Towards a Competent System · Towards a Competent System ... framework for the country that focuses...

MathiasUrban

TowardsaCompetentSystem

ReviewofOccupa<onalRoleProfilesinEarlyChildhoodEduca<onandCare

DublinCastle,Saturday19thNovember2016

MathiasUrban,UniversityofRoehamptonEarlyChildhoodResearchCentre

MathiasUrban

Introduc<onInterna<onalliteratureIrishpolicydocumentsStakeholderinterviews

Occupa<onalRoleProfiles:keypointsforrevision

MathiasUrban

MathiasUrban

Ourbrief

•  In2010,theDepartmentofEduca<onandSkillspublishedaWorkforceDevelopmentPlanfortheEarlyChildhoodCareandEduca<onSectorinIreland.Thereportacknowledgedthestrongevidencebasethatearlychildhoodexperienceshaveacri<calimpactonthewell-being,learninganddevelopmentofchildrenandthatthecalibreandcapacityofadultsdeliveringthoseearlyyearsserviceswasadeterminingfactorinthequalityofthoseexperiences

•  Since2010,thepolicyandprac<celandscapeoftheEarlyYearssectorinIrelandhaschangeddrama<cally.Thischangehasresultedinanewrangeofprofessionalexpecta<onsforstaffinEarlyYearsseTngs

•  DES/EYPUhascommissionedaliteratureandpolicyreviewandareviewoftheoccupa<onalroleprofilesforprac<<onersintheearlyyearssector

•  ItisintendedthatthedraVsetofrevisedoccupa<onalprofileswillinformconsulta<onwiththesectorandtheforthcomingreviewofeduca<onandtrainingprovision

MathiasUrban



MathiasUrban

DefiningQuality:contextualised,nego<ated,par<cipatory

•  Quality[inECEC]encompasses‘values,implicitideologies,subjec<vepercep<onsandsocialconstruc<onsreflec<ngdifferentcultures[…]experiences,academictradi<ons,socialneedsandexpecta<ons’(Bondioli&Ghedini,2000)

•  Quality[…]needstobeconceptualisedasaresultofaprocessofconstantnego<a<onbetweenallactorsinvolvedinECECins<tu<ons(Dahlbergetal.,2007,EuropeanCommissionNetworkonChildcareandOtherMeasurestoReconcileEmploymentandFamilyResponsibili<es,1996)

MathiasUrban

Quality:amaferofgovernance

•  OECD(2001,2006):Countriesshould–  formulateregulatorystandardsforallformsofprovision,supported

byco-ordinatedinvestment–  promotepar<cipatoryprocessesindefiningandensuringquality.–  […]definingandassuringqualityshouldbeapar<cipatoryand

democra<cprocess,involvingdifferentgroupsincludingchildren,parents,familiesandprofessionalswhoworkwithchildren

•  Par<cipatoryapproachescantakemanyforms.Star<ngStrong(OECD,2001)recommendedtwopolicyapproaches:–  Inconsulta<onwithstakeholders,togenerateaguidingcurriculum

frameworkforthecountrythatfocusesonthenormsandvaluesgoverningearlyeduca<onandcare

–  Monitoringthatengagesandsupportsstaff,parents,andchildren(OECD,2006,p.126)

MathiasUrban

MathiasUrban

Professionalcompetenceandprofessionalprepara<on:sitesforresearchandcri<calreflec<on?

•  Theexistenceofacompetenceprofileisgenerallyofadvantageforthedevelopmentofanearlychildhoodeduca<onandcaresystem–butonlyiftheyavoidbeingoverlyprescrip<veandnarrow.Broaderdefini<onsof‘competence’thatpointtoabodyofknowledgeandoutlinemoregenericskillsprovideorienta<on,butrequirelocal,contextspecificinterpreta<on.Thisfacilitatesexperimenta<on,par<cipa<onandprofessionalautonomyandcanleadtomoreappropriateresponsestolocalneeds.

•  Therela<onshipbetweencompetencerequirementsdrivenbythelabourmarketandtheneedforexperimenta<on,crea<vity,innova<onandknowledgedevelopmentinthefieldandinprofessionalprepara<on(e.g.inuniversi<esandtrainingcolleges)pointstoanotherfieldoftension:professionalprepara<onthataimsatmee<ngthedemandsofthelabourmarket,especiallyincountrieswithadominanceofprivateprovision,isunlikelytochallengeprevailingprac<cesandconceptualisa<onsofwhatanearlychildhoodprofessionalshouldbe,andtopromotemoreofthesameapproachestoprofessionalisa<oninstead.

