations 1996 and Child Care(Preschool Services) (Amended)Regulations 1997 and Explanatory Guideto Requirements and Procedures forNotification and Inspection. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Health and Children (1999).Children First: National Guidelines for theProtection and Welfare of Children.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Section 8

References

Department of Health and Children(2000). The National Children’s Strategy.Our Children-Their Lives. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Health and Children (2002).Our Duty to Care: The Principles of GoodPractice for the Protection of Children andYoung People. Dublin: The StationeryOffice.

Department of Justice, Equality and LawReform (1998). Study of the Economics ofChildcare in Ireland. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Justice, Equality and LawReform (1999). National ChildcareStrategy, Report of the Partnership 2000Expert Working Group on Childcare.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Justice Equality and LawReform (2000a). Childcare Funding inIreland. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Justice Equality and LawReform (2000b). First Progress Report ofthe Committee to Monitor and Co-ordinatethe Implementation of theRecommendations of the Task Force on theTravelling Community. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Justice, Equality and LawReform (2002a). Quality Childcare andLifelong Learning: Model Framework forEducation, Training and ProfessionalDevelopment in the Early Childhood Careand Education Sector. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Department of Justice, Equality and LawReform (2002b). Promoting Anti-racismand Interculturalism in Education: DraftRecommendations towards a NationalAction Plan. Dublin: Department ofJustice, Equality and Law Reform.

Department of Justice, Equality and LawReform (2002c). Towards a National

Action Plan Against Racism in Ireland : ADiscussion Document to Inform theConsultative Process. Dublin: Departmentof Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Department of Social Welfare (1996).Sharing in Progress - National Anti-Poverty Strategy. Dublin: The StationeryOffice.

Department of Social, Community andFamily Affairs (1998). StrengtheningFamilies for Life: Final Report of theCommission on the Family to the Ministerfor Social, Community and Family Affairs.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Department of Social, Community andFamily Affairs (2002). Building anInclusive Society: Review of the NationalAnti-Poverty Strategy, under theProgramme for Prosperity and Fairness.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Dodge, D. (1991). Caring for PreschoolChildren: Volume 1. Washington: TeachingStrategies Inc.

Doherty, S. (2003). National Directory ofChildcare and Social Care Courses2003/2004. Limerick: Barnardos’ NationalChildren’s Resource Centre.

Donohoe, J. and Gaynor, F. (2003).Education and Care in the Early Years: AnIrish Perspective (Second Edition). Dublin:Gill and Macmillan.

Dooley, R. (2003). Community andVoluntary Pillar Input for Plenary Meetingof Social Partners. Dublin: Children’sRights Alliance.

Douglas, F., Horgan, M. and O’Brien, C.(Eds.) (2000). Project E.Y.E. An IrishCurriculum for the Three to Four-Year-OldChild. Cork: University College Cork.

Dowd, M. (2000). Get it Right: A Parent’sGuide to Choosing Quality Day Care.Dublin: Barnardos’ National Children’sResource Centre.

Section 8

References

Dublin Institute of Technology (2000).Enhancing Quality in the Early Years:International Conference on Practice andPolicy in Early Childhood Care andEducation, Clontarf Castle, 19th and 20th

November 1999. Dublin: Dublin Institute ofTechnology.

Duignan, M. (1997). Choosing Childcare –A Study of the Factors Affecting WorkingParents’ Choice of Day Care for 1-2 Year-Old Children. Unpublished PostgraduateDiploma, DIT, Dublin.

Duignan, M. (2003). A Problem-basedLearning Approach to ContinuingProfessional Education for Pre-schoolOfficers in the Early Childhood Care andEducation Sector in Ireland: Rationale andCurriculum Design. M.A. Thesis in ThirdLevel Learning and Teaching. Dublin:Dublin Institute of Technology.

Dunphy, L. (1999). Pedagogy in EarlyChildhood Teacher Preparation.Presentation at the Third WarwickInternational Early Years Conference ,12th-16th April1999.

Early Years Interboard Panel (n.d.).Learning Through Play in the Early Years:A Resource Book. Northern Ireland: EarlyYears Interboard Panel.

Educational Disadvantage Committee(2003). Submissions Made to the Ministerfor Education and Science: 2003 Report.Dublin: Educational DisadvantageCommittee.

Educational Research Centre (1998). EarlyStart Preschool Programme – FinalEvaluation Report. Dublin: EducationalResearch Centre.

European Commission (2002). EuropeanReport on Quality Indicators of LifelongLearning: Fifteen Quality Indicators.Brussels: European Commission.

European Commission Network onChildcare and Other Measures to ReconcileEmployment and Family Responsibilities(1996). Quality Targets in Services forYoung Children. Luxembourg: EuropeanCommission Network on Childcare andOther Measures to Reconcile Employmentand Family Responsibilities.

Fanning, B., Veale, A. and O’Connor, D.(2001). Beyond the Pale: Asylum SeekingChildren and Social Exclusion in Ireland.Dublin: Irish Refugee Council.

