Pre-Budget Submission November Steps for Budget 2012

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1 Pre-Budget Submission November Steps for Budget 2012 About us Early Childhood Ireland is a member based organisation that supports and represents over 80% of preschools and crèches nationwide. Our members are the people who play a main role in the development, delivery and overseeing of early childhood care and education in Ireland and in so doing prioritise the interests of children. 6 Steps for Budget 2012 Early Childhood Ireland believes that what happens in the early years lays the foundation for our adult lives as members of families, communities, employers/employees and as citizens of this country. To build on the investment to date and to work towards a world class early childhood sector, Budget 2012 must take six steps: 1. Extend the ECCE (free preschool) scheme to 2 years for every child (3-5 years of age), targeting the more vulnerable children as a priority 2. Establish a minimum school starting age of 5 years, in line with proposals under consideration in the Department of Education and Skills 3. Commit to a graduate leader in every Preschool service by Provide Early Childhood Specialists in every county 5. Provide one CPD (continuing professional development) day per term for staff members in ECCE crèche and preschool services 6. Ensure sustainability of the sector through rates exemption for early childhood care and education services Our Vision This pre-budget proposal is in line with Early Childhood Ireland s vision for a society where every child gets a loving, secure and stimulating start in life and for a sector where children have positive and empowering experiences in preschool that will impact on later learning and well-being. Driving and realising this vision is core to the early childhood sector and to the Irish economy because: 1. The payoffs of early childhood programs can be especially high (Ben Bernanke, 2011 Head of US Federal Reserve) early childhood care and education matters to children and communities. Our Knowledge Society requires that the workforce will be innovative, critical thinkers who are literate, numerate and healthy in mind and body. Early Childhood Ireland / November

2 2. Low quality pre-schooling does not have any beneficial effects on children (Melhuish, 2011) there are no returns on investment if quality in early childhood services is not maintained. This is not an option for Ireland. Early Childhood Ireland is strongly recommending that all children aged 3-5 years have two state funded preschool years to enhance well being, support resilience and strengthen foundations of language, literacy and numeracy. We want a sector where basic compliance with regulations and continuing access to child protection training is embedded in everyday practice, where every service is led by a graduate and where staff has access to continuing professional development as a core part of their work. Services should have support and guidance from Early Childhood Specialists who can build the capacity of provision and support the implementation of Aistear and Síolta which are the bedrock of a quality, consistent curriculum for this sector. Context of the pre-budget submission This pre-budget submission is made in the context of an early childhood care and education (ECCE) sector that has grown and formalised over the past two decades with policy guidance, government support and practitioners commitment. Significant investment in the sector has been made under the EOCP ( 449m) and NCIP funding ( 463m) and this submission puts forward strategies for building on these resources, providing returns in the form of a world class early childhood care and education sector. Through these funding streams a strong infrastructure has been built with the voluntary sector driving the quality agenda and a suite of policies are in place which will guide development. However, the current reality is that key policies have been launched without resources for implementation and the return on the 912million invested to date in the sector will rapidly diminish if this is not addressed. The fact is that Early Childhood Ireland members are facing a 13 million shortfall in 2012 (Early Childhood Ireland Annual Membership Survey, 2011) and are struggling to survive. The sector cannot sustain further cuts. There are enormous expectations and pressures on the sector and on each service, to be compliant and meet all requirements of the HSE Inspection process, to ensure high levels of child protection, to combat obesity, to establish healthy patterns of living, to raise levels of language, literacy and numeracy and to implement Aistear (The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework) and Síolta (The National Quality Framework) without any extra resources. This sector is vital to children, to families, to society and to the economy. It is struggling under the weight of expectations and what is realisable in a very difficult economic environment. Significant investment has been made to date and the foundations that are laid must be consolidated and built upon to ensure continuing value for money. Challenges facing the sector From our recent Annual Membership Survey (ECI, 2011), serious challenges facing the sector have become evident. These challenges threaten to undermine employment, quality and the significant investment made to date. They must be met and overcome to ensure that the sector is not only maintained but thrives so that children have the best possible start in life and that parents can take advantage of opportunities for work and training as they arise. The main challenges for the sector are: Early Childhood Ireland / November

