How To Teach Chidhood

Transcription

1 READY TO LEARN White Paper on Eary Chidhood Education Pn a6.35

2 Government of Ireand 1999 ISBN X Designed by Metaphor Printed by Cahi Printers Ltd. Dubin Pubished by The Stationery Office To be purchased directy from the Government Pubications Saes Office Sun Aiance House Moesworth Street Dubin 2 or by mai order from Government Pubications Posta Trade Section 4-5 Harcourt Road Dubin 2 (Te: ; Fax: ) or through any bookseer

3 CONTENTS 1 Context What is Eary Chidhood Education? Poicy Debate on Chidcare in Ireand Why a White Paper? Why do we need Eary Chidhood Education? Objective Outine of the Remainder of the White Paper 16 2 Existing Provision Department of Education and Science Eary Chidhood Programmes of other Departments Non-Governmenta Provision Anaysis of the existing Irish System Provision for Eary Chidhood Education in seected Countries Internationa Trends 36 3 Guiding Principes The Core Objective Strategy to achieve the Objective Quaity Buiding on existing Provision and Structures Maximising Effective Impementation The Disadvantaged and Chidren with Specia Needs Criteria for Provision 46 4 Issues of Quaity Definition of Quaity The Quaity in Education (QE) Mark Curricuum and Methodoogy Quaifications and Training Inputs Research, Deveopment and Dissemination 61 5 Intervention Mode Overview Framework for Provision 65

4 5.3 Buiding on Existing State-funded Provision Direct State Intervention Faciitating Quaity Eary Education for a Chidren aged 3 to 4 cared for in the Home Chidren under 3 Years Research Strand Impementation 70 6 Eary Chidhood Education in Primary Schoos Existing Provision Curricuum and Methodoogy Quaifications and Training Inputs 77 7 Chidren with Specia Needs Definition of Chidren with Specia Educationa Needs Rationae for Eary Education for Chidren with Specia Needs Identification and Assessment Existing Provision for Chidren aged 4 to 5 Years with Specia Needs in the Schoo System Provision for Chidren with Specia Needs under 4 Years of Age Deveoping a Poicy for Eary Specia Needs Education Eements of an Eary Intervention for Chidren with Specia Needs Structura Matters 92 8 Chidren who are Disadvantaged Definition Importance of Eary Chidhood Education Existing Provision for Disadvantaged Young Chidren Schoo-based Interventions Provision for Chidren Aged 3-4 Outside Primary Schoo Chidren under Traveer Chidren Research and Deveopment Other Matters The Centra Roe of Parents Why shoud Parents be invoved in Eary Chidhood Education? 111

5 9.2 Factors which inhibit Parenta Invovement Strategies to enhance Parenta Invovement Inspection and Evauation Inspection Evauation Structures Structura Chaenges Meeting the Chaenge Roe of the Department of Education and Science The Eary Chidhood Education Agency (ECEA) Coordination Structures Impementation Next Steps 135

6 FOREWORD Micheá Martin, TD. Minister for Education and Science. High-quaity eary education can make the crucia difference in heping each chid deveop to their fu potentia. In recognition of this, the Government incuded a cear commitment to eary chidhood education in its Action Programme for the Miennium. Quaity of provision is the key theme of the White Paper. Its aim is to support the deveopment and educationa achievement of chidren through high quaity eary education, with a particuar focus on the disadvantaged and chidren with specia needs. The Paper sets out a comprehensive strategy to raise and maintain standards in respect of professiona competencies, curricuum and methodoogies. It seeks to support providers by providing expert advice and support, access to the very atest research findings on chidren s deveopment and education and a range of tangibe supports such as curricuum guideines and subsidies to promote avaiabiity of suitabe premises in our primary schoos for eary chidhood education providers. The White Paper focuses on chidren from birth to six years. It covers the whoe spectrum of educationa needs: the deveopment of very young chidren in the home, supports to parents concerning how best to hep their chidren to earn, a wide range of supports for private providers and vountary/community groups and a strategy to enhance the quaity of infant education in primary schoos. The vita roe of parents in their chidren s education is recognised and as a fundamenta principe, the State seeks to support and strengthen, but not to suppant this roe. Specific additiona measures are aso set out in respect of the priority target groups the disadvantaged and chidren with specia needs. In formuating and deveoping the proposas, particuar attention was paid to the need to buid on existing provision. We must take what is best in existing provision, both nationay and internationay, and incorporate it into our eary chidhood education system. The Paper recognises the need for coordination of the range of State services for young chidren and acknowedges that consutation wi be crucia to ensure a consistent and effective approach. Impementation of the White Paper proposas wi ensure that quaity becomes and remains the hamark of eary chidhood education. Its pubication marks a miestone in this regard, but does not represent the end of the process. Change cannot occur overnight and a panned, phased approach wi be necessary. Progress wi be achieved

7 in consutation and partnership with a the interests invoved and channes for this partnership approach are outined in the Paper. An intensive process of consutation, the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education, preceded the deveopment of the White Paper. The White Paper has been informed by the Report on the Forum and by extensive research.

8 1 CONTEXT This chapter outines the context within which the White Paper has deveoped. It summarises the recent poicy debate on chidcare in Ireand and sets out the rationae for the White Paper and for an increased focus on eary chidhood education. 1.1 What is Eary Chidhood Education? The purpose of this White Paper is to set out Government poicy on a issues reating to eary chidhood education. An essentia starting point is to define what we mean by eary chidhood education. The Department of Education and Science s mission is to support the deveopment of a high quaity education system which wi enabe individuas to deveop to their fu potentia as persons and to participate fuy as citizens in Ireand s socia and economic deveopment. For many years, it was considered that education began when chidren went to schoo and ended when students eft the forma education system at the end of first,

9 second or third eve. There is growing recognition of the importance of ifeong earning and the idea that chidren earn from the eariest moment and continue to earn throughout their ives. Education is concerned with a the phases of ife, incuding the very eary chidhood phase. At the same time we must recognise that young chidren have needs for both education and care and that the focus can never be excusivey on either. For very young chidren, their education and care needs are cosey intertwined, and must be met in a unified way. The Report of the Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Chidcare acknowedges this, noting that Care and education are inextricaby inked eements in a chid s hoistic deveopment this reaity must be refected in the ethos and programme of a services. 1 Depending on chidren s eve of deveopment and circumstances, their care and education needs may be met in a variety of ways. In certain situations, for exampe in the home, education and care may be provided simutaneousy in a seamess fashion, with chidren exposed to a variety of stimui and experiences which enhance their deveopment, knowedge, disposition and readiness to earn. The nature of provision in externa settings wi vary across a spectrum from a primariy care-orientated environment to the provision of a substantia component of eary chidhood education. The ocation of a provider on this spectrum wi depend on the aims, objectives and duration of provision, the deveopmenta ages of the chidren invoved and the skis and competences of staff. Eary chidhood services provided to chidren wi usuay encompass both care and education, with the distinction between the two increasingy burred as the age of the chidren decreases. Forma education, generay speaking, tends to become more important for oder chidren. This White Paper sets out Government poicy on education for young chidren. It is concerned chiefy with the formuation of poicy concerning the education component of eary education services, whatever the context, whie, at the same time, taking account of the care needs of chidren when panning education provision in a variety of contexts. Keaghan issues a warning on this issue: First of a, there is the need to consider the baance between educationa and chid-care provision. It is perhaps unfortunate that chid-care and educationa programmes have grown independenty of each other and that communication between the two traditions has been rather imited since, viewed from the chid s point of view, it is unikey that either type of programme on its own can fuy meet the needs of the chid. 2 Accordingy, whie the focus of the White Paper is on education, one of its key underying principes is that, for young chidren, education and care shoud not be separated, but shoud be provided in a compementary, seamess fashion.