FÁS and Barnardos (2001). AssuringQuality: Manual for Assessment ofCommunity Employment ProjectsProviding Early Childhood Services.Dublin: FÁS/ Barnardos.

Ferriter, D. (2003). “Suffer Little Children?The Historical Validity of Memoirs of IrishChildhood.” (in) Dunne, J. and Kelly, J.(Eds.) (2003). Childhood and itsDiscontents – The First Seamus HeaneyLectures. Dublin: The Liffey Press, pp. 69-106.

French, G. (2000). Supporting Quality:Guidelines for Best Practice in EarlyChildhood Services. Dublin: Barnardos’National Children’s Resource Centre.

French, G. (2003). Supporting Quality –Guidelines for Best Practice in EarlyChildhood Services (Second Edition).Dublin: Barnardos’ National Children’sResource Centre.

Galway City and County ChildcareCommittee (2003a). Sample ChildmindersInformation Booklet for Parents. Galway:Galway City and County ChildcareCommittee.

Galway City and County ChildcareCommittee (2003b). Childminder’sInformation Pack (For VoluntaryNotification). Galway: Galway City andCounty Childcare Committee.

Section 8

References

Volume 21, No. 3-4, pp. 122-137.

Guralnick, M. (1997). The Effectiveness ofEarly Intervention. Baltimore: Brookes.

Hannan, D. and Katsiaouni, L. (1977).Traditional Families? From CulturallyPrescribed to Negotiated Roles in FarmFamilies. Dublin: The Economic and SocialResearch Institute.

Harms, T., Clifford, R. and Cryer, D.(1998). Early Childhood EnvironmentRating Scale – Revised Edition. New York:Teachers’ College Press, ColumbiaUniversity.

Harvey, B. (2001). Report re Socio-Economic Environment. Dublin:Barnardos’ National Children’s ResourceCentre.

Hayes, N. (1983). State-aided DayNurseries: An Exploratory Study.Unpublished M.Ed Thesis. Dublin: TrinityCollege Dublin.

Hayes, N. (1995). The Case for a NationalPolicy on Early Education. CombatPoverty Agency. Discussion Paper No. 2.Dublin: Combat Poverty Agency.

Hayes, N. (1996). Quality in EarlyEducation. Irish Educational Studies,Volume 15, pp. 1-13.

Hayes, N. (1999a). “Partnership inCurriculum Development” (in) EnhancingQuality in the Early Years – InternationalConference on Practice and Policy in EarlyChildhood Care and Education. Dublin:Dublin Institute of Technology, pp. 1-20.

Hayes, N. (1999b). Early Childhood: AnIntroductory Text (Second Edition).Dublin: Gill and Macmillan.

Hayes, N. (2002). Children’s Rights -Whose Right? A Review of Child PolicyDevelopment in Ireland. Studies in PublicPolicy 9. Dublin: The Policy Institute at

Galway City and County ChildcareCommittee (2003c). Pacáiste Eolais arFheighlí Linbh. Galway: Galway City andCounty Childcare Committee.

Galway City and County ChildcareCommittee (2003d). RecruitmentGuidelines for Childcare Providers.Galway: Galway City and County ChildcareCommittee.

Galway City and County ChildcareCommittee (2003e). Policies andProcedures for Childcare Providers.Galway: Galway City and County ChildcareCommittee.

Galway City and County ChildcareCommittee (2003f). Information Pack forNotified Childminders. Galway: GalwayCity and County Childcare Committee.

Gilligan, R. (1991). Irish ChildcareServices: Policy, Practice and Provisions.Dublin: Institute of Public Administration.

Government of Ireland (1937). Bunreachtna hÉireann – Constitution of Ireland.Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Government of Ireland (1993). SecondCommission on the Status of Women –Report to Government. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Government of Ireland (1996). Partnership2000 for Inclusion, Employment andCompetitiveness. Dublin: The StationeryOffice.

Government of Ireland (1999). Programmefor Prosperity and Fairness. Dublin: TheStationery Office.

Government of Ireland (2001). ChildcareFacilities: Guidelines for PlanningAuthorities. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Greene, S. and Moane, G. (2000). Growingup Irish – Changing Children in a ChangingSociety. Irish Journal of Psychology,

Section 8

References

High/Scope Educational ResearchFoundation (2003b). PQA PreschoolProgram Quality Assessment (SecondEdition): Form B-Agency Items. Michigan:High/Scope Press.

Holland, S. (1979). Rutland Street – TheStory of an Educational Experiment ofDisadvantaged Children in Dublin. UK:Pergamon Press and Bernard Van LeerFoundation.

Holt, S. and Pugh, E. (2004). After School:A Practice Guide for Providers. Dublin:Barnardos’ National Children’s ResourceCentre.