•  Thereislifleacknowledgementfortheroleofprofessionalprepara<onasasiteforresearch,cri<calreflec<onandinnova<on.(CORE,Urban,Vandenbroecketal,2011,2012)

MathiasUrban

Systemicapproachesneeded

Thereisliflerecogni<onforthesystemicnatureofearlychildhoodprac<ceintheseprofiles.ThisisincontrasttoabroadconsensusintheCOREcase

studies,andsupportedbyinterna<onalliterature,thatafocusonindividualprac<<onersalonewillnotincreasetheoverallqualityofprovision(CORE,Urban,Vandenbroecketal,2011,2012)

MathiasUrban

Competentsystems(1)

AkeyfindingofCoReisthat‘competence’intheearlychildhoodeduca<onandcarecontextmustbeunderstoodasacharacteris<coftheen<reearlychildhoodsystem.OVen,weassociatetheterm‘competence’withthequali<esofanindividualprac<<oner,assomethingthatcanbeacquiredthroughtrainingandprofessionalprepara<on(i.e.theintegra<onofknowledge,skills,aTtudes,mo<va<on…).Thedifficultywiththisconceptisthatitisrathernarrow.EspeciallyintheEnglishlanguagecontext,‘beingcompetent’(afullyhumanafribute)isoVenreducedto‘competencies’–aseriesofskillsandpiecesofknowledgethatindividualsneedacquireinordertoperformapar<culartask

MathiasUrban

Competentsystems(2)

•  Acompetentsystemdevelopsinreciprocalrela<onshipsbetweenindividuals,teams,ins<tu<onsandthewidersocio-poli<calcontext.

•  Akeyfeatureisitssupportforindividualstorealisetheircapabilitytodevelopresponsibleandresponsiveprac<cesthatrespondtotheneedsofchildrenandfamiliesinever-changingsocietalcontexts

•  Attheleveloftheindividualprac<<oner,beingandbecoming‘competent’isacon<nuousprocessthatcomprisesthecapabilityand

abilitytobuildonabodyofprofessionalknowledge,prac8ceanddevelopandshowprofessionalvalues.Although‘knowledge’and‘prac<ce’arecri<cal,prac<<onersandteamsalsoneedreflec8vecompetencesastheyworkinhighlycomplex,unpredictableanddiversecontexts.

•  Acompetentsystemrequirespossibili<esforallstafftoengageinjointlearningandcri<calreflec<on.Thisincludessufficientpaid<mefortheseac<vi<es.Acompetentsystemincludescollabora<onsbetweenindividualsandteams,ins<tu<ons(pre-schools,schools,support

servicesforchildrenandfamilies…)aswellascompetentgovernanceatpolicylevel.

MathiasUrban

Competentsystemsrequiresystemiccondi<ons

Competentsystemsinearlychildhooddonotemergeoutofaspira<onalone.Ifcompetenceistounfoldinreciprocalrela<onships

betweenactorsatalllevelsofthesystem,certaincondi<onsneedtobeinplaceacrosstheen<resystem.Broughttogetherinacoherentframework,theyrenderearlychildhoodeduca<onandcareadeeplydemocra<cprac<ceatthecoreofsociety.

WearguewithJohnDeweythatthekeytoenablingsuchprac<cesliesinthe‘faithinthecapacityofhumanbeingsforintelligentjudgmentandac<onifpropercondi<onsarefurnished’(Dewey,1939,p.227)

MathiasUrban

Systemiccondi<onsforcompetentsystems

1.  ECECaspublicgood2.  Curriculaandcompetenceprofiles

–  Acurriculumframework,addressingoverallgoals,principlesandcompetencesforworkingwithyoungchildrenfrombirthtoatleastcompulsoryschoolage,regardlessoftheins<tu<onalseTng.

–  Aqualifica8onframeworkaddressingprofessionalprepara<onandprofessionaldevelopmentforallmembersoftheECECworkforce,includingassistantandsupportstaff.

–  Aqualityframeworkaddressingcriteriaforthelevelofqualityrequiredfromallearlychildhoodservices,andwaystodevelopgoodprac<ces.