10 It is aso necessary to define the age group covered by eary chidhood education. Athough the choice of any age group may, to an extent, be seen as arbitrary, some parameter must be set to carify the scope of this Paper. In ine with nationa and internationa thinking, therefore, eary chidhood wi be taken to mean chidren who have not yet reached their sixth birthday. 3 Six years of age aso corresponds to the statutory schoo starting age as set out in the Education (Wefare) Bi, Athough the age range is very short, internationa research and practice, as we as practica considerations, suggest that different poicies appy to chidren under the age of 3 years and chidren aged between 3 and 6 years. Care is the dominant requirement of chidren aged ess than 3 years and, because education is a more significant need of oder chidren, the principa, though not excusive, poicy focus of this White Paper is on chidren aged between 3 and 6 years. More than haf of 4 year ods and amost a 5 year ods benefit from an estabished system of eary chidhood education provided by State-funded primary schoos. The White Paper focuses (in particuar in chapter 6) on improving the quaity of such provision. However, most of the poicy initiatives set out in the Paper wi seek to deveop and raise standards in the pre-schoo sector. In particuar, proposas wi focus on meeting the deveopmenta needs of chidren aged 3 to 4. Neither sector, though, can be treated in isoation and the need for greater continuity and inks between the pre-schoo and primary schoo systems wi aso be addressed. Eary chidhood education is very important for chidren aged 3 and under, given the ongstanding research evidence that the pace of deveopment is most rapid in the eariest years. However, The rationae for eary chidhood education for chidren under 2 years of age is not as we estabished as that for 3-, 4-, 5-year od chidren. 5 This difference in need wi be refected in the differing nature of the interventions and supports recommended for this age group. 1.2 Poicy Debate on Chidcare in Ireand The inextricabe inkage between education and care means that eary education comprises just one eement in an a-encompassing poicy concerning the rights and needs of young chidren. A number of factors has combined to bring eary chidhood issues to the top of the poicy agenda in recent years. Firsty, there is growing recognition of the benefits for a chidren of good quaity eary chidhood education. Secondy, the importance of eary education in addressing socio-economic disadvantage and the contribution of education to economic deveopment have given

11 rise to demands for improved eary education for a chidren. Thirdy, the needs of empoyers for increased numbers of workers, as we as increased participation in the abour force, have simutaneousy increased the demand for and reduced the suppy of chidcare paces. As a resut of the increased focus on eary chidhood issues, these issues have been considered in a number of fora. One of these was the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education, a week-ong consutation process which took pace as part of the process of preparing this White Paper. The aim of the Forum was to provide an opportunity for a interested groups to engage in a fu exchange of views, to put forward their own particuar concerns and objectives whie, at the same time, taking account of the objectives and concerns of the other partners in the process. 6 Other recent studies deaing with eary chidhood issues were the report of the Commission on the Famiy 7 and the Report of the Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Chidcare. The deveopment of eary years poicy wi continue with the preparation of a coordinated nationa chidren s strategy, work on which has recenty commenced. The concusions and recommendations of the various groups which have reported to date are considered as part of chapter 2 and inform this White Paper as a whoe. Whie the Paper wi focus on the education aspects of care and education for chidren under 6 years, the poicy proposas made herein wi obviousy feed into the wider debate and poicy formuation process. In particuar, in ine with the discussion in the previous section about the importance of a seamess provision of education and care, the White Paper wi set out the poicy for eary education in the context of an integrated provision of eary education and care. It shoud, however, be emphasised that eary education is important in its own right. As wi be outined ater in this chapter, experience of eary chidhood education is a key factor in a chid s capacity to earn and in determining a chid s ife chances. In this connection, it has been noted: Educationa research stresses the importance of the preschoo period for a chid s ater educationa deveopment and performance. This suggests that a poicy of extending pre-primary provision, especiay to chidren from disadvantaged backgrounds, woud probaby yied high private and socia returns. However, it woud be important to emphasise education in any such strategy as opposed to one of simpy extending chidcare Why a White Paper? The Government is committed to deveoping a nationa poicy framework for eary chidhood education and the Programme for Government incudes a specific commitment to The provision of a specific budget for pre-schoo education. 9 The

12 pubication of this White Paper is a core part of the fufiment of this commitment and seeks to point the way forward for the future deveopment of the sector. Addressing the Nationa Forum on Eary Chidhood Education, the Minister noted that it is cear that over the years the pubic poicy response to this has been inadequate and piecemea. Recognition of this was centra to the Government s decision to pace this issue on the poitica agenda. 10 This White Paper seeks to address this deficiency by deveoping an overarching poicy framework which wi buid on existing provision and improve the extent and quaity of service provided. The State s roe in this regard is centra. In most countries, the provision of services for chidren under 3 years and providing care and recreation for schoo-age chidren depend on oca authorities and private organisations. What these high growth deveopments mosty have in common has been the roe payed by nationa governments or egisatures in stimuating growth. 11 Apart from primary schoo provision for infants, the Department of Education and Science s invovement to date in eary chidhood education, has focussed principay on piot interventions for chidren who are disadvantaged or have specia needs. Traditionay the focus in education has been on schoos and third eve institutions, but in recent years there has been a shift in emphasis towards a continuum of ifeong earning. In ine with this, the education system is being broadened at a number of eves; for exampe, adut earners are becoming more and more part of the mainstream education system. The need to broaden the coverage of the education system at the ower age range was highighted in the Background Paper to the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education. The concentration of poicy in deveoped countries, over a sequence of past generations has meant that the age range of 6 to 22 has been the predominant beneficiary of investment in educationa provision. As society pans for a new future, this is no onger regarded as an adequate or satisfactory response in the ight of greaty changed socia conditions. As we as deveopments in adut and community education, much new thinking has been taking pace regarding eary chidhood education which emphasises its vita importance, in contemporary circumstances, for individuas, famiies and society. 12 Accordingy, just as adut education poicy wi shorty be set out in its own White Paper, this White Paper sets out Government poicy for eary chidhood education. 1.4 Why do we need Eary Chidhood Education? This section assesses the vaue of eary education under a number of headings, incuding its importance in preparing chidren for the chaenges of forma primary education, onger-term returns to the individua in terms of ife chances and earning

13 power, and the broader returns to society which fow from investment in the area. It aso highights the crucia importance of quaity of provision. Enhancing Disposition and Readiness to Learn Most chidren enter the primary schoo system we-equipped to earn and to cope with the transition to forma education. However, for various reasons, some chidren have probems coping with this transition. Such chidren do not have a soid foundation upon which to accumuate knowedge and buid their education. Without this initia foundation, the gap between these chidren and their peers tends to widen over time, and this creates the need for subsequent intervention to narrow the gap. This intervention is consideraby ess costeffective than preventive action prior to entry to the education system: Prevention of educationa faiure and socia excusion beginning at the pre-primary eve is ess expensive and more effective in soving a wide range of socia probems than treatment after probems have emerged. 13 Studies have shown that quaity eary education can have a significant impact on chidren s capacity to cope with the transition to forma schooing and to deveop a capacity to earn. Large-scae studies undertaken in the UK in the eary 1990s showed that, at the age of 7, chidren who had experienced pre-schoo out-performed their peers in severa subject areas. 14 Eary intervention is aso seen as vita in preventing reading difficuties ater in ife: Research provides ampe evidence of the importance of cutivating cognitive, anguage and socia deveopment during chidren s eary years it (is) critica that the preschoo opportunities be designed in ways that fuy support anguage and iteracy deveopment. 15 In Ireand, significant improvements in attainment at pre-schoo eve were recorded in an evauation of the Rutand Street project. Some studies have indicated that the IQ gain in attainment as a resut of pre-schoo education may be transitory. 16 Research has shown that the attainment differentia was ost foowing the transfer to primary schoo. 17 The use of IQ in assessing the vaue of pre-schoo intervention, however, takes a narrow, short-term view of the educationa benefits for individuas of eary chidhood education. Longer-term improvements in academic achievement have been identified in various studies, with improved retention rates, higher participation in third eve and ower rates of grade repetition recorded among the benefits. Evauation of intervention programmes in the USA showed that academic performance gains were recorded even after the initia IQ differentias had faded. 18 Simiar concusions have been drawn in Ireand in respect of the Rutand Street project. Foow-up evauation has shown that participants stayed onger at schoo and were more ikey to take a pubic examination than were non-participants from the same area. 19

14 An in-depth review of evauations of nine American programmes concudes that Athough the IQ effects produced by eary intervention programs may be short-ived, there appear to be strong and onger-asting benefits in terms of educationa outcomes, such as academic achievement and other aspects of schoo performance the gains in academic success may be stronger the onger the duration of the intervention program. 20 In the same vein, an OECD review of internationa research notes that findings suggest that participants in a quaity ECEC environment are ikey to deveop reasoning and probem-soving skis, to be more co-operative and considerate of others and to deveop greater sef-esteem. Even if their IQ advantage fades, many of these positive effects may inger and contribute to chidren s positive cassroom earning behaviour, motivation and academic achievement. Eary earning experiences may hep ease chidren s transitions through compusory schooing, eading to ong-term schoo success. 21 Returns to the Individua on Investment Limited ong-term foow-up of pre-schoo participants means that findings are ess extensive concerning the impact of eary chidhood education on empoyment patterns and earning power. However, there are indications that participants in quaity pre-schoo education achieve ong-term returns to the individua. Summarising the research iterature, O Faherty notes that the most rigorous studies showed that high-quaity eary education eads to asting cognitive and socia benefits which persist throughout adoescence and aduthood. 22 These benefits incude increased probabiity of competing high schoo and of securing empoyment. Benefits to Parents Parents may benefit from invovement in eary chidhood education through improved sefconfidence and better reationships with their chidren. Opportunities for further education and career deveopment wi aso arise. Socia Returns on Investment Significant benefits to society as a whoe accrue to investment in education. Research has shown that the rate of return is greatest at ower eves of education. 23 Returns may be in the form of increased economic growth: better educated workers yied higher productivity. Indeed, in a review of the Irish situation, the ESRI identified an increase in human capita as one of five medium-to-ong term factors which have made a considerabe contribution to the growth of the economy. 24 Simiary, the OECD noted that the growth in human capita is estimated to have contributed 0.8 percentage points to the average growth rate of Ireand between 1960 and Socia returns may aso accrue in the form of measurabe savings on Government expenditure. In particuar, improved eves of education ead to reductions in costs