Horgan, M. and Douglas, F. (2001). “SomeAspects of Quality in Early ChildhoodEducation” (in) Cleary, A., Nic GhiollaPhádraig, M. and Quinn, S. (Eds.) (2001).Understanding Children, Volume 1 - State,Education and Economy. Dublin: Oak TreePress, pp. 119-144.

In-Career Development Team (1998). EarlyStart Preschool Intervention Project -Curricular Guidelines for Good Practice.Unpublished.

Irish Preschool Playgroup Association(1994). IPPA Information Pack: The IrishPreschool Playgroups Association. Dublin:IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(1998). Position Paper, National Forum onEarly Childhood Education. Dublin: IPPA,The Early Childhood Organisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(2000a). Quality Indicators for ChildcareServices Dublin: IPPA, The EarlyChildhood Organisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(2000b). Report on Pilot QualityImprovement Programme. Dublin: IPPA,The Early Childhood Organisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(2001). Quality Discussion Paper –

Trinity College Dublin.

Hayes, N. and Kernan, M. (2001). SevenYears Old: School Experience in Ireland.National Report of the IEA Pre-PrimaryProject. Dublin: Dublin Institute ofTechnology.

Hayes, N. and Kernan, M. (Eds.) (2004).Transformations - Theory and Practice inEarly Education: Proceedings of the OMEP(Ireland) Conference Held in UniversityCollege Cork on Saturday, 5th April 2003.Dublin: OMEP (Ireland).

Hayes, N. and Moore, N. (1998). Quality inServices for Young Children in RuralAreas. Unpublished Report to the Cross-Border Rural Childcare Project.

Hayes, N., O’Flaherty, J. with Kernan, M.(1997). A Window on Early Education inIreland. The First National Report of theIEA Pre-Primary Project. Dublin: DublinInstitute of Technology.

Hearns, S. (1998). The Impact of Trainingon Workers in Early Childhood Education– An Evaluation of the Foundation Coursein Playgroup Practice. M. Litt Thesis.Dublin: University College Dublin.

Hennessy, E. and Delaney, P. (1999). Usingthe Early Childhood Environment RatingScale in Ireland: Do Parents and ServiceProviders Share its Values? Early Years:An International Journal of Research andDevelopment, Volume 19, No. 2, pp. 12-25.

High/Scope Ireland (2003). High/ScopeAccreditation Pack. Dublin. High/ScopeIreland.

High/Scope Ireland (n.d.). ProgrammeQuality Assessment. Belfast: High/ScopeIreland.

High/Scope Educational ResearchFoundation (2003a). PQA PreschoolProgram Quality Assessment (SecondEdition): Form A-Classroom Items.Michigan: High/Scope Press.

Section 8

References

(2004e). Quality ImprovementProgramme - Children’s Approaches toLearning. Dublin: IPPA, The EarlyChildhood Organisation.

Irish Congress of Trade Unions (2002).Identifying Member’s Childcare Needs.Dublin: Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

Irish National Teachers’ Organisation(1993). The Professional Development ofTeachers: Issues in In-service Education.Dublin: Irish National Teachers’Organisation.

Irish National Teachers’ Organisation(1995). Early Childhood Education: Issuesand Concerns. Dublin: Irish NationalTeachers’ Organisation.

Irish National Teachers’ Organisation(1998). A Perspective on Early ChildhoodEducation: A Submission to the NationalForum for Early Childhood Education.Dublin: Irish National Teachers’Organisation.

Irish National Teachers’ Organisation(2000). Early Years Learning. Proceedingsof Early Childhood Conference. Dublin:Irish National Teachers’ Organisation.

Irish National Teachers’ Organisation(2004). CEC Report 2003/2004. Dublin:Irish National Teachers’ Organisation.

Kellaghan, T. (1977). The Evaluation of anIntervention Programme forDisadvantaged Children. Windsor, Berks:NFER Publishing Company.

Kellaghan, T. and Greaney, B. (1993). TheEducational Development of StudentsFollowing Participation in a PreschoolProgramme in a Disadvantaged Area.Dublin: Educational Research Centre.

Kellaghan, T., Weir, S., O’hUallacháin, S.and Morgan M. (1995). EducationalDisadvantage in Ireland. Dublin:Educational Research Centre.

Presented to the National Childcare Co-ordinating Committee. Dublin: IPPA, TheEarly Childhood Organisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(2002a). Quality Discussion Paper –Presented to the National Childcare Co-ordinating Committee (Revised). Dublin:IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(2002b). Guidelines on Policies forPreschool Services. Dublin: IPPA, TheEarly Childhood Organisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(2002c). Quality ImprovementProgramme. Dublin: IPPA, The EarlyChildhood Organisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(2002d). Quality ImprovementProgramme: Programme Information.Dublin: IPPA, The Early ChildhoodOrganisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(2004a). Quality ImprovementProgramme - Supporting Learning inEarly Childhood Through a PlayCurriculum. Dublin: IPPA, The EarlyChildhood Organisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(2004b). Quality ImprovementProgramme - Supporting Learning inEarly Childhood Services. Dublin: IPPA,The Early Childhood Organisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(2004c). Quality ImprovementProgramme - Open-Ended Materials.Dublin: IPPA, The Early ChildhoodOrganisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation(2004d). Quality ImprovementProgramme - Children with AdditionalNeeds in Early Childhood Services. Dublin:IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation.

IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation

Section 8

References

Education in Europe. Oxon: Hodder andStoughton.

Martin, S. and Fitzpatrick, A. (2002).“Parents as Partners in Early Years Servicesin Ireland: An Exploratory Study” (in) Horgan, M. and Douglas, F. (Eds.) (2002).Lessons for the 21st Century – Research,Reflection, Renewal: Proceedings of theOMEP (Ireland) Conference, pp. 138-154.

McGough, A. (2001). Educational Provisionfor Preschool Children: A Response to theWhite Paper. Reach, Volume 15, pp. 2-13.

McKenna, A. (1990). Childcare in Ireland:Challenge and Opportunity. Dublin:Employment Equality Agency.

McKeown, K. and Fitzgerald, G. (1997).Developing Childcare Services inDisadvantaged Areas: Final Report of thePilot Childcare Initiative (1994-1995).Dublin: Kieran McKeown Ltd.

Midland Health Board (2002). MidlandHealth Board Child Care Strategy 2002-2004: Together We Can – Action forChange. Tullamore: Midland Health Board.

Mid-Western Health Board (1999). Reviewof Preschool Inspection and InformationServices 1997-1999. Limerick: Mid-WesternHealth Board.

Molloy, B. (2002). Still Going Strong: ATracer Study of the Community MothersProgramme, Dublin, Ireland. The Hague:Bernard van Leer Foundation.

Murphy, B. (2000). Support for theEducationally and Socially Disadvantaged– An Introductory Guide to GovernmentFunded Initiatives in Ireland. Cork:University College Cork.

Murphy, M. (2001). Parental Involvementin Early Years Education and Care in theCork Area. Ph.D. Thesis. Cork: UniversityCollege Cork.

Murphy, M. (2002). “Rethinking Parental

Kelly, M. (2000). Good Practice Self-Assessment Manual – A PersonalResource Manual for Child Care Providers.Dublin: National Children’s NurseriesAssociation.

Kennedy, F. (2001). Cottage to Crèche:Family Change in Ireland. Dublin:Institute of Public Administration.

Kernan, M. (2000). Early Education inIreland: Emerging Policy. Irish EducationalStudies, Volume 19, Spring 2000, pp.175-188.

Kiernan, G. (2003). The Best for Children:Developing Quality Standards for EarlyChildhood Care and Education in Ireland.Paper presented at the National Children’sNurseries Annual General Conference,Dublin Castle.

Kildare County Childcare Committee(2003a). Childminders Advisory ServiceInformation Pack. Kildare: Kildare CountyChildcare Committee.

Kildare County Childcare Committee(2003b). Information Pack for ChildcareProviders: A Step-by-Step Guide. Kildare:Kildare County Childcare Committee.

Lagan Family Daycare Network (2003).Best Practice Guidelines for Childminders.Donegal: Lagan Family Daycare Network.

Langford, S. (2003). Striving for QualityChildcare. Paper presented at the NationalChildren’s Nurseries Annual GeneralConference, Dublin Castle.

Lewis, M. and Archer, P. (2002). FurtherEvaluation of Early Start: ProgressReport. Dublin: Educational ResearchCentre.

Lewis, M. and Archer, P. (2003). EarlyStart Evaluation: Report on ObservationVisits to Schools. Dublin: EducationalResearch Centre.

Lindon, J. (2000). Early Years Care and

Section 8

References

National Children’s Nurseries Association(2000b). Guidelines for the Protection ofChildren in Early Childhood Services.Dublin: National Children’s NurseriesAssociation.

National Children’s Nurseries Association(2000c). Good Practice Self-AssessmentManual. Dublin: National Children’sNurseries Association.

National Children’s Nurseries Association(2002a). We Like This Place: Guidelinesfor Best Practice in the Design of ChildCare Facilities. Dublin: National Children’sNurseries Association.

National Children’s Nurseries Association(2002b). Centre of Excellence Award.Dublin: National Children’s NurseriesAssociation.

National Children’s Nurseries Association(2003a). 7 Steps to choosing a Nursery – AParent’s Guide. Dublin: National Children’sNurseries Association.

National Children’s Nurseries Association(2003b). Towards Quality Daycare –Minimum Quality Standards in a Nursery.Dublin: National Children’s NurseriesAssociation.

National Children’s Nurseries Association(2003c). To do or not to do… EthicalPractice Guidelines. Dublin: NationalChildren’s Nurseries Association.

National Children’s Nurseries Association(2003d). Centre of Excellence Award –Self-Evaluation Profile. Dublin: NationalChildren’s Nurseries Association.