3 Maintaining Sustainability ECI services highlight in a recent survey (ECI, 2011) a projected shortfall of income to costs in the region of 13m in the coming year. This will have detrimental effects in a sector where 75% of income is spent on salaries. Services are struggling under unfair levels and systems of rateable valuation which must be reviewed and aligned with HSE requirements. Attaining consistent levels of basic legislative compliance Information from the HSE suggests that only 4% of services have full compliance. Only quality ECCE provision has positive outcomes for children. Bringing services to a consistent minimum standard is a necessary precursor to quality provision. Meeting quality measures Services must have basic levels of compliance and a stable funding base to deliver a top quality experience for children. Two critical elements will support services in meeting quality measures: (a) all staff to have continuing engagement with professional development and (b) the availability of expert pedagogical support that will enable staff in services to deliver on Aistear and Síolta. Including children with Special Needs 7 out of every 10 ECI services report having children with additional needs (ECI, 2011). The lack of SNAs in the sector impacts on the child s right to take up their free preschool place and further marginalises these children and their families. Improving language, literacy and numeracy Many of our young children in primary school are struggling with literacy and numeracy. 1in 3 children in first class, living in areas of disadvantage have serious reading difficulties (Eivers, 2005) and Ireland ranks 32 nd out of 65 countries on the PISA Maths tests. Possibilities exist to strengthen literacy and numeracy in quality early childhood provision which will better position children to manage academically in formal education, to remain in school and to achieve qualifications. Minimising Levels of obesity Currently 1 in 10 children between 5-12 years of age in Ireland are classed as obese and according to Safefood, 1 in 4 children starting school are classed as overweight or obese. It is estimated that ECI services invested 50m in the past 12 months in refurbishment and development, of which 17% was spent on improving outdoor facilities. Greater emphasis on outdoor play through training staff, informing parents and investing in spaces and equipment will provide opportunities to positively impact on attitudes to exercise, play and nutrition. 1. Extend the ECCE scheme to 2 years for every child (3-5 years of age), targeting the more vulnerable children as a priority Returns for the 2011/2012 period indicate that 94% of services or 66,000 children are participating in the current ECCE scheme, which allows for 15 hours of education per week over 38 weeks for children in the year before entering primary school. ECI is seeking a second free preschool year for all children. An interim and stepped approach to providing a second year for all children would see a more targeted universal approach, with children who have additional needs and children from disadvantaged areas (DEIS Band 1) being prioritised. Extending the ECCE scheme for a second year would cost an additional 157m and the longitudinal rate of return will be in the order of 17:1 (as per the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program for every dollar invested seventeen dollars were saved [Schweinhart et al, 2005]). This effectively means that the 157m invested for the 66,000 children participating in the scheme in this year alone will return savings of 2,669m over the coming 35 years. Early Childhood Ireland / November

4 BENEFITS Better academic outcomes for children when they are in quality pre-school provision for longer than one year Longitudinal benefits for children are specifically associated with reading performance at age 15, where they attend pre-primary provision for longer than one year (OECD, 2011) An earlier start in pre-school leads to better intellectual outcomes for children (EPPE, 2004) and pre-schools with lower ratios provide greater opportunities to support children s learning and development. This is particularly true in the case of children with additional needs, children from minority groups and children in disadvantaged (DEIS) areas. Structures are in place for the administration of a second free preschool year and would therefore be cost neutral to implement. 