15 associated with unempoyment, crime and heathcare. A recent anaysis compared the costs of two American pre-schoo interventions with the savings accruing to the Government. 26 Extensive ong-term evauations of both projects had been carried out, incuding assessments of their impact on juvenie crime rates, heath care and wefare. 27 Cost-savings anaysis showed that both projects generate more than enough savings to offset program costs. Anayses of costs versus savings to Government are more easiy quantifiabe and receive attention because the Government is ikey to be the principa source of funding for the reevant interventions. However, This is not to say that programs for which the measured costs are greater than the measured savings shoud not be funded by the government. Eary chidhood intervention programs might be deemed worthy even if their costs exceed their savings to government, because not a their benefits can be monetized. For this reason, measured net savings to the government shoud not be the soe basis for deciding whether to fund a program or which of a set of competing programs to fund. However, positive net savings shoud hep aay the concerns of those troubed by the potentia budgetary burden of government-funded eary intervention. 28 When wider benefits are added in to the equation, the scaes tip even more in favour of eary intervention. However, the benefits may be widey dispersed and difficut to quantify. For exampe, a reduction in crime rates attributabe to intervention wi ead, not ony to measurabe benefits to the State (custodia, security and administrative savings), but aso to ess pain, suffering and property oss by victims. It is difficut to monetize the benefits of improved behaviour or IQ (we cannot) determine the monetary vaue to society of greater academic achievement (or) for many of the heath benefits reaized. 29 Despite these difficuties, some estimates are possibe. Cost-benefit anaysis of the Perry programme is cited by (among others) the Nationa Forum Report: the ratio benefit-tocost of a we-run eary education programme can be high - in the case of the Perry Preschoo Programme, seven to one in terms of educationa and socia expenditure savings. 30 Benefits are greater for Disadvantaged Chidren Research suggests that the benefits of eary chidhood education are more significant for chidren who are disadvantaged. This issue is discussed in detai in chapter 8. Quaity Matters A eary chidhood services must encompass, not ony chidcare, but aso education. Put simpy, care without education cannot succeed in promoting educationa objectives. Moreover, the benefits of eary chidhood education accrue ony where interventions are of sufficienty high quaity. Researchers consistenty preface findings on the benefits of eary

16 chidhood education with the word quaity, and a forthcoming OECD review of the area notes that studies uniformy show that the quaity of provision has an important impact on chidren s deveopment and that benefits are more marked and ess ikey to fade out in we-designed forms of eary chidhood education and care. 31 Moreover, eary chidhood services, if they are to tacke the probems of educationa disadvantage, must encompass quaity. Simiary, the evauation of the Eary Start piot project (chapter 8) shows that investment of resources aone is not sufficient to guarantee effectiveness. 32 Carefu panning and review is required to ensure that quaity is maintained and rea benefits for participants achieved. The essons earned from the Eary Start piot project have been used to inform the poicy proposas in this White Paper. Intervention Must Be Eary The eary years of ife are centra to a chid s education and deveopment. As far back as 1964, it was noted that 50% of menta deveopment takes pace in the first four years of a chid s ife. 33 In more recent years, significant advances have been made in the fied of brain research and neuroogists have determined that 90% of brain growth occurs by age Research indicates that brain growth resuts from changes in ce size and maturity and from changes to the connections among brain ces. These changes are infuenced by environmenta factors and everyday experiences: The more areas of the brain which are stimuated and used, the more neurona pathways and networks are estabished. 35 The nature of the opportunities and the supports provided for a chid s deveopment during the formative period, and the quaity of the educationa experiences over this period, can have a far-reaching effect on the individua s ong-term deveopment and prospects: Experiences may ater the behaviour of an adut, but experience iteray forms the mind of a young chid. 36 Most chidren wi benefit from a supportive and caring home environment and, during these vita eary years, wi receive sufficient stimuation to foster rapid brain deveopment. However, chidren are aso vunerabe in the eary years: the eary years constitute a period of both opportunity and vunerabiity. 37 Without adequate eves of care and support, without exposure to everyday experiences and stimuation, a chid s deveopment may be damaged: once the critica period (0-4 years) is past, that system of the brain wi never be abe to deveop or function normay. 38 This concern was echoed at the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education. In the eary years of ife, brain maturation and neuroogica deveopment proceed at a pace never equaed at ater stages of deveopment As chidhood comes but once in a ifetime, these years are irrepaceabe and the opportunities they provide for the satisfactory ife of the chid shoud not be missed. 39

17 It is cear, therefore, that quaity education intervention is vita at a very eary age, particuary for those who are disadvantaged. Supporting Parents The most important educators and carers during a chid s first years are the parents. In recent years, however, parents have increasingy sought to have their chidren cared for and educated outside of the home from a very young age, and this must be acknowedged in Government poicy for the area. The aim of this White Paper is to support parents roe in their chidren s care and education, not to suppant it. This is not merey a egaistic acknowedgement of the parents constitutiona roe as the primary educators of the chid, but a recognition of the fact that parents are best paced to choose the most appropriate form of care and education for their chidren. At a times, the aim wi be to maximise parenta invovement and choice. Chapter 9 sets out the strategy to achieve this aim. This wi incude invoving parents in the consutation and partnership process and in the deveopment of curricua and standards. Support wi be provided for the estabishment of a representative organisation for parents of young chidren. Parents wi aso be incuded on the expert advisory group (chapter 11) and wi be invoved in the decision-making process where the State funds direct provision. In addition, proposas wi seek to improve the quaity of the information avaiabe, to provide curricuum and materias for use by parents, and to support educationa and training courses. Internationa Experience The importance of eary chidhood education is aso iustrated by the growth in provision and support for the service internationay. Ireand s entry into this arena has been comparativey ate, as noted by an EU Commission Network: In most countries, pre-primary schooing or kindergarten provision for chidren aged 3-6 years is aready high, so that there is ess scope (than in the case of the under 3 s) for deveopment. An important exception was the introduction of pre-primary education in Ireand 40 In Ireand s case, of course, participation in forma education at age 4 and 5 compares very we with the rates in other member states. Concusion There is compeing evidence of a wide range of benefits generated by quaity eary intervention programmes. The benefits which high-quaity eary education interventions offer to chidren constitute the principa argument in favour of deveoping the eary chidhood education area, and the poicy as set out in this White Paper wi refect that position. These incude initia gains in IQ, enhanced capacity to earn, onger-term improvements in educationa performance, private returns to individuas (both financia and deveopmenta), economic returns and wider benefits to society. Socia and economic

18 returns are additiona important benefits which the State must, as guardian of the common good, take into account when considering the extent to which it shoud become invoved in the process. However, not a eary chidhood education programmes yied benefits and care is required in designing and impementing an eary education intervention. The programme must be high quaity, focus on achieving a baance between short-term and ong-term gains and take account of the circumstances of chidren who are educationay disadvantaged, incuding chidren with a disabiity. An effective strategy must aso support parents in the home as first educators of a chid. 1.5 Objective The principa objective of Government poicy in regard to eary chidhood education is: to support the deveopment and educationa achievement of chidren through high quaity eary education, with particuar focus on the target groups of the disadvantaged and those with specia needs. The objective wi be achieved through a strategy of faciitating and supporting the provision of quaity eary chidhood education for a chidren. Eary chidhood education shoud be chid-centred, providing chidren with the opportunity to enhance a aspects of their deveopment. In this regard, the White Paper seeks to take account of Artice 29 1(a) of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Chid. The Artice notes that the education of the chid sha be directed to: (a) The deveopment of the chid s personaity, taents and menta and physica abiities to their fuest potentia. Eary chidhood education wi engender in chidren a disposition and state of readiness to earn in both forma and non-forma settings. Disposition to earn invoves the deveopment of socia skis and behaviour patterns in young chidren which wi faciitate their integration into a forma education environment. This wi ensure that chidren wi adjust we to the transition to the primary schoo system and cuture and have the capacity and motivation to master new skis and chaenges. Readiness to earn reates to the fact that chidren who begin schooing with soid foundations in pace wi be better paced to deveop to their potentia. It invoves many aspects incuding heath, socia and emotiona deveopment, anguage use and genera knowedge. It is an essentia part of the idea that, though not necessariy