National Children’s NurseriesAssociation (2004). Accessed at:www.ncna.net., May 11th, 2004.

National Children’s Office (2004). Ready,Steady Play – A National Play Policy.Dublin: National Children’s Office.

Involvement in Early Years Education andCare” (in) Horgan, M. and Douglas, F.(Eds.) (2002). Lessons for the 21st Century– Research, Reflection, Renewal:Proceedings of the OMEP (Ireland)Conference, pp.127-137.

Murray, C. and O’Doherty, A. (2001).“Éist,” Respecting Diversity in EarlyChildhood Care, Education and Training.Dublin: Pavee Point.

Murray, P. (1993). Choosing Childcare –Solving our Childcare Problems. Dublin:Attic Press.

Murray, P. (Ed.) (2001). The ChildmindingHandbook. Wicklow: Childminding Irelandand the Department of Justice, Equalityand Law Reform.

Murray, P. (2003). Quality AwarenessProgramme for Childminders:Participant’s Workbook. Wicklow:Childminding Ireland.

National Association for the Education ofYoung Children (1998). Guide toAccreditation: Self Study ValidationAccreditation. Washington: NationalAssociation for the Education of YoungChildren.

National Children’s Nurseries Association(1990). Quality Nursery Care for YourChild. Dublin: National Children’sNurseries Association.

National Children’s Nurseries Association(1997). Quality Nursery Care for YourChild – Second Edition. Dublin: NationalChildren’s Nurseries Association.

National Children’s Nurseries Association(1998). Towards Quality Daycare. Dublin:National Children’s Nurseries Association.

National Children’s Nurseries Association(2000a). After School – The Way Forward.Dublin: National Children’s NurseriesAssociation.

Section 8

References

Guidelines for Teachers of Students withMild General Learning Disabilities –Social, Personal, Health Education.Dublin: National Council for Curriculumand Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002h). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withMild General Learning Disabilities –Social, Environmental, ScientificEducation. Dublin: National Council forCurriculum and Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002i). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withMild General Learning Disabilities –Visual Arts. Dublin: National Council forCurriculum and Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002j). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withModerate General Learning Disabilities.Volume 1: Teacher Guidelines. Dublin:National Council for Curriculum andAssessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002k). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withModerate General Learning Disabilities.Volume 2: Communication and Language,Mathematics, SESE. Dublin: NationalCouncil for Curriculum and Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002l). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withModerate General Learning Disabilities.Volume 3: Arts Education, PhysicalEducation and SPHE. Dublin: NationalCouncil for Curriculum and Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002m). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withSevere and Profound General LearningDisabilities. Volume 1: Teacher Guidelines.Dublin: National Council for Curriculumand Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (1999). Special EducationalNeeds – Curricular Needs: DiscussionPaper. Dublin: National Council forCurriculum and Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002a). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withMild General Learning Disabilities -Drama. Dublin: National Council forCurriculum and Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002b). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withMild General Learning Disabilities –English: Communication and Language.Dublin: National Council for Curriculumand Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002c). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withMild General Learning Disabilities –Gaeilge: Teanga agus Cultúr. Dublin:National Council for Curriculum andAssessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002d). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withMild General Learning Disabilities -Mathematics. Dublin: National Council forCurriculum and Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002e). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withMild General Learning Disabilities -Music. Dublin: National Council forCurriculum and Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002f). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withMild General Learning Disabilities –Physical Education. Dublin: NationalCouncil for Curriculum and Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002g). Draft Curriculum

Section 8

References

on International Practice. Dublin: NationalDisability Authority.

National Disability Authority (2001c).Quality in Services to People withDisabilities in Ireland: An Introduction toDefinition and Concepts. Dublin: NationalDisability Authority.

National Disability Authority (2002a).Submission To Childcare / Preschool(Services) Regulations 1996 And(Amendment) Regulations 1997 ReviewGroup. Dublin: National DisabilityAuthority.

National Disability Authority (2002b). ABrief Overview of Quality ManagementSystems in Ireland and Abroad. Dublin:National Disability Authority.

National Disability Authority (2002c).Evaluation of the Excellence SelfAssessment Trial: Assurance of BestPractice in Services for People withDisabilities in Ireland. Dublin: NationalDisability Authority.

National Disability Authority (2002d).Quality Bibiliography. Dublin: NationalDisability Authority.

National Disability Authority (2002e). SelfAssessment Models: Based on EFQMExcellence Model. Dublin: NationalDisability Authority.

National Disability Authority (2003a).Draft National Standards for DisabilityServices: Easy to Read Summary. Dublin:National Disability Authority.

National Disability Authority (2003b).Draft National Standards for DisabilityServices: Pilot Easy to Read Information.Dublin: National Disability Authority.

