Northern Ireland - Centre for Early Childhood Development ...

Chapter 8Northern IrelandChildcare Partnership, 2002). The NVQat Level 3 in Early Years Care andEducation or equivalent is seen as themost appropriate qualification for thoseinvolved in this kind of work. PlaygroupAssistants work under the supervision ofthe playgroup leader. The NVQ Level 2in Early Years Care and Education orequivalent Level 2 qualifications areconsidered the most appropriate for thiswork.The Government is developing a national'climbing frame' of qualifications to helppeople enter, move and progress in thechildcare sector (DHSS in Association withthe Training and Employment Agency andDENI, 1999). This framework will map outequivalencies between different forms oftraining and qualification and will lay outprogression routes for those involved in theECCE sector. Children First recommendedthat:T&EA [Training and EmploymentAgency] will develop a childcaretraining strategy for NorthernIreland, in consultation with otherrelevant Departments and otherstakeholders including employers inthe sector and the National TrainingOrganisations, and will aim to ensurethat the resources available are usedas efficiently and effectively aspossible. (DHSS in Association withthe Training and Employment Agencyand DENI, 1999:13)8.5.6 ChildmindersConsiderable emphasis is placed ontraining for childminders, as a way ofenhancing quality (Northern AreaPartnership, 2002) and many childmindersundertake an introductory course beforethey begin childminding.8.5.7 Childcare PartnershipsUnder Children First, four ChildcarePartnerships were established, one for eachHealth and Social Services Board inNorthern Ireland. These ChildcarePartnerships are partnerships of Voluntaryand Statutory Agencies whose remit is theimplementation of the Government'sChildcare Strategy, Children First. ThePartnerships provide a range of servicesdesigned to support quality; for example,the Southern Partnership has engaged inactivities such as the production of a guideto quality in ECCE services, theidentification of training needs and the coordinationof training provision (SouthernArea Childcare Partnership, 2002).8.5.8 Childminding NetworksA Children Come First childmindingnetwork is an approved formal group ofbetween twenty and thirty registeredchildminders recruited, assessed andmonitored by a network co-ordinator, whoensures that they maintain the standards ofNICMA's Quality Childminding Charter.Settings are monitored on a 12 weeklycycle.8.5.9 Innovative ProjectsThere are some projects which seek todevelop the quality of services provided onan ongoing basis in Northern Ireland. Anumber of ECCE providers areparticipating in the EEL approach toquality assessment and improvement.NIPPA has implemented a pilot project onthe Reggio Emilia Approach, which hasinvolved 20 Early Years groups, working onestablishing this innovative approach toECCE in their facilities.8.6 EducationalDisadvantage and SpecialNeedsNICMA have a dedicated ChildmindingNetwork for families of children who mayhave a disability or special need. This105