19 invoving forma education, the eary years represent a vita part of a ife-ong invovement in earning. It is important to stress that the two concepts disposition to earn and readiness to earn are not mutuay excusive and both are vita to the chid. The deveopment of poicy for eary chidhood education, as outined in this White Paper, is underpinned by a number of guiding principes, of which the foowing are particuary important: Quaity must underpin a aspects of eary education provision. The State wi seek to buid on existing provision and to use the existing reguatory framework, where possibe. Impementation wi be undertaken on a gradua, phased basis, to aow a the participants in the system to prepare adequatey for the chaenges which ie ahead. Progress wi be achieved through a process of consutation, diaogue and partnership with parents, providers and interested parties. Consutation and partnership are fundamenta to progress in the education fied. In the eary chidhood education arena, the Nationa Forum has aready provided an opportunity for the various stakehoders and interested parties to exchange views and ideas and to make recommendations as to the deveopment of future poicy. This White Paper draws on the views expressed at the Forum and in the Secretariat s report and on other reports and research in genera. Consutation and partnership wi continue to be centra to the deveopment of the area. 1.6 Outine of the Remainder of the White Paper The intention in this White Paper is to buid on existing provision and chapter 2 outines the wide range of existing providers of eary chidhood education. The chapter evauates the strengths and weaknesses of the present system, assesses provision in other deveoped countries and isoates common trends in eary chidhood education poicy. The focus in chapter 3 is on the objective and broad principes of the White Paper.

20 Quaity of provision is crucia to the attainment of asting benefits. There is itte point in using chidcare as a mechanism for tacking disadvantage if it does not address the educationa and deveopmenta needs of chidren. Chapter 4 gives an overview of some of the factors which affect quaity of provision and deas with the concept of the Quaity in Education (QE) mark. The QE mark wi be awarded to providers of eary education who meet standards set by the Department concerning quaifications, training, earning objectives, methodoogies and curricuum. The proposed mode for State invovement in the eary chidhood education sector is outined in chapters 5 through 8. Chapter 5 sets out the proposed mode for State intervention concerning chidren aged 4 and under who do not attend primary schoo. The main component of State invovement is faciitating provision and promoting quaity. Provision wi be encouraged by offering incentives to schoos, and aso through a broader Government strategy to increase suppy of chidcare paces. Quaity wi be enhanced through a combination of support, encouragement and reguation. The State wi aso be invoved in direct provision for a number of key target groups of chidren. Finay, the chapter wi consider the eary education needs of chidren and parents in the home. An extensive State-funded system of primary education is aready avaiabe for chidren aged 4 to 6 and it is not proposed to put in pace a parae pre-schoo system for this age-group. Instead, chapter 6 outines proposas to improve the quaity of provision for infants casses. Chapter 7 outines proposas concerning eary chidhood education for chidren with specia needs. Chapter 8 considers provision for chidren who are disadvantaged. As aready noted, parents pay a centra roe in their chidren s eary education and proposas to support parenta invovement in eary chidhood education are outined in chapter 9. Inspection wi be vita to hep providers to attain high standards and to ensure that these standards are maintained subsequenty. Evauation wi be required at various eves to determine and improve the effectiveness of State intervention. The mechanisms proposed for inspection and evauation are outined in chapter 10. Finay, chapter 11 considers the structures which wi be required to faciitate effective coordination of provision, reguation and improvements in quaity. The chapter considers how coordination may be faciitated at nationa eve. It aso sets out

21 the roes and responsibiities of the Department of Education and Science and outines a strategy to assign a executive functions in the eary chidhood education area to a new executive agency.

22 2 EXISTING PROVISION This chapter first summarises the main eary education services provided in Ireand and discusses some aspects of the current system. The intention in the first haf of the chapter is to highight and buid on strengths and to identify weaknesses and gaps in the Irish system with a view to ensuring that these are addressed in the new framework. The chapter goes on to consider deveopments in four countries France, New Zeaand, Norway and the United Kingdom and identifies some common internationa trends.

23 2.1 Department of Education and Science The main channe of State support for eary chidhood education is found in the nationa schoo system. Athough a chid is not required by aw to attend schoo unti s/he has reached her/his sixth birthday, virtuay a 5 year ods and more than haf (52%) of 4 year ods attend primary schoos. 1 The participation rate among 4 year od girs is four to five percentage points greater than that for boys. 2 Provision in nationa schoos for chidren aged 4 and 5 is an integra part of the reguar schoo system. The Primary Education Review Body acknowedged this, noting that since chidren are entited to enter schoo in Ireand from the age of four years, much of what is considered pre-schooing in other countries is aready incorporated in the primary schoo system. 3 Chidren in infants casses foow a prescribed curricuum (a revised curricuum is being introduced on a phased basis into schoos starting in September 1999) and are taught by fuy-trained nationa schoo teachers. State provision for younger chidren is significanty ess deveoped. Just over one per cent of 3 year ods were cassified as in fu-time education on 1 January 1998, and the majority (64%) of these were enroed in private (non-state-funded) primary schoos, with the rest spit between ordinary casses and specia schoos or casses. 4 The Department aso operates a range of other programmes which a have particuar focus on eary education: the Eary Start Pre-schoo piot programme, pre-schoo provision for traveers and for chidren with disabiities, and the Breaking the Cyce piot project. However, its first invovement in the pre-schoo area the Rutand Street Project commenced 30 years ago. These programmes are outined in chapters 7 and 8 which dea with specia needs and disadvantage, respectivey. 2.2 Eary Chidhood Programmes of other Departments This section outines briefy the roes of some of the other Government Departments - Heath and Chidren, Justice, Equaity and Law Reform and Socia, Community and Famiy Affairs - in the eary chidhood area. Department of Heath and Chidren Traditionay, the Department s focus was on chidren considered to be at risk. In this connection, it provides grants, via the Heath Boards, to assist with the costs of nurseries and other day care services (many run by vountary groups) catering for such chidren. These services generay invove some eary education provision. The

24 Department s roe was broadened by the Chid Care Act, The Act paces a statutory duty on Heath Boards to secure the wefare of chidren and to promote the deveopment of chidren attending pre-schoo services. 5 In December 1996 the Chid Care (Pre-schoo Services) Reguations were introduced under section 50 of the Act. These reguations require that organisations or persons providing a pre-schoo service to four or more chidren (there are some exceptions) must notify the oca Heath Board of their activities. The reguations set down minimum standards (expained in detai in accompanying guideines) in reation to adequate space and staffing, record keeping, first aid and safety procedures, equipment and materias and insurance which providers must meet. Officias from the Heath Boards carry out inspections to ensure compiance with these standards. Under the existing system, there are no minimum standards prescribed concerning the educationa component of services or the training and quaifications of staff. The Report of the Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Chidcare recommends that the chidcare sector shoud aim to achieve the European Commission Network on Chidcare target of a minimum of 60% of staff working directy with chidren in coective services shoud have training of at east three years which incorporates the theory and practice of pedagogy. 6 The report aso sets out recommended roes for various staff in the chidcare sector. The roe suggested for chidcare worker incudes reference to activities to provide for chidren s physica, emotiona, socia and cognitive deveopment. 7 There is growing support for an increased focus on the deveopmenta and educationa aspects of chidcare. This refects greater awareness generay of the vaue and benefits of eary chidhood education and increasing demands from parents concerning the deveopmenta needs of chidren. However, some concern has been expressed regarding the possibe impact on the suppy of paces of improved standards and quaity, and of greater emphasis on deveopment and eary education. Concerns have aso focussed on the ogistics of an inspection process. Whie recognising that suppy and ogistics are important concerns, we take the view, supported by internationa research, that quaity of provision is critica. However, quaity enhancement need not mean any reduction in the suppy of chidcare: quaity may be enhanced whie quantity is maintained. This issue is addressed ater in this White Paper, particuary in chapter 10, where an approach to a proposed inspection process is outined. Finay, under this heading, it shoud be noted that the Department of Heath and Chidren is responsibe for coordinating the preparation by an inter-departmenta committee of a Nationa Chidren s Strategy.