2.Establish a minimum school starting age of 5 years This is a proposal already under consideration in the Department of Education and Skills. In Ireland 70% of children are in primary school before the age of 5 but on average only 16% of Europe s five year olds are in school, with the majority attending preschool, kindergartens or nursery school until six or seven years of age (Cambridge Primary Review, 2009). Early Childhood Ireland is advocating for a minimum school starting age of five years to ensure that young children are better equipped to manage socially, emotionally and cognitively in classrooms that have current ratios of 1:24, which are set to increase and where support staff (SNAs and Language Support Teachers) are being reduced. It is cost effective to maintain a child in a quality, graduate led service with ratios of 1:10. It costs Government 5,667 ($7,795) per pupil per year in primary school, which contrasts with 2,850 per child in pre-school per year. Significant savings would accrue to the exchequer in year 1 where children remained in pre-school for a second year. There may also be opportunities for further savings when teacher retirement (deadline of 29 th February 2012), as a result of Budget 2010, is considered. BENEFITS Irish evidence-based research, emerging from a joint exchequer/atlantic Philanthropies longitudinal programme indicates that a later school starting age improves children s social competence, language and cognitive development (Doyle and McNamara, 2011) Children from disadvantaged situations benefit significantly from good quality preschool experience (EPPE, 2004) Should amalgamation of small rural schools proceed as proposed in the Mc Carthy Report (with projected savings of 18m), a starting age of 5 years would maintain young children in their community for an additional year 3.Commit to a graduate leader in every pre-school service by 2020 A graduate led sector produces better outcomes for children. Pre-school provision in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland is led by graduates or teachers at degree level. New Zealand has planned and invested in achieving a minimum of 80% registered teachers in teacher-led, centre-based early childhood services by 2012 and Scotland has a requirement for teacher led services by December The UK has introduced Foundation Degrees and provided a workforce development fund to ensure current and future skills needs are met. Early Childhood Ireland / November

5 A graduate cohort can be built systematically in Ireland through the development of partnerships between academic institutions and other agencies (Dept. of Education and Skills [Hunt], 2011) and through investment in blended learning opportunities for existing staff and new entrants to the sector. To achieve a graduate leader in every preschool will require a greater flexibility from academic institutions in providing part time access to programmes and the development of Post Graduate Diplomas in Education. The Early Childhood Ireland Annual Membership Survey 2011 indicates that 86% of facilities have at least 1 staff member with FETAC Level 5. This percentage clearly indicates that the sector s need for training at FETAC Level 5 will significantly diminish in the coming year. Funding to date through FAS and the VEC sector has been primarily directed at those requiring Level 5 training and the weight of this demand no longer exists. The gap for training firmly exists at Levels 6, 7 and 8. This, we believe, is where future resources, marshalled from existing commitments to Solas and the VEC sector, must be targeted. The evidence is overwhelming that the graduate leader is the key to quality service delivery. The cost of supporting a graduate leader in every preschool service by 2020 will come through two routes: (a) a transformation fund drawing on resources from Solas for upskilling the existing workforce and (b) the European ICT research strands (FP7) which focuses on the development of the knowledge economy. BENEFITS There are better outcomes for children where a graduate heads up the ECCE service (EPPE, 2004). Where settings have staff with higher qualifications the services have better inspection results and their children make more progress. In addition the graduate led service typically has a higher quality learning environment. 4. Provide Early Childhood Specialists in every county The quality of pre-school services is improved through the provision of Early Childhood Specialists (ECS) who support quality in practice and who mentor managers and staff both on and off site. Under this proposal Early Childhood Specialists will support the implementation of Aistear and Siolta and will target language, literacy and numeracy, as well as promoting healthy living (activity and nutrition) and will be qualified to provide professional development for staff and services. Early Childhood Ireland currently operates a team of 11 ECS across the country. More are needed to impact on and improve the practice of the 4,369 services participating in Government schemes. To increase the number of Early Childhood Specialists, as determined on the basis of the numbers of services in each county/county council area, we are proposing the development of a national plan to harness existing resources. Early Childhood Ireland is advocating a collaboration with the 33 City and County Childcare Committees to develop and roll out a national plan which will draw on Early Childhood Specialists from Early Childhood Ireland and suitably qualified development workers (from the CCCs). Combining this expertise would ensure that resources, benefits and learning are maintained locally but there would be a consistent, proven approach to improving the quality of preschool provision rolled out nationally. In this way supporting quality early education would be prioritised to promote better outcomes for children, ameliorate poverty in the future and would be cost neutral. BENEFIT This action would result in a systematic approach to improving levels of compliance in the sector, supporting quality, implementing national policies (Aistear and Síolta) and lifting achievement in literacy and numeracy. Guided by Early Childhood Ireland / November