–  Amonitoringandevalua8onframeworkensuringdataontheECECsectorarecollectedsystema<callyandevalua<onsinvolvingallkeystakeholdersareconductedregularly.

–  Aframeworkforgovernanceaddressingpolicyresponsibili<esatdifferentlevelsofgovernment(e.g.municipal,regional,na<onal)andlinkingearlychildhoodpoliciestoawiderpolicycontext(e.g.educa<on,welfare,ci<zenship,equality).

3.  Employmentandworkingcondi8ons4.  Unitarysystemsandgenericprofessionalisa8on5.  Supportstructuresandcon8nuouspedagogicalsupport

MathiasUrban

Afocusoncon<nuousprofessionaldevelopment

AstudyconductedbyLighpootandFrost(2015)illustrateshowEnglisheducatorsdemonstratedacommitmenttomakingadifferencetotheirprofessionbutalsoexpressedfrustra<onwithsomeoftheformsofPLDthatwereavailabletothem.Par<cipantsinthestudystatedthatthecoursesdidnotaddresstheirprofessionaldevelopmentandwereseenasa‘wastedmorning’(LighpootandFrost,2015:414).ThesefindingsfromEnglandarevalidatedbyinterna<onalfindingsoftheCoReproject:short-termcoursesthatarenotrootedincoherentpoliciesareques<onableatleastandcontributelifleornothingtoraisingthecompetenceoflearners(Urbanetal.,2011).

ApplebyandPilkington(2014)alsoarriveatsimilarconclusionsillustra<nghowone-offlearningsessionshavealimitedcapacitytotransferknowledgeintowiderlongtermprac<ce.Inisolatedtrainingtheprofessionaldevelopmentisseenasastaffobliga<ontofulfilorganisa<onalrequirementsanditisexperiencedasliflemorethana<ckboxexercise.(Fukkink,Lont,2007).

MathiasUrban



MathiasUrban

AsummaryreviewofIrishECCEpolicydocuments

•  (2010)Aworkforcedevelopmentplanfortheearlychildhoodcareandeduca8onsectorinIreland.

•  (2014)BeJerOutcomesBrighterFutures:Thena8onalpolicyframeworkforchildren&youngpeople2014–2020.

•  (2015)ReportofInter-DepartmentalWorkingGroup:FutureInvestmentinChildcareinIreland.

•  (2016a)AGuidetoEarly-yearsEduca8on-focusedInspec8on(EYEI)inEarly-yearsSeZngsPar8cipa8ngintheEarlyChildhoodCareandEduca8on(ECCE)Programme.

•  (2016b)SurveyofEarlyYearsPrac88oners:Consulta8onfortheReviewofEduca8onandTrainingProgrammesinEarlyYears,May2016.

•  (2016c)Ac8onPlanforEduca8on2016-2019.•  (2016d)ChildCareAct1991(EarlyYearsServices)Regula8ons2016•  AndreferencetotheBeJerStartwebsite

hfps://www.pobal.ie/BeferStart/Pages/Home.aspx.Thefocusispar<cularlyonwhateachhastocontributetothedebateonworkforcedevelopment

MathiasUrban

Keypoints:•  Theiden<fica<onofthenecessityforclearlyar<culated

professionalpathways,andanagreedsetofna<onalstandardsisappropriate,andworthwhile.However,thecurrentapproachdoesnotencompassallofthoseworkingwithyoungchildren,andmaynotbeeithermateriallyorpsychologicallysuppor=veforpar=cularsectors,forexampleexperiencedworkerswithlowlevelsof,orno,qualifica=ons.

•  Theemphasisinensuringaqualityworkforceisonindividualskillsandknowledge,withliBlefocusonthepoten=alofmoresystemicapproachestoprepara<onandupskillingofworkers.Thiscouldbeseenasamissedopportunityfordevelopingquality.

•  Thevarietyoftrainingprovidersandaccountablebodiesmakesitdifficulttoensureconsistency,andmayresultinconfusionandextraworkforseTngs.

MathiasUrban

Orienta<ontowardsAistearandSíolta

WithregardtoAistearandSíolta,theAc8onPlanforEduca8on(2016c)emphasisestheimportanceofcon<nuedsupportfortheimplementa<onofbothframeworks.