25 Department of Justice, Equaity and Law Reform The Department of Justice, Equaity and Law Reform pays a centra roe in chidcare poicy, having chaired the expert working group drafting the Partnership 2000 Chidcare Report. The Department aso operates the Equa Opportunities Chidcare Programme. The programme, deivered on behaf of the Department by ADM Limited, 8 aims to faciitate participation by sociay excuded parents in training, education and empoyment, by supporting the deveopment of community chidcare faciities in areas of disadvantage. Assistance is provided for capita costs and, in 1998, support was introduced towards recurrent costs of 25 fagship projects which provide chidcare in disadvantaged areas. The Department supports nationa umbrea bodies invoved in the chidcare area to expand their membership base, encourage chidminders to become invoved in more structured networks, and promote training and standards among members. Department of Socia, Community and Famiy Affairs The Department of Socia, Community and Famiy Affairs operates a number of grant schemes for community and vountary organisations and for women s groups. The Community Deveopment Programme seeks to support communities in tacking oca probems and to foster partnership between parents, providers and the various other interests in the areas concerned. Funding is aso aocated by the Department to Famiy Resource Centres. These centres provide chidcare faciities to enabe parents to attend adut education and support programmes. Other Departments Various other Government Departments are invoved in the eary chidhood area. For exampe, the Department of Agricuture and Food provides funding for the deveopment of rura chidcare. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Empoyment supports a number of eary chidhood programmes, incuding FÁS training and support for initiatives of the County Enterprise Boards. Pre-schooing in Irish has been traditionay funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaetacht and the Isands (Bord na Gaeige/Údarás na Gaetachta). The report of the Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Chidcare ists eeven Departments as invoved in the chidcare area. 2.3 Non-Governmenta Provision A wide variety of pre-schoo services is provided by or in association with vountary and community groups, private business and individuas. The State s roe in existing

26 non-government provision is confined to: an eement of funding (vountary/community groups), inspection concerning basic standards (under the Chid Care Act), and provision of training courses in institutions of further and higher education. Parenta Care The Constitution recognises that the primary and natura educator of the chid is the famiy. Much of a chid s deveopment and education in the eariest years takes pace through norma experiences in the home, athough many parents now choose to have their chidren cared for, from a very eary age, outside of the home. Other parents choose to provide their chidren s pre-schoo care inside the famiy home. Parents have the benefit of unique expertise derived from their intimate knowedge of the chid s deveopment and their awareness of particuar needs, interests and circumstances. The nature and extent of education provided in these cases wi vary according to individua circumstances, backgrounds and subjective priorities. Proposas to invove and support parents are outined in chapter 9. Private Househods (other than the famiy home) Integrated care and education is provided in many cases by chidminders, some of whom are reatives or friends of the chid s parents and others of whom are empoyed by the parents for the purpose. As in the case of parenta care in the home, the nature of care and education provided by chidminders wi depend on individua circumstances and there is no standardised provision. Some efforts are made to encourage minders to benefit from oca networks through the Department of Justice, Equaity and Law Reform s programme of support for nationa organisations invoved in the eary chidhood area. Nursery Schoos, Crèches and Paygroups The objectives of these organisations range across a spectrum from educationa services to provision of substitute chidcare in oco parentis. Many invove a forma schooing component. Parents generay fund the costs privatey, athough some funding may be provided by the State through one of the programmes outined in the previous section, or, in a sma number of cases, a crèche may be provided and at east part-funded by an empoyer. Paygroups tend to emphasise educationa aspects and may be cassified into three broad types: private paygroups, community paygroups and naoínraí. Private paygroups are most ikey to be organised in private househods and parents pay the fu costs; community paygroups tend to be run by committees and the costs to parents are ower. In some cases, costs are subsidised by a Heath Board, vountary organisation, FÁS (assignment of Community Empoyment Scheme trainees) or the

27 State, via Area Deveopment Management. Naoínraí invove pre-schoo education through the medium of Irish. Support for paygroups is provided by nationa umbrea organisations. A providers in this category are obiged, under the terms of the Chid Care (Pre-schoo Services) Reguations, 1996 to notify their oca Heath Board of their activities, and they are subject to the requirements of the reguations concerning staffing and other matters. As noted previousy, the reguations do not set out educationa standards and, accordingy, standards concerning quaifications, training, content and methodoogy of provision wi vary widey across and within each category. Reative Significance of Various Providers A survey carried out for the Commission on the Famiy reveas substantia variation by age group in the prevaence of the various eary chidhood arrangements. 9 Neary two thirds of chidren aged between 2 and 3 are cared for in the home by a parent or reative. The most popuar arrangement for 4 year ods is schoo-based instruction (49%) with nurseries/crèches accounting for one in four cases. Figure 2.1 shows the scae of the change between the two age groups. 10 Fig. 2.1 Comparison of Care Arrangements (1998) 2.4 Anaysis of the existing Irish System There are many positive aspects to the provision of eary chidhood services in Ireand: chidcare workers show high eves of commitment and dedication to the chidren in their charge, many parents become deepy invoved in and support their chidren s education at this eary age and many of the physica faciities, curricua and methodoogies empoyed can be of a very high quaity. This said, the provision of eary chidhood education in Ireand has been described as imited and patchy 11 whie, in a comparison of services in the EU, Ireand is identified as a member state where pubicy-funded services for young chidren are east deveoped. 12 This section considers the principa weaknesses and criticisms of existing eary education in Ireand, with a view to informing the nature of the poicy proposas which wi be made ater in the White Paper. Gaps in Provision Despite the wide range of eary education options avaiabe, it is ikey that there are some gaps in provision in the existing system. The quaity (and cost) of provision is even more ikey to vary. The factors which contribute to this variation incude:

28 geography - remote areas demographics - ow popuation density of young chidren in a number of areas affordabiity inabiity to meet increasing costs of private provision due to rising demand and prices or as a resut of economic disadvantage coordination probems (see beow). The ack of hard data makes it difficut to be more precise about the gaps in provision. However, ADM are in the process of deveoping a nationa database of chidcare provision. The database, which is schedued for competion by the end of 1999, wi provide detais of the extent and nature of provision by ocation. The avaiabiity of these data wi improve knowedge of the extent of existing provision and of unmet demand, so that poicy formuation in the eary chidhood area wi be more informed and the poicy responses more accurate and targeted. Lack of Coordination Section 2.2 outined the invovement of a number of Government Departments in the eary chidhood area and noted that as many as eeven Departments are invoved in the chidcare area. The arge number of State Departments invoved, and the cose inkages and overaps between education and chidcare, woud suggest that coordination of effort between the various Departments and agencies shoud be a key eement of provision. However, ack of coordination has been identified by the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education, among others, as a significant probem inhibiting the deveopment of adequate systems of eary education and chidcare. The Forum report pointed out that the fragmentation and ack of co-ordination of eary chidhood services are a cause of great frustration to the personne invoved and contribute to much inefficiency and wastage of time and effort. 13 The report notes that Government Departments have tended to work argey in isoation from each other and that coordination probems occur within Departments as we as between them. The Secretariat took the view that poor coordination was contributing to various probems, incuding gaps in provision, ack of awareness concerning services, and dissemination of good practice. Hayes has noted the importance of coordination of provision: Coordination is essentia to ensure equaity of access to eary education services to ensure standards and reguation. She states that, whie there is no shortage of government commitment and initiative concerning eary chidhood education, the invovement of mutipe Departments suggests a worrying ack of coordination which must have

29 serious impications for the quaity and effectiveness of such services for young chidren in Ireand. 14 Deficiencies in Provision for Infants in the Primary Schoo System Criticisms of the provision for infants in the existing primary schoo system focus principay on cass size, resourcing and methodoogy. Research on the quaity of eary years provision has identified structura factors such as the quaity of human resources, organisation of the physica environment, group size and ratios, as being significant. 15 Athough the pupi teacher ratio has improved steadiy in recent years, the existing ratio in primary schoos remains high compared to the ratios appicabe in pre-schoo settings. 16 The fa in the ratio is refected in a substantia reduction in cass sizes and in the proportion of pupis in very arge casses. 17 There is some evidence that primary schoos achieve better cass sizes for infants and sixth cass. However, the differences are sma and 64% of junior infants and 70% of senior infants were in casses of at east 25 pupis in 1997/ Ratios are significanty ower for schoos which benefit from the Breaking the Cyce piot programme and for participants in Eary Start. Assessing the reative cass sizes in pre-schoos and primary schoos, Hayes and O Faherty note that Not ony is the ratio in the preschoo settings more appropriate to the needs of (3 to 4-year-ods) but the presence of a second adut (not a feature of the schoo settings) has a positive impact on the type of interactions that can occur between aduts and chidren. 19 In terms of cass sizes in schoos, an extensive synthesis of research undertaken by the U.S. Department of Education suggests that cass size matters, but ony in defined cases. The anayses show that A consensus of research indicates that cass size reduction in the eary grades eads to higher student achievement. The significant effects on achievement appear when cass size is reduced to a point somewhere between 15 and 20 students 20 They concude that the key benefit of cass size reductions is for disadvantaged young students. An extensive anaysis undertaken at the University of Nottingham aso concudes that The vast body of research ceary shows that it is incorrect to say that cass size does not matter. 21 The authors argue that the principa aim of reductions shoud be to improve the quaity of teaching and earning and that these shoud be accompanied by consideration of teaching methods and forms of cassroom organisation. In particuar, the report finds that the advantages derived from being taught in sma casses in the eary years of schooing are ikey to persist into ater years and enhance subsequent

