Policy Developments 1990-2004 - Centre for Early Childhood ...

Section 4PolicyDevelopments1990 – 20044.1 IntroductionTraditionally, 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been a dearth ofactivity pertaining to policy for ECCE inIreland, as was evident from the previoussection outlining the historical content.This was largely due to the lack of priorityafforded to ECCE at national and local leveluntil the 1990s for the variety of reasonsoutlined previously,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 socioeconomicfactors 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 to11

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004ECCE. 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 nonstatutoryside, 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 StatutoryAgenciesOwing 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 ChildrenDepartment of Education and ScienceDepartment of Justice, Equality andLaw ReformDepartment of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltachtand IslandsDepartment of Enterprise, Trade andEmploymentDepartment of Agriculture and FoodDepartment of Social, Community andFamily AffairsDepartment 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 ofIrelandIn 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 and12

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004that 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 maderegarding 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 earlyeducation,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 and1 These figures have been converted from Irish Pounds(IR£) and are approximates only.13

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004Eastern Region (approximately €34 billion)and Border, Midland and Western Region(BMW) (approximately €17 billion 1 ).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, 6 th 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, 6 th 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, 6 th 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 keythemeof the guidelines, “…provision mustbe of a suitably high quality.” (DELG,2001:3)14

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004Implications for the National Framework for Quality– Department of An TaoiseachDefining 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 ofall 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 thedelivery 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.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 ofpreschool 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 the15

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004benefits, 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 childcentredapproach 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 adultchildratios, 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 theDJELR 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 the16

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004benefits 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 perspectiveGovernment / Regulatory perspectiveSocial Service perspectiveParent perspectiveChild perspectiveSocial funding policy perspectiveStaff perspectiveCultural 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 aModel 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 CoordinatingCommittee (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:17

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004Quality as exceptionalQuality as perfectionQuality as fitness for purposeQuality as value for moneyQuality as transformationQuality as accountabilityQuality 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 ProgrammesThis 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. Area2 For a comprehensive overview of this childcareinfrastructure, please consult the Evaluation of the EqualOpportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (NDP/CSF,2003:92-93)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 Submeasure;3. The Quality Improvement Submeasure(NDP/CSF, 2003:56-57).18

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004The 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 theNVCOs 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 of3 For a detailed listing of all CCC Strategic Plans, please seeCECDE (2003b:38-39).19

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004the 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 (preserviceand 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.20

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004Implications for the National Framework for Quality- DJELRDefining 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.21

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-20044.4 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 ofresponsibility 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 central22

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004position 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 selfassessmentand 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, coordinating,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 EducationalFuture (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 disadvantaged23

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004schools 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: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 Indicators5. 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)24

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004The 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 andstatus 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 and25

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004intervention 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.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. Mathematics26

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-20043. Social, Environmental and ScientificEducation (SESE)4. Arts Education5. Physical Education6. Social, Personal and HealthEducation (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 preserviceand 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 threedistinct categories; for children with mildgeneral learning disabilities (NCCA, 2002ai),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).27

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004The 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 4 . 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).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 relationships28

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004are 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 oneducational 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 toProvide 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 of29

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004Management, 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 curriculumareas;5. Support for pupils (DES, 2003a:IX).Schools are encouraged to look at thesethemes 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)30

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004Implications 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.31

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-20045. 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 theannual 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 provided32

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004within 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 preschoolchildren 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)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, 15 th 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)33

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004is 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 ofchildcare 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, 15 thMarch, 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)34

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004The 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 itseight 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.Implications for the National Framework for Quality -DHCDefining 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 must35

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004be 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.4.6 Department of Socialand Family Affairs (DSFA)In 1998, the DSCFA 5 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 onethirdof the 536 submissions received:Quality childcare was oftenperceived to be vital to family life inthat it supports the development,education, care and welfare of thechild, 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)5 Up until 2002, this department was known as theDepartment of Social, Community and Family Affairs(DSCFA).Implications for the National Framework for Quality -DSCFADefining 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.36

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004Assessing 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.4.7 InternationalPerspectivesEuropean 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.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:37

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004Coordination 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 onChildcare, 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).Implications for the National Framework for Quality– International PerspectivesDefining 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.38

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-20045. 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.4.8 Policies Relating toNon-Statutory AgenciesThe 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 documentedpolicy 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 universal39

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004application, which will assist the devising ofthe NFQ, have been prioritised within thisreview.4.8.1 National Voluntary ChildcareOrganisationsThe 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 qualitysetting 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 need40

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004for 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. Theorganisation 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: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 the41

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004improvement of quality by paying specialattention to the following four areas:DiversityTrainingSpecialist supportCapacity 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.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) outlines42

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004the 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 skillsTo 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;Policies and procedures;Curriculum;Play;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 childhoodservices 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, 8 th 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 antibiasapproach 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 which43

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004protect 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 antibiasapproach. 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-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.Implications for the National Framework for Quality– Non-Statutory AgenciesDefining 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.44

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-20044. 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 quality8. 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.45

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-20044.8.2 Other OrganisationsThe 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 ofall 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 childcentred,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 as46

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004educational 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 preservice.(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 preservicetraining 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 aquality 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 of47

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-2004childcare 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 perspectiveThe 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 highstaff 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)Implications for the National Framework for Quality– Other OrganisationsDefining Quality:1. High adult-child ratios are an important characteristic of quality services2. 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.48

Section 4Policy Developments 1990-20046. 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.49