EvidencefromtheSurveyofEarlyYearsPrac<<oners(2016b)suggeststheneedforthis.42percentofFEcoursemembersand44percentofHEcoursemembersreportedtheyhadnotfeltwellpreparedforAistear,withfiguresof46percentand50percentrespec<velyonpreparednessforSíolta.Thetopthreeareasofinteresttheyiden<fiedforfurtherstudywereAistear,Síoltaandbehaviourmanagement.Inthesamesurvey,whenaskedtoiden<fythecurriculumfollowedintheirseTngs,45percentiden<fiedAistearand12percentcitedSiolta.

Twoissuesarisefromthis:a)  neitherisacurriculum,theyareframeworks,sugges<nglevelsof

uncertaintyintheworkforce;b)  thehighpercentagessuggestthatprac<<onersmaylackconfidenceandbe

uncertainaboutwhattheyaredoing.ThesefactorssuggesttheneedforareviewofhowAistearandSíoltaarereflectedinthecoreknowledgeelementoftheOccupa<onalRoleProfiles.

MathiasUrban

ResourcesforProfessionalDevelopment

BeferOutcomesBrighterFutures(BOBF)(2014)setsoutagovernmentcommitmenttoincreasinginvestment,subjecttoresourcesbeingavailable.ApriorityforinvestmentisafurtherECCEyear:nospecificmen<onismadeofinvestmentintrainingorCPD,althoughtheReport(2015)iden<fiesaDCYALearnerFundfor2014-15of€3minordertosupporttheexis<ngworkforcetoachieveamandatoryNFQlevel5or6.Thisissignificant,giventhesta<s<csintheSurvey(2016b)that69percentofprac<<onersreporttheyhadfullyfundedtheirowntraining,withonly16percentfullysubsidised.However,thismayonlyaddressthefundingneedsofaspecificgroupofworkers.

MathiasUrban

Knowledgeandprac<cegaps

AlongwithlackofconfidenceintheirknowledgeofAistearandSíolta,prac<<onersfeltalackofpreparednessforworkingwithchildrenfromdisadvantagedbackgrounds,withspecialneeds,andwithEnglishasanAddi<onalLanguage(Survey,2016b).

TheAIMini<a<vepartlyaddressesthis,alongwiththetrainingof900preschoolstaffasinclusioncoordinators(Ac<onPlan,2016c),butthiswillalsoimpactonthecoreknowledgeelementsoftheOccupa<onalRoleProfiles,aswellasthecontentofeduca<onandtrainingprogrammes.

Approximatelyhalfofallrespondentsalsofeltunpreparedinrela<ontotheirawarenessofICTasalearningsupport(Survey,2016b),whichmayagainneedtobereflectedinthecoreknowledgeelementoftheOccupa<onalprofiles,andeduca<onandtrainingprogrammes.

MathiasUrban

Regula<on–oraProfessionalbody?

Akeyaddi<ontopolicydocumenta<onisanemphasisoninspec<onandregula<on,seenaspartofprofessionalisa<on,andthusquality.TheSurvey(2016b)iden<fieseduca<on-focusedinspec<ons,introducedin2016,asafurtherlevertoquality.Itassertsthereisoverwhelmingsupportfromprac<<onersforaregulatorybody.However,theques<onaskedwasabouttheneedforaprofessionalstandardsbodythatpromotesandregulateschildcare,similartotheroleplayedbytheTeachingCouncil.Thisisdifferenttoapurelyregulatorybody.

MathiasUrban

Con<nuousevalua<on,monitoringandinspec<on

WhilstEYEIevalua<onsarenotaprofessionalcompetenceinspec<on(AGuidetoEarly-yearsEduca<on-focusedInspec<on,2016a),itisclearthatini<altrainingandCPDwillneedtotakeaccountofthenewframeworkforinspec<on.ThismayimpactuponcontentofthecoreknowledgeareasoftheOccupa<onalprofiles.However,thisframeworkalsoonlyappliestoseTngsofferingtheECCEprogramme,sugges<ngthattheremaybeaneedforindividualprac<<onersandseTngstobecompetentandconfidentinmanagingtheexpecta<onsofmorethanoneinspec<onregime,eg.theTuslaInspec<ons.

EYEIInspec<onreportsaretypically5-6pages,whilstasampleof19TuslaInspec<onreportsviewedinOctober2016were18-76pagesinlength,averaging38pages.