30 earning. They aso confirm the particuar benefits of sma casses for chidren from ow income famiies. Reduced numbers of pupis per cass means that teachers have more space to work with and greater fexibiity in terms of instruction methods. However, as noted by an extensive US review, cass size reductions may faciitate but do not guarantee improvement in the quaity of education provided. In summary, athough both the quantity and quaity of teacherstudent interactions are necessariy imited by arge cass size reduction efforts must be accompanied by professiona deveopment and panning that supports the desired changes in curricuum, instruction and assessment. 22 Professiona deveopment of teachers is discussed in the next sub-section. Research has aso shown that schoos and pre-schoos differ in the type and avaiabiity of equipment. Athough schoos have been found to be better equipped for pre-academic work and with audio-visua equipment, pre-schoos tend to have a wider range of materias generay. 23 In recognition of these difficuties, the Government introduced, in September 1999, a specia grant aocation to assist the purchase of equipment and materias for infants casses in primary schoos. The additiona payments are based on schoos infant enroments and wi range up to a maximum of 1,500. Training and Quaifications There are three aspects to this issue: the provision of training for pre-schoo staff in mutipe agencies, the skis and competencies required by eary chidhood education professionas and the content and duration of the training programme for teachers of infants in primary schoos. Training is of crucia importance, since the knowedge and skis of the teacher, which incude a deep understanding of the subject matter to be taught and of earning and pedagogica theories, criticay infuence the quaity of education provided. Moreover, the skis required for teaching infants are not the same as genera teaching skis in a respects. The wide range of provision of pre-schoo services and the absence of reguation on training or quaifications has resuted in the deveopment of a bewidering diversity of training courses and quaifications. 24 Providers incude the university sector, institutes of technoogy, PLC coeges, Montessori coeges and nationa representative organisations. Such a wide variety of provision faciitates greater choice and eads to competition, which in turn shoud ensure improvements in course quaity. However, the ad hoc deveopment of the area risks dupication of effort and inconsistency in standards. The Report on the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education concudes that: existing provision is of a fragmented character, with itte diaogue or worthwhie exchanges between the different providers. Many of the invoved organisations evinced the view that it was time to bridge any divisions and to

31 adopt a sharing, co-operative approach. 25 In addition, the absence of reguation of quaifications, together with a ow eve of awareness by parents concerning the quaifications of staff empoyed by eary education providers, imits the scope for informed decision-making on the part of parents. Some work has been done in this area. Dubin Institute of Technoogy, in coaboration with the New Opportunities for Women programme, have deveoped a core standard in coaboration with stakehoders in eary chidhood education. This incudes deveoping equivaences of the variety of training approaches with a view to highighting strengths and gaps in training programmes. The methodoogies and skis required of an eary chidhood education speciaist differ from those required in forma primary education. Effective training of such professionas shoud deveop skis and expertise across a range of areas incuding the deveopment of very young chidren, earning through pay and traditiona education theory. Training shoud be muti-discipinary and draw upon the fieds of education, care and wefare. Proposas concerning the training and quaifications of eary chidhood education speciaists are considered in chapter 4. Training for primary schoo teachers was highighted by the Forum report, which stated that it was generay accepted that there was a need for reform and renewa Existing provision had not kept pace with the changed context of eary chidhood education. Teaching is a demanding roe. Today s teachers must understand a great dea about how chidren deveop and earn, what they know, and what they can do. Teachers must know and be abe to appy a variety of teaching techniques to meet the individua needs of students. 26 Teachers of infants have to cope with the additiona demands of very young chidren who, in many cases, have difficuty coming to terms with the transition from home ife to schoo. They must aso deveop an understanding of how young chidren earn and of the importance of pay in this regard. Severa options avaiabe to enhance the quaity of teaching for infants in primary schoo are examined in chapter 6. These incude: increasing the emphasis in teacher training courses on infant education the introduction of an eement of speciaisation fexibiity in terms of the quaifications which permit a person to teach infants casses. Parenta Invovement

32 As noted earier, parents have an important roe to pay in their chidren s education, particuary during the eary chidhood years, whether in the home or in an out of home setting. The Forum report states that the invovement of parents in eary chidhood education is a matter of centra importance to the we-being of society. 27 However, in the existing system, the opportunities for parenta invovement in provision outside the home are imited by the environment in which education is provided (space, access) and by the impact of other commitments (such as famiy commitments and work commitments). Parents capacity to become activey invoved in their chidren s education, in pre-schoo or in the home, may be hampered by a ack of skis (such as iteracy or numeracy skis) or a ack of awareness concerning the eary chidhood curricuum and how they may pay a usefu roe. Retention of Trained Staff The current rapid growth in the economy means that more career aternatives and openings are avaiabe and skis shortages have emerged in a number of areas. Reativey ow pay and status and the absence of a career structure has ed to difficuties in retaining quaified and experienced staff within the pre-schoo sector in other countries. Staff turnover has repercussions both for the extent of training required and, more importanty, for the quaity of education and care provided to a vunerabe group of individuas. Low status of personne inevitaby means high turnover which cannot work for the benefit of young chidren who rey more than ever before on nurseries and eary education for stabe reationships and the structuring of personaity and vaues. 28 Hard data are acking in this area though, and it is difficut to gauge the true extent of the probem. It is noteworthy that the Department s Eary Start piot programme does not seem to encounter significant staff turnover probems. Despite an initia high departure rate (five care assistants eft in 1994) the rate of attrition has since been very ow - just five assistants (out of a tota cohort of 56) have departed in the ast four years. Lack of Guideines on Provision A very extensive revised curricuum is being introduced into primary schoos from September The curricuum buids on its predecessor and was deveoped through a wide process of consutation between the partners in education. In particuar, it draws heaviy on the experiences of teachers. The curricuum wi focus, inter aia, on content and methodoogies for infants. Under existing arrangements, the form and content of eary education provision outside of the primary schoo system is a matter for the various providers. In some cases, a standardised curricuum and recommendations concerning teaching practice and methodoogy may be issued by an umbrea organisation to its members. However, no such

33 recommended standards are made avaiabe to other providers and the quaity of pre-schoo education varies as a resut. The absence of recommended codes of practice concerning methodoogy and curricuum means that parents may not be in a position to make an informed judgement on the merits of specific providers. It may aso imit the capacity of some individuas or groups to enhance the service which they provide. Parents educating their chidren in the home coud benefit greaty from access to recommended approaches and curricuum. Concusions In reviewing existing provision for eary chidhood, and, in particuar, in highighting the deficiencies in the present system, it is important to emphasise the high quaity and standards of service provided by many groups and individuas and the importance of maintaining diversity of provision and choice. However, the State has a duty to promote best practice generay in provision; high standards must be promoted throughout the system, for the benefit of a chidren and their parents. In particuar, where State support is provided, compiance with minimum standards must be ensured. In this context, the purpose of this section has been to draw on experience to date in Ireand with a view to ensuring that deficiencies are addressed and gaps fied. The foowing, therefore, is a brief summary of issues which must be attended to in devising a mode for future eary chidhood education provision in Ireand. The ack of effective coordination between the Government Departments invoved in the provision of eary chidhood services must be addressed in whatever mode is adopted. As far as provision for infants in nationa schoos is concerned, there must be some modification of the provision to ensure that the specia needs of very young chidren are accommodated. Athough it is unikey that there wi be a standardisation of training and quaifications for those invoved in eary chidhood education, a method must be devised whereby the quaity of training/quaifications is maintained and enhanced, where possibe. Simiary, consideration must be given to how quaified and experienced staff may be retained in the pre-schoo sector and may proceed through the sector on the basis of a structured career path. Finay, as far as parents are concerned, any mode of provision devised must ensure their invovement in the system to the optimum degree. 2.5 Provision for Eary Chidhood Education in seected Countries The deveopment of poicy proposas has been informed by an examination of the systems which operate in a number of other countries. Particuar attention was paid to