6 Early Childhood Ireland, suitably qualified development workers would be supported and provided with continuing professional development, allowing them to operate as Early Childhood Specialists but retaining the knowledge of the local landscape and feeding back into their respective agencies. This approach would require close working relationships between local, regional and national agencies, promoting collaboration and inter agency working. 5.Provide one CPD day per term for staff members in ECCE services Under the ECCE scheme, early childhood providers are contracted to deliver 183 days of service to children and families over a 38 week period. Linking theory to practice or using learning to improve practice is an ongoing challenge in the sector. Engagement with continuing professional development builds on accredited training and leads to better outcomes for children. Early Childhood Ireland is seeking one day per term (3 days per academic year) to be allocated to CPD for staff in ECCE services as an integral part of the scheme and as a quality measure. ECCE services would register (as part of their engagement with the scheme) to participate in CPD and confirmation of completing CPD days would be required as part of their returns at year end. Once committed to the scheme, ECCE services would be mandated to engage in CPD through their affiliated organisations. Early Childhood Ireland currently has 3,200 members providing services and we would envisage a strong role for on line resources and learning opportunities/programmes to support CPD in cost effective ways, at a local level. This action would be cost neutral to the Government as the requested CPD days are already front loaded in the capitation paid to providers and would impact significantly on the quality of service provision. BENEFITS Access to in-service professional development is core to the Workforce Development Plan (2010), required under Síolta and is recognised as vital to the implementation of Aistear. This is a key strategy in improving the quality of practice in services. Thematic approaches can be taken to CPD at a national level as identified though the new Joint Inspection Process, through the HSE Inspectorate and/or other developments. Over time specific areas of need or interest can be targeted and in this way CPD can meet the needs of the sector and can drive new national agendas. 6.Ensure sustainability of the sector through rates exemption for early childhood care and education services Rates are levied unequally and unfairly on ECCE services and are a serious threat to the sustainability of a sector that will inject 425million into the economy in In 2010 those services engaging in the ECCE scheme were led to understand that in order to qualify for rates exemptions, at least 51% of the service had to be provided through the ECCE pre-school year places and that the use of the term educational applied to all services participating in the scheme, as they had to have a curriculum. In 2011 there was a change in the application of rates across the country, which stated that the exemption applied only to those childcare services that are exclusively (100%) ECCE funded and did not offer any other service, as additional services are and were not considered educational. Early Childhood Ireland / November

7 Early Childhood Ireland is seeking rates exemption for early childhood services which are engaging in the ECCE scheme and are recognised as sites of education. However, we recognise that in a challenging economic climate a stepped approach may prove to be the way forward. The numbers of children each service can accommodate is capped by the Pre-School Regulations (2006) and the capitation fee paid by the Government cannot be supplemented by parental contributions thus in a free market environment the possibility of generating income is non-existent. There must be an equitable and standardised rate evaluation scale for all ECCE services, irrespective of their location. We are proposing that the rateable footage in each service be aligned with the space requirements outlined in and inspected through the Child Care (Pre-school Services) Regulations Exemption from rates would carry implications for local authorities. However, the stepped approach as proposed by Early Childhood Ireland would potentially yield income to the local authorities. At present local authorities are levying unmanageable levels of rates on childcare businesses (for example, charges up to 20,000 on some services in the Fingal area), which providers cannot pay. BENEFITS The benefit of a sector specific rates scale applied to the space allowable to each service under the Pre-School regulations would result in greater numbers of services being in a position to make payments to local authorities. Services want to comply with legislative requirements but cannot do so