Thiscouldbereviewed,withaviewtodevelopingoneinspec<onframeworktomeetrequirementsforinspec<ngadevalua<ngalltypesofseTngthiscoulds<llhavethepoten<altohavedifferentfociwithinit,butwouldensurecoherenceininspec<ons,andbemost<meeffec<veforprac<<onersandseTngs.

MathiasUrban

Recogni<on,valueandremunera<on

Itisdifficulttoinferacollec<veviewaboutdes<na<onsfromtheavailablepolicydocumentsOneareainwhichthereseemstobegrowingconsensusisintheneedforabefer-recognisedandqualifiedworkforceandincen<visingprofessionalisa<onofchildcareproviders.Alargenumberofallrespondents(includingparents,NGOsandacademicsaswellasworkers)referredtotheworkforceasundervaluedandunderpaid(Report,2015).CareerpathsandprogressionroutesAmajorthemeisthepercep<onsofworkersinthesectorofbeingundervalued,manifes<ngitselfinaspectssuchaslowpay,lackoffull-<me,secureemploymentandlackofclearcareerstructures.Currentdatarecords71percentofrespondentstoana<onalsurveyasfeelingundervaluedornotvaluedatall(Survey,2016b)Over3370childcareworkerssignedontotheLiveRegisterduringJunetoAugust2014(Report,2015).Thereisathemerunningthroughpar<cipants’responsesintheSurveyofbeing‘secondclass’toteachers,withcommentsaroundlackofrespectinsocietyfortheirrole,lackofnon-contact<me,andapercep<onthatteachershadbefercondi<onsforCPD(andthusforcareerprogression)asmostCPDforearlyyearsworkerswasoutsideofwork<me(Survey,2016b).

MathiasUrban

CPD–individualorsystemic?

IndividualaccesstoaffordabletrainingandCPDcon<nuetobeseenasunderpinningquality(Report,2015).However,thereisalsosomeevidenceoftheneedforamorecollec<veapproachtoupskilling,withacommitmenttoestablishpeer-learningnetworks(BOBF,2014),andtheBeferStartQualityDevelopmentService.However,astheReport(2015)iden<fies,thisiscon<ngentuponcon<nuedinvestmentintheservice.Ahighpercentage(66)ofworkersreporttrainingpart-<me(Survey,2016b),notedintheWorkforcePlan(2010)asoVenunder-funded.Futureprovisionwillneedtoconsidera)howpart-<mecoursescanbeprovided,eg.atdifferent<mes/online/distancelearningetc.;b)howthesecanbefundedtoensureaccess.Barrierstotraining

Thesecon<nuetobesimilartothoseiden<fiedinthe2010WorkforcePlan.Asnotedabove,themajorityofworkersarefundingtheirowntraining,intheirown<me,andoVenworkingfull-<measwell.Theamountof<merequired,andlackofappropriatecoursesofstudy,werefrequentlycitedasbarriers.ThisincludeslackofopportunityforRPL,whichmaypar<cularlyimpactonexperiencedworkerswithlowlevelsofqualifica<on.Thereisapercep<onthat,whilstworkersaregenerallyposi<veaboutthequalityofeduca<onandtrainingtheyreceived,comple<ngcoursesmighthavelifleimpactontheirsalaryorcondi<onsofwork.Relatedtothiswerecallsforana<onalpayscale(Survey,2016b).