34 four countries: France, New Zeaand, Norway and the United Kingdom. There were seected in order to obtain a broad cross-section of the spectrum of provision: France has a ong estabished State-run system New Zeaand has a simiar geographica (periphera ocation, beside a arger neighbour) and economic context (strong emphasis on agricuture) to Ireand Norway is widey seen as having an extensive, comprehensive and progressive system The UK has a simiary structured education system, which has undergone significant change in recent years. France An extensive system of eary chidhood education in France has been provided by the State in nursery schoos since The majority of nursery schoos are pubicy funded. In urban areas, they are usuay separate from primary schoos, athough there are some fuyintegrated schoos. In some rura areas, where there may not be a sufficient concentration of pupis at younger ages, infant sections may be integrated into primary schoo casses. Aternativey, severa communes/ocaes may join together in order to recruit sufficient numbers of chidren to open a nursery cass. This may invove chidren being brought together to a singe ocation and the provision of transport. Teachers may be heped by nursery assistants, who are recruited by the oca authorities and whose functions vary depending on their skis and teachers requirements. The average number of pupis per cass was 27.1 in the pubic sector and 26.7 in the private sector in New Zeaand Responsibiity for eary chidhood education is divided according to function: poicy deveopment and impementation (Ministry of Education), support to providers (Eary Chidhood Deveopment Unit), chidren with specia needs (Speciaist Education Service), nationa quaification framework (Quaifications Authority) and quaity assurance and evauation (the Education Review Office). A wide range of eary chidhood education services is avaiabe, with strong emphasis on active invovement of and support for parents. Pay centres and community paygroups are mainy organised by parents. Kindergartens, which provide for chidren aged 3, have parents committees inked to regiona and nationa associations. Support is provided for parents of very young chidren (birth to 3) through reguar home visits, designed to assist parents to hep their chidren to deveop the anguage, inteectua and socia skis on which to buid earning. Famiy service centres offer additiona eary chidhood services and sef-hep programmes to hep educationay

35 disadvantaged parents to prepare their chidren for schoo. Support is aso provided, through a distance education service, to parents of young chidren who, for various reasons (such as remote ocation) are unabe to attend provision. Trained and registered teachers work cosey with parents to pan home-based eary chidhood education and materias are provided on oan for use with chidren. Specia provision is aso avaiabe for minorities. Te Kohanga Reo are communitybased eary chidhood education programmes deivered through the medium of the Maori anguage whie programmes are aso offered based on the vaues and anguages of the Pacific Isands cutures. Norway Eary chidhood education and care is provided by three types of day care institutions. These are required to be educationay oriented and to operate within a framework pan prescribed by the State. Ordinary day care institutions open at east 41 hours per week and chidren may attend fu time or part time. There are no forma inks between day care institutions and primary schoos, but there are pans to provide a gente transition from day care to primary schoos. Famiy day-homes provide care and education in private homes, for sma groups of mainy younger chidren. Groups of homes are supervised by preschoo teachers. Open care institutions are drop-in centres where parents can bring their chidren whenever they choose within the opening hours of the institution and meet with other parents and pre-schoo teachers. Parenta invovement is activey encouraged and each day care institution must have a parents counci comprising a parents and guardians of chidren attending the day care institution. Parents are aso entited to be members of the coordinating committee, which estabishes an annua pan for the educationa activity of the institution. United Kingdom The Department for Education and Empoyment is responsibe for eary chidhood education. The education of chidren between the ages of 2 and 5 is provided for under the Education Act, A wide variety of services is avaiabe in different settings, incuding nursery schoos, nursery centres for chidren from disadvantaged backgrounds, day nurseries, paygroups and private pre-schoos. In genera, provision of pre-schoo education emphasises eary iteracy, numeracy and the deveopment of persona, socia and other skis. Specific Eary Learning Goas were pubished in October 1999 by the Quaifications and Curricuum Authority. By the age of 6, chidren shoud have earnt to count to ten, know the aphabet, have

36 gained confidence in their abiity to earn and have earned to concentrate on their own pay. A nationa framework to rationaise hundreds of quaifications avaiabe in eary chidhood education and care is aso being deveoped. 2.6 Internationa Trends Notwithstanding the variety of deivery methods empoyed internationay, there are some common themes. These incude the move from targeted provision to universa provision, from separate education and care to seamess provision, a trend towards aocating responsibiity to a singe Department for the education eement and from centraised administration to oca community-based provision. The Scope of Provision A variety of pre-schoo services is avaiabe in each of the countries reviewed. This may be simpy the consequence of provision deveoping as eary chidhood needs evoved. It may aso be indicative of the importance each country paces on eary chidhood education or a recognition of the importance of providing for parenta choice in this key area. In severa EU member states (Denmark, Sweden, Finand, Germany and Spain) a nationa commitment or statutory entitement to a pace in a pubicy-funded service was introduced or extended for certain age groups, athough this commitment was not aways deivered in fu. The mode outined in chapter 5, by buiding on the infrastructure aready in pace, seeks to emuate this principe of highquaity provision for a chidren. Seamess provision for under 6s Countries with deveoped chidcare services have tended towards an evoving reationship between schoos and services providing care and recreation for schooaged chidren. In France, nursery schoos have ong been integrated into the forma education system, providing chidren from the age of 2 with the opportunity to accimatise to the daiy routine of education and care. In Norway, day care institutions pan to provide a transition from chidcare to forma schooing. In ine with this internationa trend, the proposed mode wi give priority to the integration of education and care, both by buiding a high-quaity educationa eement into Statefunded chidcare and by providing priority in funding to providers to deveop strong inks with oca schoos. Coordination Structures

37 A coherent and integrated system, offering fexibe and muti-functiona services, is considered more abe to adopt a hoistic approach to chidren and famiies, recognising the breadth and inter-connectedness of their needs for, for exampe, care, education, heath, sociaisation, support and recreation. Effective coordination is crucia to the success of a muti-discipinary approach and the choice of supporting structure in this regard is of key importance. Two approaches to the structures issue are foowed internationay: aocating responsibiity to a singe Department/agency or retention of responsibiity within a number of separate Departments accompanied by high-eve coordination. With the exception of New Zeaand, the countries reviewed have opted for a singe State Department responsibe for eary chidhood education. In New Zeaand, poicy deveopment remains in the Department of Education, whie impementation and support is the responsibiity of the Eary Chidhood Deveopment Unit. It is understood that the Netherands is moving away from a dua Department system towards aocating responsibiity for eary chidhood to the Ministry of Education. The deveopment of appropriate structures in Ireand is considered in chapter 11. Loca Community Based Provision Across each of the countries reviewed, oca community invovement is encouraged. This invovement takes many guises, with, in many countries, provision being based in oca communities, which come together to poo their resources in providing services. Increasing parenta invovement is widey viewed as a vita part of drawing the oca community into the deivery of eary chidhood education and is an approach that is adopted in each of the featured countries. The mode proposed in chapter 5 emphasises oca community invovement in the deivery of eary chidhood education whie proposas to invove parents in a parts of the process are set out in chapter 9.

38 3 GUIDING PRINCIPLES This chapter considers in more depth the objective of the White Paper and briefy outines the strategy designed to achieve it. The strategy is underpinned by a number of guiding principes, set out in chapter 1, which are aso examined in detai throughout this chapter; these principes are: Quaity wi underpin a aspects of eary education provision. The State wi seek to buid on existing provision and to use the existing reguatory framework, where possibe. Impementation wi be undertaken on a gradua, phased basis, to aow a the participants in the system to prepare adequatey for the chaenges which ie ahead. Progress wi be achieved through a process of consutation, diaogue and partnership.