National Disability Authority (2003c).Second Draft National Standards forDisability Services. Dublin: NationalDisability Authority.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002n). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withSevere and Profound General LearningDisabilities. Volume 2: Communicationand Language, Mathematics, SESE.Dublin: National Council for Curriculumand Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2002o). Draft CurriculumGuidelines for Teachers of Students withSevere and Profound General LearningDisabilities. Volume 3: Arts Education,Physical Education and SPHE. Dublin:National Council for Curriculum andAssessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2004). Towards aFramework for Early Learning - AConsultative Document. Dublin: NationalCouncil for Curriculum and Assessment.

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (2004). Accessed at:http://www.ncca.ie/j/index2.php?name=pcr_webpage, May 24th 2004.

National Development Plan (2000).Accessed at: http://www.ndp.ie/newndp/r/NDP_exec_sum.doc, May 6th, 2004.

National Development Plan/ CommunitySupport Framework Evaluation Unit(2003). Evaluation of the EqualOpportunities Childcare Programme2000-2006. Dublin: National DevelopmentPlan Community Support FrameworkEvaluation Unit.

National Disability Authority (2001a).Development of Standard Models: AReview of International and NationalModels of Processes for DevelopingStandards. Dublin: National DisabilityAuthority.

National Disability Authority (2001b).Overview of Quality in Service Provision toPeople with Disabilities: Five Fact Sheets

Section 8

References

Children of the Global Village, DIT Dublin,24th April 2004.

O’Kane, M. and Kernan, M. (2002). “TheImpact of the Child Care (PreschoolServices) Regulations (1996) on the Qualityof Early Childhood Services in Ireland: TheIEA Pre-Primary Project Revisited” (in)Horgan, M. and Douglas, F. (Eds.) (2002).Lessons for the 21st Century – Research,Reflection, Renewal: Proceedings of theOMEP (Ireland) Conference, pp. 344-357.

O’Sullivan, M. and Gibbons, N. (1997).Establishing a Childcare Enterprise: AnInformation Pack for Enterprise Officers.Dublin: Barnardos’ National Children’sResource Centre.

Oberhuemer, P. and Ulich, M. (1997).Working with Young Children in Europe:Provision and Staff Training. London: PaulChapman.

OMNA - DIT/NOW (2000). The FinalReport of OMNA - DIT/NOW EarlyChildhood Project 1995. Life is a LearningCurve. Dublin: Centre for Social andEducational Research.

Organisation for Economic Cooperationand Development (2003). Babies andBosses – Reconciling Work and FamilyLife, Volume 2 – Austria, Ireland andJapan. Paris: Organisation for EconomicCooperation and Development.

Pavee Point (2004a). Accessed at:http://www.paveepoint.ie/pav_about_a.html, 8th June, 2004.

Pavee Point (2004b) Ar an mBealach, Onthe Way – Diversity and equality TrainingManual for Early Childhood Trainers.Dublin. Pavee Point.

Planet Childcare Policy Group (2004).Community Childcare Services inDisadvantaged Areas – Current Reviewand Future Recommendations. Wexford:Planet Publications.

National Economic and Social Council(2002). An Investment in Quality:Services, Inclusion and Enterprise. Dublin:National Economic and Social Council.

National Parents’ Council Primary (2000).Working Effectively as a ParentAssociation: Guidelines for ParentAssociations. Dublin: National Parents’Council Primary.

NIPPA, the Early Years Organisation(2003). A Good Practice Guide to EffectiveManagement for Early ChildhoodCommunity Based Services. Belfast:NIPPA, the Early Years Organisation.

North Eastern Health Board (2002).Review of Child Care and Family SupportServices 2001. Meath: North EasternHealth Board.

North Tipperary County ChildcareCommittee (2002). Information GatheringExercise. Tipperary: North TipperaryCounty Childcare Committee.

Northern Area Health Board (2003). AConsultation Report on Access to Care andEducation Services for Pre-School AgeChildren with a Disability in North CountyDublin. Kildare: Northern Area HealthBoard.

O’Flaherty, J. (1995). Intervention in theEarly Years. An Evaluation of theHigh/Scope Curriculum. London: NationalChildren’s Bureau.

O’Flaherty, J., Fitzpatrick, A., Hayes, N.and McCarthy, B. (1994). Evaluation of St.Audeon’s Parent Preschool HealthPromotion Project. Dublin: DublinInstitute of Technology.

O’Kane, M. (2004). “A Study of the Impactof the Child Care (Preschool Services)Regulations (1996) on the Quality of EarlyChildhood Services in Ireland: The IEAPre-Primary Project Revisited.” Paperpresented at the OMEP Conference,

Section 8

References

Dublin: St. Nicholas Montessori Society ofIreland.

Swan, D. (1990). Play, Practicality andPolicy in Irish Education. Irish EducationalStudies, Volume 9, No. 1, pp. 278-288.

Tovey, H. and Share, P. (2000). ASociology of Ireland. Ireland: Gill andMacmillan.

United Nations (1989). United NationsConvention on the Rights of the Child,Adopted by the United Nations GeneralAssembly, 20th November 1989. Geneva:United Nations.