MathiasUrban

Governance,coordina<onandleadership

TheAc<onPlan(2016c)emphasisestheimportanceofdepartmentsworkingtogether:‘WewillworkcloselywiththeDepartmentofChildrenandYouthAffairstoimproveini<alandcon<nuingprofessionaldevelopmentopportuni<esinthisimportantsector’(2016c:31).Theremaybemuchvalueineffortstobringresponsibilityforalltypesofprovision,andalltraining,underasingleumbrellabody,reflec<ngtheemphasisoncoordinatedprovisionintheNa<onalEarlyYearsStrategy(BOBF,2104),andtheaimofBeferStart,toestablishacohesiveapproachtoqualityacrosstheEarlyChildhoodEduca<onandCaresector.Itisworthno<ngthediverserangeofdepartmentslistedingovernmentcommitmentsinBOBF(2014),eachwithitsownapproachesandpriori<es,albeitthataleaddepartmentisiden<fiedforeachcommitment.Thereisevidenceofdiversityofprac<calexperienceonprogrammes,with20percentoffurthereduca<onstudentsand11percentofhighereduca<onstudentsrepor<ngnoprac<calexperience,andhighlevelsofvariabilityinthenumberofplacementsundertakenaspartofacourse.Thisimpactsonindividualtrainees’feelingsofcompetenceandconfidence,andalsomorewidelyonthesector,andtheirviewsaboutnewstaffquality.Thisispoten<allyanareainwhichna<onalguidancecouldbevaluable,inmanagingvariabilityincourseorganisa<on.Concernsareexpressedaboutthedifficul<esofprovidingtrainingwhichreachesallchildcareworkers,par<cularlythoseinnon-formal,non-rela<vecare,suchaschildminders.Theremaybevalueinlookingtotheexperiencesofothercountries,suchastheUKinthefirstdecadeofthe21stcentury,wherechildminderswereoVensuccessfullyengagedintrainingasaresultoftheirinvolvementinlocalchildren’scentres.

MathiasUrban



MathiasUrban

Stakeholderinterviews

Todate,interviewswereconductedwith12professionals(academics,policymakers,prac<<oners)includingrepresenta<onfrom,prac<ceandserviceprovision,educa<onandtraining,inspectorateandsectorassocia<ons.InterviewswerecodedusingcategoriesestablishedinthePolicyReview,tosupportcross-referencing:1WhatismeantbyqualityinanIrishEarlyChildhoodcontext?

1.1Askilledworkforce1.1.1Qualifica7onsandupskilling1.1.2Professionalismandprofessionaliza7on1.1.3Inspec7onandregula7on

1.2AistearandSioltaframeworks1.3Investment1.4Occupa=onalRoleProfiles

2Howcanaqualityworkforcebedevelopedandsustained?Whoisinvolved?2.1Collec=veviews2.2Careerpathsandprogressionroutes

2.2.1Qualifica7onsandcareerstructuresThisaspectelicitedthehighestvolumeofcommentsfrompar<cipants.Aconsistentthemerunning2.2.2Percep7onsofvalue

2.3Individualandcollec=veac=vity2.4BarrierstotrainingTrainingprovidersandprovision

MathiasUrban

Professionalismandprofessionalisa<on

•  Professionalismandprofessionalisa<onisamajorthemeforallpar<cipants,seenasanareaofconsiderabledevelopmentsincethepublica<onofthefirstitera<onofoccupa<onalroleprofiles

•  Professionalisms<llseenbymanyasatemergentlevelinIreland•  Anumberofpar<cipantsmeasuredtheearlychildhoodsector

against‘tradi<onal’afributesofaprofession,including–  self-determina8onandagency–  theexistenceofaprofessionalbodywithresponsibilityforseZngout

corerequirementsandexpecta8ons–  andsharedcodesofprac8ce

•  Thesewerecitedasvaluableincrea<ngaprofessionaliden<tyandalsoinsuppor<ngacareerstructure

MathiasUrban

Professionalismandprofessionalisa<on:Themesemergingfromtheinterviews

•  Earlychildhoodprofessionaliden==esmaybemul=ple,andincludethoseworkinginservicesforchildrenunderthreeandthoseforchildrenoverthree,andthoseworkingintheearlyyearsinprimaryschools

•  Suchfragmenta=onmaychallengeacoherentprofessionaliden=tyandideasofprofessionalprac<ce

•  Irishculturaltradi=onsmayworkagainstearlychildhoodworkersbeingseenasprofessionals(thismaypar<cularlyaffectchildmindersandthoseworkingwithchildrenunderthree).Thismayleadtothemfeelingbothexcludedandambivalentabouttheirprofessionaliden<ty

•  Asenseoffeelingundervaluedimpactsonearlychildhoodworkers’senseofiden<ty,leadingtofeelingsofdisempowerment

•  Poorlevelsofpaymaybeequatedwithasenseofearlychildhoodasnotaprofession•  TheOccupa=onalRoleprofileswereseenaspoten=ally(andposi=vely)

influen=alonprofessionalprac=ceandprofessionaliden=ty•  Agrowingnumberofqualifiedandexperiencedearlychildhoodworkersare

recognisingandvaluingthemselvesasprofessionals,andarebeginningtobemoreproac<veintheiradvocacyforearlychildhood