where there is gross inconsistency in the application of rates across the country. Conclusion This is a sector that has grown through significant investment and is poised to deliver greater benefits to young children and families nationwide. However, the sector is struggling in the current climate and further cuts cannot be sustained, particularly against the unstable backdrop of a projected 13 million shortfall in the sector in The role of this sector in providing quality early years education has an enormous impact on employment (of staff in the settings and of parents who use the service), on children s learning in the present and in the future (school readiness and achievement), on society (where investment in pre-school yields undeniable social benefits into adulthood) and on the economy (where knowledgeable and creative thinkers will be the currency of economic growth). There is ample proof from evidence based research that: At the age of 3 years 80% of brain development has occurred so early intervention is vital Good quality pre-school provision makes a significant positive difference to children s learning and development, particularly where the children come from disadvantaged situations Children have better outcomes where the pre-school leader is a graduate Being in quality pre-school provision for more than 1 year has a significant effect into adolescence and adulthood Sessional provision is as effective as full day provision for children s outcomes The benefits of attending high quality pre-school are long lasting Investment in quality pre-school provision makes a return of 17:1 Access to continuing professional development improves the quality of practice Low quality pre-school provision has no beneficial effects for children and produces no return on investment Early Childhood Ireland / November

8 To date 912million has been invested in early childhood care and education in Ireland through Budget 2012 we ve got to make it count! By taking the 6 essential steps outlined in this submission, our commitments to the implementation of Irish policies and the Europe 2020 Strategy will be advanced. Investment made to date in the sector will be protected and consolidated. Services will remain sustainable and the quality of provision will be improved. Children will be more competent as readers and writers; they will be healthier, fitter and more able to make the transition to primary school, secondary school, third level and into then into the jobs market. Now is the time to take action. Bibliography Children in Scotland (2011) Early Childhood Education and Care: Developing a fully integrated early years system. Special Report (No. 2: September 2011). Department of Education and Skills (2011) Literacy and Numeracy for learning and Life. Dublin: DES Department of Education and Skills (2010) A Workforce Development Plan for the Early Childhood Care and Education Sector in Ireland. Dublin: DES Department of Education and Skills (2011) National Strategy for Higher Education to Dublin: Dept.Of Education and Skills. Department of Education and Skills (2009) Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes Evaluation Paper Part 1. Doyle, O. and McNamara, K. (2011) Report on Children s Profile at School Entry Dublin: UCD Geary Institute WP2011/08. Early Childhood Ireland (2011) Annual Membership Survey. Dublin: ECI. Eivers, E., Shiel, G., Perkins, R. and Cosgrove, J. (2005) Succeeding in Reading? Reading standards in Irish primary schools. Dublin: DES. Eivers, E., Shiel, G. and Shortt, F. (2005) Literacy in Disadvantaged Primary Schools. Problems and Solutions. Dublin: Educational Research Centre. End Child Poverty Coalition (2011) Child Poverty: Ireland in Recession. Dublin: End Child Poverty Coalition. European Commission (2011) Early Childhood Education and Care: Providing all our children with the best start for the world of tomorrow. Brussels, COM (2011) 66 Final. European Commission (2010) Europe A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Brussels, COM (2010) Government of Ireland (2011) Towards Recovery: Programme for a National Government Heckman, J., Moon S., Pinto, R., Savelyev, P. and Yavitz, A. (2010) The Rate of return to the HighScope Perry Preschool Program. Journal of Public Economics 94(2010) McCarthy, C. (2009) Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes Volume II: Detailed Papers. Dublin: Government Publications. Mulhuish, E. (2004) A Literature Review of the Impact of Early Years Provision on Young Children. London: National Audit Office Melhuish, E.C., (2011) Preschool Matters. Science, 333, NESF (2005) Early Childhood Care and Education. Dublin: NESF. OECD (2011) Doing Better for Families OECD (2011) Education at a Glance 2011: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing. OECD (2009) Doing Better for Children Robin, A. (2009) Children, Their World, Their Education: Final Report and Recommendations of The Cambridge Primary Review. London: Routledge. Schweinhart, L., Montie, J., Xiang, X, Barnett, W., Belfield, C., Nores, M. (2005) Lifetime Effects: The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 40. High/Scope Press, Ypsilanti, MI. Sylva, K., et al (2004) The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education [EPPE] Project. London: DfES. Early Childhood Ireland / November