Walsh, M. (2003). School DevelopmentPlanning and Montessori Education inIreland: An Investigative Study.Unpublished M. Ed. Thesis. Dublin:University College Dublin.

Walsh, T. (2001). EducationalDisadvantage – An Analysis of Policy andPractice in Ireland. M.Ed Thesis. Kildare:National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

Walsh, T. (2004). “An Overview of IrishResearch Pertaining to Early ChildhoodEducation and Care 1990-2003” (in) Hayes,N. and Kernan, M. (Eds.) (2004).Transformations, Proceedings of theOMEP Ireland Conference, pp. 299-315.

Webb, R. (1999). Public Policy onChildren’s Play in Ireland: AnExamination of Central and LocalGovernment Policies on Children’s Play inPublic Areas. Dublin: Children’s ResearchCentre and Centre for Social andEducational Research.

Weir, S., Milis, L. and Ryan, C. (2002a).Final Evaluation Report on the Breakingthe Cycle Scheme in Urban Schools.Dublin: Educational Research Centre.

Weir, S., Milis, L. and Ryan, C. (2002b).Final Evaluation Report on the Breakingthe Cycle Scheme in Rural Schools. Dublin:Educational Research Centre.

Primary Curriculum Support Programme(2004). Accessed at: http://www.pcsp.ie/,May 28th 2004.

Purcell, B. (2001). For Our Own Good:Childcare Issues in Ireland. Ireland: TheCollins Press Ltd.

Rush, M. (2003). Children, Diversity andChildcare. Waterford: Waterford CityChildcare Committee.

Russell, J. (1979). In the Shadows ofSaints: Aspects of Family and Religion in aRural Irish Gaeltacht. Ph.D Thesis. SanDiego: University of California.

Ryan, A. (1999). Walls of Silence. Kilkenny:Red Lion Press.

Ryan, S. (1999). The Home SchoolCommunity Liaison Scheme. SummaryEvaluation Report – Revised Edition.Dublin: Educational Research Centre.

Scheper-Hughes, N. (1979). Saints,Scholars, and Schizophrenics – MenalIllness in Rural Ireland. Los Angeles:University of California Press.

Sligo County Childcare Committee andSligo County Enterprise Board (2002).Managing a Childcare Business in CountySligo. Sligo: Sligo County ChildcareCommittee and Sligo County EnterpriseBoard.

South Western Area Health Board andKildare County Childcare Committee(2003). Childminders Advisory Service –Information Pack. Kildare: South WesternArea Health Board and Kildare CountyChildcare Committee.

St. Nicholas Montessori Society of Ireland(2003). Certification Process forMontessori Schools. Dublin: St. NicholasMontessori Society of Ireland.

St. Nicholas Montessori Society of Ireland(n.d.). Guidelines for Montessori Schools.

Section 8

References

Western Health Board (2000). A Guide toQuality Practice in Pre-school Services.Galway: Western Health Board.

Western Health Board (2002). ChoosingChildcare – A Parent’s Guide (Video).Galway: Western Health Board.

Western Health Board (n.d.). Guidance tothe Child Care (Pre-School Services)Regulations 1996 and Explanatory Guideto Requirements and Procedures forNotification and Inspection. Galway:Western Health Board.

Western Health Board (n.d.). Notificationof Pre-School Service. Galway: WesternHealth Board.

Zappone, K. and Haran, N. (Eds.) (2002).Primary Education: Ending Disadvantage.Proceedings and Action Plan of NationalForum. Dublin: Education DisadvantageCentre.

Section 9 Appendices

1. Letter sent to Organisations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123

2. List of Organisations contacted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124-125

Section 9

Appendices

Appendix 1

Dear ________,

As you will probably know, the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education(CECDE) is currently in the process of devising a Quality Framework for the earlychildhood care and education sector.

At present, we are completing a number of pieces of research to underpin and inform thisprocess. These include the production of a Conceptual Framework on Early Years Learning,the facilitation of a series of public consultative seminars on quality and a review of bestpolicy and practice regarding quality in the international context. An essential and integralelement of this work programme is to conduct a literature review of national policy andpractice relating to quality in the Irish context.

We want to present an accurate and representative picture of the diverse array of work inrespect of quality in the Irish context in this report. Therefore, we would appreciate if youcould send us any research papers, materials or documentation you or your organisationhas produced regarding quality in early childhood care and education. This may includeany quality assurance programmes, criteria for defining, assessing or supporting quality,discussion papers or evaluations of quality programmes and such like.

The deadline for the completion of this project is the end of March 2004; therefore anyinformation you wish to have included in the report needs to reach us by Friday 27th

February. Should you require any further information or clarification on the nature of ourwork, please do not hesitate to contact either Thomas Walsh (01 8842164/Thomas.walsh@spd.dcu.ie) or Maresa Duignan (01 8842106/ Maresa.duignan@spd.dcu.ie)

Thanking you for your continued support and cooperation.