•  Theintroduc<onofEYEImayimpactonprofessionalprac<ceandideasofprofessionalismbya)introducingregulatoryframeworks,oVenseenasahallmarkofprofessionalism;b)crea<nganewoccupa<onalroleofearlyyearsinspector,drawnfromearlyyearsgraduates,withpowertoinfluenceaspectssuchas‘rela<onalpedagogy’

MathiasUrban

Monitoringandevalua<on,inspec<onandregula<on:aposi<vedevelopment

Thisareawasdiscussedbythemajorityofpar<cipants,par<cularlyinlightoftheintroduc<onofnewEYEIinspec<onsthisyear

•  Introduc<onofEYEIwasgenerallyseenasposi=ve,par=cularlygiventheemphasisonrecrui=nginspectorsfromwithinearlychildhoodprac=ce

•  However,thereiss<llsomeresistancetoinspec<on,evenwhenworkerswereassessedashavingmetthecriteria

•  EYEIwereseenbyashavingthepoten=altoimpactposi=velyonprac=ce,andfortheprocessofinspec<ontobemoreconsulta<ve

MathiasUrban

Inspec<onandregula<on:someconcerns

•  Aconcernexpressedbymanywaswithregardtothephenomenonofmul=pleinspec=onsinearlyyears,andwhatwasseenasalackofintegra=onacrossthedifferentinspec=onregimes.Thecostofimplemen<ngbothhealthandeduca<oninspec<onsystemswascitedaspoten<allyresul<nginlessmoneyforotherpartsofthesystem.

•  Thesitua<onwasalsocomparedunfavourablytotheeduca<onsector,inwhich‘theteacherisaccreditedwithcommonsense…andtodothingsprofessionally,whereasitappearsthechildcaresectorarenotcompletelytrusted’

•  Concernswereraisedthatinspec<onandregula<oncouldbecomeoverlyprescrip<ve,andpoten<allyleadtoprac<<onersbecomingmorecau<ousandriskaverse.Aistearwasseenasposi<veinthepoten<alforittobeinterpretedatlocallevels,andpar<cipantswerekeenforthistocon<nue,andtoavoidnarrowingofprac<ce,andanorthodoxydeveloping

•  Poten<alproblemsrelatedtoinspec<onalsoincludedtherequirementtocompletelargeamountsofpaperwork,andtheneedtoavoida‘box=cking’approach

MathiasUrban



MathiasUrban

TowardsrevisedOccupa<onalRoleProfiles

Areasforrevision:1.  Genericcharacteris<csoftheECCEworkforce2.  Coreknowledgeareas3.  Pathwaystoprofessionalisa<onandsystemic

development

MathiasUrban

TowardsrevisedOccupa<onalRoleProfiles(1)

Genericcharacteris=csoftheECCEworkforce•  Five<eredsystemwithstrongfocusonlevelsofformal

qualifica<on•  Confla<onbetweenlevelsofexperienceandqualifica<on,

sugges<ngthatoneequatestheother•  Thisbecomesproblema<cwhenasmall(butgrowing)numberof

graduateswithlevel7/8qualifica<on(e.g.BAECCE)areexpectedtoexertleadershipandactasindividualchangeagentsinasectorthatisdominatedbyprac<<onerswithexperiencebutlowlevelsofformalqualifica<on.

•  Nomenklaturemaynega<velyimpactonallprac<<oners,par<cularlythosewithconsiderableexperiencebuteitherlowlevelsof,ornorecognisedqualifica<on(‘basicprac<<oner’)

MathiasUrban


Genericcharacteris<csoftheECCEworkforce:ques<onfordiscussionWhatwouldyouseeasalterna=veapproachestonamingthevariouslevelsof

a)  formalqualifica=onb)  prac=calexperience

representedintheECCEworkforce?

MathiasUrban

TowardsrevisedOccupa<onalRoleProfiles(2)

CoreknowledgeareasAtpresent,thestra<fiedgenericcharacteris8csoftheECCEworkforceareframedbysixareasofcoreknowledgeandskills:

Childdevelopment–personal,professionaldevelopment–socialenvironment–health,hygiene,nutri8onandsafety–educa8onandplay–communica8on,administra8on,management

SuchanapproachissupportedbythefindingsofCOREthatemphasisetheimportanceofsharedandmatchingknowledge(s),prac8cesandvaluesacrossalllayersofanearlychildhoodsystem.WesuggestthatrevisedOccupa<onalRoleProfilesmaintainthegeneralapproach

MathiasUrban


Coreknowledgeareas–fourareasthatneedupda=ng:•  Clearorienta<ontowardsAistearandSíolta•  Strongeremphasisondiversity,(in)equalityandsocialjus=ce•  Clearorienta<ontowardstheaimofbuildingacompetentsystem

(CORE):Itwillbecrucialtoiden<fyandovercomefracturesandmismatchesofknowledge(s),prac<cesandunderpinningvaluesbetweenactorsandins<tu<onsatalllevelsofthesystem,includingprac<ce,professionalprepara<onanddevelopment,evalua<onandmonitoring(inspec<on),research,andgovernance.

•  Incorporateevalua<onandinspec<on;withclearlinksbetweencri=cal(self)reflec=onatalllevelsofprac=ceandgovernance,andbothinternalandexternalevalua<onandmonitoring.

MathiasUrban


Coreknowledgeareas:ques<onfordiscussionThecurrentProfilesdonotmen=onrecentguidingframeworksfortheECCEsector.Howcanaclearorienta=ontowardsAistearandSíolta,andrespectfordiversityandworkingtowardsequality(equitableoutcomesforallchildren)beincorporatedinthecoreknowledgeandskillsatalllevels?

MathiasUrban

TowardsrevisedOccupa<onalRoleProfiles(3)Pathwaystoprofessionalisa=onandsystemicdevelopment•  Rela<onshipbetweenexperienceandformalqualifica<oninthesector:

onedoesnotnecessarilyequatetheother•  Towardsacompetentsystem:reflectcontentofOccupa<onalRoleProfiles

moreexplicitlyinprofessionalprepara<onandtraining.–  Requiredareorganisedspaces(ins<tu<onalisedstructures)forcollabora<on

betweenpolicy-making,educa<onandtrainingproviders,evalua<onandmonitoringsystemsandresearch

•  Strategicleadershipneededatbothpolicyandprac<celevels:RevisedORPtoreflectthisneedmoreclearlyandemphasiseelementsofleadership,systemicthinking,andcri<calreflec<onatlevel7/8qualifica<ons–  Graduatesareincreasinglyfacedwiththeques<onofhowtoeffec<velyactas

leaderandchangeagentinworkcontextsthatarecharacterisedbyexperiencedbutlowerqualifiedprac<<oners

•  Careerprogressionandreten<on.Withoutaprogressionrouteinprac<ce,theonlyop<ontogainpromo<onandappropriatepayisforgraduatestoleavetheimmediateworkwithchildren.Theresultisa‘braindrain’thatisnotsustainable

MathiasUrban

Pathwaystoprofessionalisa<onandsystemicdevelopment:ques<onsfordiscussion

Howshouldprac=calexperience(beyond,before,oroutsideofformalqualifica=on)bedocumentedandrecognised?Howcantheneedforstrategicleadershipatsystemslevelbereflectedineduca=onandtraining?

MathiasUrban

Howtoimplementacompetentsystem?Acaveat

Implementa8on:HowGreatExpecta8onsinWashingtonareDashedinOakland.Berkeley,CA(Pressman&Wildavsky,1984)

Governancetheoryandsystemstheoryremindsusthata)  Noonedoesastheyaretold.Ever.b)  Theonlywaytoinfluence(‘govern’)a

complexsystemisthroughinfluencingandshapingitsenvironment

MathiasUrban

Policy

Prac<ce

Implem

enta<o

n

Interestsand(best)inten<ons

Assessment(e.g.‘measuring’quality,outcomesandeffec<veness)

Fromtop-downimplementa<ontodemocra<cinven<onofsocialchange(UmbertoMangabeiraUnger)

Research(‘evidencebase’)

Frustra<on(‘itneverworks…’)

MathiasUrban

Resistance

Interna<onalandna<onalpolicypriori<esandagencies(e.g.EU,OECD,UNESCO,

WorldBank)

Ownhistory,culture,values,individualandgroupiden<ty

Crea<vity

Localknowledge(s)andprac<ces

MathiasUrban

Thank you!

[email protected]

www.roehampton.ac.uk/Research-Centres/Early-Childhood-Research-Centre/

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