Yours Sincerely,

______________________Thomas Walsh and Maresa Duignan

Section 9

Appendices

An Comhchoiste Réamhscolaíochta

Area Development Management

Barnardos

Border Counties Childcare Network

Carlow County Childcare Committee

Cavan County Childcare Committee

Childcare Directorate

Childminding Ireland

Children’s Rights Alliance

Children in Hospital Ireland

Clare County Childcare Committee

Cork City Childcare Committee

Cork County Childcare Committee

Department of Health Policy Unit

Donegal County Childcare Committee

Dublin City Childcare Committee

Dublin Fingal Childcare Committee

Dublin South County Childcare Committee

Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown ChildcareCommittee

Early Start Coordinator

East Coast Area Health Board

Eastern Regional Health Authority

Foras Áiseanna Saothair

Galway City and County ChildcareCommittee

High/Scope Ireland

IPPA, the Early Childhood Organisation

Irish Society for the Prevention of Crueltyto Children

Kerry County Childcare Committee

Kildare County Childcare Committee

Kilkenny County Childcare Committee

Laois County Childcare Committee

Leitrim County Childcare Committee

Limerick City Childcare Committee

Limerick County Childcare Committee

Longford County Childcare Committee

Louth County Childcare Committee

Mayo County Childcare Committee

Meath County Childcare Committee

Midland Health Board

Mid-Western Health Board

Monaghan County Childcare Committee

National Children’s Nurseries Association

National Children’s Office

National Council for Curriculum andAssessment

National Disability Authority

Appendix 2

Section 9

Appendices

North Eastern Health Board

North Western Health Board

Northern Area Health Board

Offaly County Childcare Committee

Pavee Point

Primary Schools Inspectorate

Roscommon County Childcare Committee

Sligo County Childcare Committee

South Eastern Health Board

South Western Area Health Board

Southern Health Board

St. Nicholas Montessori Society of Ireland

Tipperary North County ChildcareCommittee

Tipperary South County ChildcareCommittee

Waldorf Steiner

Waterford City Childcare Committee

Waterford County Childcare Committee

Western Health Board

Westmeath County Childcare Committee

Wexford County Childcare Committee

Wicklow County Childcare Committee

Funded by the Irish Government and part financed by the...

Documents

Transcript of Funded by the Irish Government and part financed by the...

Unsettled Settlers: Irish Catholics, Irish Catholicism ... · Unsettled Settlers: Irish Catholics, Irish Catholicism, ... Unsettled Settlers: Irish Catholics, Irish ... The regiment

part-financed by the unded by the Irish Govenrment & F

2019 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS · 2020. 2. 11. · Capex financed from donations, grants, CUP/CA & unrestricted reserves With unconstrained growth in non-fully-funded research, and declining

Funded by: HSE West HSE Population Health, Health Promotion Directorate National Office for Suicide Prevention Irish Research Council for Humanities and.

Funding and Governance Arrangements for the Irish Language ...Culture, Arts and Leisure by a Joint Committee of Core-Funded Groups, and by one of the core-funded groups, the Ultach

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing Release Guide v2.2.pdf · 2016. 9. 7. · The Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing is funded by: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing Anonymised

MONBUKAGAKUSHO Scholarship (Host University ... funded studies is not successful, do you wish to enter Ritsumeikan as a self-financed student? (The student pays for their own academic

Funded by the Irish Government and part financed …siolta.ie/media/pdfs/02_making_connections.pdfIntroduction 1.1 Introduction This report is a cross-national review of policy, practice

Self Financed

Newsletter April June 2013 Draft2 - United Nations Office ...€¦ · Kyrgyz Republic’Kyrgyz Republic’ was held in Bish-kek. The project is funded by the European Union and co-financed

Irish Universities Quality Boar d - University College …2].pdf · Irish Universities Quality Boar d ... and funded by the Higher Education Authority Quality Assurance Programme,

Kazakhstan Migration Profile EN final Kazakhstan /2010 Kazakhstan Extended Migration Profile Funded by the European Union’s Thematic Programme Co-financed and co-implemented by:

SIDF Financed Factories

The future of Irish Peatlands: a delicate exercise in ... · Conservation policy, Biodiversity Convention, Agenda 21, EIA, Water Framework Directive, Landscape ... financed by the

Final Evaluation Irish Aid Funded Programme 2012-2016 For ...

€¦ · Web viewThis call for proposals is being launched within the framework of a European Commission funded project financed under the European Instrument For Democracy and

DEVELOPING A FUNDED PENSION SYSTEM IN RUSSIA · you-go (PAYG) financed pension that provides a basic, social safety-net pension and an earnings-related pension administrated via notional

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION NEWS AT TEAGASC Research · funded BioÉire project and the EC-funded CASA project, which examine the development and governance of the Irish and European

CONTENTS Irish Traditional Instruments Irish Traditional Tunes Information on Irish songs Irish Traditional Artists Irish Pop Artists.

Finally financed