39 3.1 The Core Objective The core objective of the White Paper, as stated in chapter 1, is: to support the deveopment and educationa achievement of chidren through high quaity eary education, with particuar focus on the target groups of the disadvantaged and those with specia needs. The primary focus of the White Paper is on enhancing chid deveopment and educationa achievement. Chapter 1 showed how quaity pre-schoo provision can have beneficia effects on chidren s educationa performance. The nature and duration of the effects may vary. Some programmes yied short-term gains in IQ and attainment, which dissipate in the medium to ong term. 1 Athough the gains made are important in terms of easing the transition from home to schoo and in moderating the infuence of educationa disadvantage, 2 they are, essentiay, transitory in respect of IQ. Other programmes record ong-term benefits, in terms of higher participation rates beyond compusory schooing age and in third-eve education, ower incidence of grade repetition, and higher probabiity of taking a pubic examination. 3 This White Paper seeks to ensure asting benefits in terms of educationa achievement for a chidren. In this context, it focuses on supporting and deveoping eary chidhood education which prepares chidren for the transition to schoo and creates in them a disposition and state of readiness to earn. These concepts are discussed in more detai in the opening chapter (section 1.5). Education seeks to enabe individuas to deveop to their fu potentia in a wide variety of areas. Accordingy, the proposed programme of eary chidhood education wi invove curricua, methodoogies and settings designed to maximise chidren s potentia, not ony in purey educationa areas, but aso in areas such as sociaisation and persona deveopment. Chidren s reated needs for care and support wi be addressed in an integrated way, in ine with the discussion in chapter 1. The poicy outined in this White Paper is centred on the needs and rights of the chid. Proposas wi seek to enhance the education and deveopment of chidren in their eary years and to secure asting benefits for these chidren in ater ife. Athough eary education aso yieds benefits for participants famiies, the economy and society, as set out in chapter 1, these benefits are additiona, and suppementary to the benefits to chidren. They are, in some sense, a spin-off, rather than the driving force behind the provision of quaity eary chidhood education. Socia and economic arguments in favour of eary education shoud not bind us to its inherent educationa vaue. A substantia body of iterature now points to the effectiveness of eary chidhood education for the future deveopment of the chid The primacy of the discipine of

40 eary chidhood education over and above its socia and economic benefits was a concept that was frequenty emphasised in many of the submissions to the Forum Strategy to achieve the Objective 3.3 Quaity Given the diverse nature of the needs for eary chidhood education, couped with the variety of measures avaiabe to meet these needs, it is cear that the poicy adopted must be comprehensive and muti-faceted. The impementation strategy proposed invoves faciitating and supporting the provision of quaity eary chidhood education for a chidren. Providers of eary chidhood services wi be faciitated and supported to enhance the quaity and increase the quantity of their education provision. Supports wi be both financia and technica: the former might incude, for exampe, financia assistance to schoos and other institutions to assist them to enhance their eary education faciities; the atter coud incude guideines on curricuum and methodoogies and support for pre-service and in-service professiona deveopment. Where funding for eary chidhood services is provided for deveopmenta paces by the State, providers wi be required to provide eary chidhood education to defined standards. The main mode of intervention is outined in chapter 5, whie ater chapters dea separatey with other key eements of the strategy. Primary schoo education for infants is covered in chapter 6. A range of proposas concerning chidren with specia educationa needs is envisaged and set out in detai in chapter 7. Whie many educationay disadvantaged chidren wi participate in existing programmes operated by other Government Departments, the Department of Education and Science wi continue to make direct provision for disadvantaged chidren. Proposas in this regard are outined in chapter 8. The quaity of the eary chidhood education provided determines, to a very great degree, the nature and duration of the benefits obtained. The objective of this White Paper is to faciitate the deveopment of a high quaity system of eary chidhood education. Achieving this objective requires progress across a wide spectrum of areas, incuding curricuum, training and quaifications and the quaity and quantity of inputs (staff, equipment, premises). Enhanced quaity wi be achieved through a combination of supports and reguation. Providers, both State-funded and non-funded, wi be eigibe to appy for a Quaity in Education mark, to certify that they have reached certain standards reating to quaity. State-funded providers which seek to meet chidren s deveopmenta needs wi be

41 required to meet prescribed standards whie others wi be supported and encouraged to meet them. The deveopment of suitabe measures of performance and a system of inspection and evauation is aso essentia to ensuring high quaity of provision. These issues are discussed in more detai in the next chapter and in chapter 10 (inspection and evauation). 3.4 Buiding on existing Provision and Structures The White Paper seeks to underpin and support the growth of, rather than repace, the wide range of existing provision in the eary chidhood area (summarised in chapter 2). Existing providers have deveoped a substantia expertise in eary chidhood education and their input at the Nationa Forum was invauabe. Many provide high quaity services. However, not a providers reach these standards and State intervention wi be aimed primariy at raising standards in these cases so that a chidren can receive a quaity eary education. In this way, diversity of provision and parenta choice wi be retained whie quaity is enhanced. Providers wi have the benefit of access to the State s work in technica support areas: deveopment of curricua and materias, research and deveopment of best practice, inspection and evauation service and deveopment of recommended standards of good practice. A proposed Eary Chidhood Education Agency (chapter 11), foowing consutation with existing providers, parents and interested parties, wi advise the Department of Education and Science on the deveopment of these standards. Agreed standards concerning quaity wi mean that parents can have confidence that the provider they seect for their chidren wi offer a quaity service. The use of existing administrative structures wi aso be maximised so that: red-tape for providers and parents wi be minimised co-ordination of provision and poicy-making wi be enhanced administration wi be more effective and cost efficient. 3.5 Maximising Effective Impementation The nature of provision required in any individua case wi vary according to the target group and oca circumstances. In addition, the many needs of organisations and

42 individuas aready providing services, at both nationa and oca eves, must be taken into account, and their expertise buit on, in panning for nationa poicies and oca impementation strategies. The foowing key principes wi, therefore, be vita to success: Impementation wi be undertaken on a gradua, phased basis, to aow a the participants in the system to prepare adequatey for the chaenges which ie ahead. Progress wi be achieved through a process of consutation, diaogue and partnership with parents, existing providers and other interested parties. Given the nature and compexity of the issues invoved, and the range of interests concerned in provision, impementation of the measures (discussed in more detai in chapter 11) set out in this White Paper wi take pace incrementay. The Forum Report refers to A Graduaist Approach to Panning and Funding and suggests a series of interim steps which woud prepare for the creation of a nationa system. 5 Phasing is aso necessary to: Ensure that, where necessary, providers have sufficient time to prepare for the impementation of the new strategy. Ensure that, where necessary, providers and staff have adequate time to enhance their education/skis base to the required eves. Minimise the risk of short-term abour shortages. Consutation has been fundamenta to the process of educationa reform and poicy formuation in recent years. Consutation with concerned interests enhances mutua understanding and enabes the State to benefit from the cumuative expertise of both experts and practitioners in the area. The Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education, which took pace in March 1998, provided a forum for consutation and exchange of views on many of the issues discussed in this White Paper and the report of the Forum has informed the deveopment of the Paper. Consutation with parents, providers and other interests wi remain centra to the impementation phase of the White Paper. Partnership and consutation between Government Departments wi be promoted through the mechanisms proposed for deivery of educationa support, which are outined ater in the White Paper.

43 3.6 The Disadvantaged and Chidren with Specia Needs A chidren shoud have the opportunity to reach their fu deveopmenta and educationa potentia. For a number of reasons, associated with educationa disadvantage, and circumstances, incuding the presence of a specia educationa need, some chidren have ess opportunity than others to reach their potentia in the education system. The poicy set out in this White Paper seeks to address as a priority, the needs of chidren with specia education needs and the educationay disadvantaged. Addressing the needs of the disadvantaged through eary chidhood education is necessary in order to: promote equaity of opportunity tacke the cause of disparities in attainment and opportunity eary (this is more effective and cost-efficient than ater intervention) maximise the private and socia returns on investment. Ensuring that opportunities are equa does not mean that the same form of provision must be introduced for a participants. Equaity does not mean uniformity and it is important to aow for positive discrimination in favour of those most in need. The principe of positive discrimination to tacke disadvantage was supported by the Educationa Research Centre s report Educationa Disadvantage in Ireand, whose authors considered that the eimination of disadvantage must invove more than just a eveing of the paying pitch and, as a consequence, recommended concentrating resources on a imited number of schoos where there is a high concentration of disadvantage. 6 Appropriate eary chidhood education programmes can be expensive to provide. Extending education provision generay to chidren aged ess than four woud have significant resource impications for other educationa sectors. In this context, finance avaiabe for pre-schoo education is finite and must be aocated in areas of greatest inequity. Moreover, research has shown that the benefits of eary chidhood education may be greatest for the disadvantaged. 7 These factors support targeting of eary chidhood education on chidren from backgrounds of educationa disadvantaged and on chidren with specia educationa needs. However, in giving priority to disadvantaged chidren, it is important, for two reasons, to avoid setting

44 them apart from other chidren or stigmatising them in any way. Firsty, there is a risk that eary chidhood education may be perceived as something for the disadvantaged and this may affect participation rates. Secondy, identifying disadvantaged chidren as a separate group may resut in abeing of such chidren and reinforce rather than aeviate the divisions in society. Whie priority for the disadvantaged is necessary, efforts wi be made (in ine with internationa trends) to promote participation in integrated settings with a mix of abiities and socia casses. 3.7 Criteria for Provision As noted previousy, eary chidhood education wi be chid-centred and wi promote a aspects of chidren s deveopment. Its primary aim wi be to engender in chidren a disposition and state of readiness to earn and it wi aso address the reated areas of sociaisation and persona deveopment. Eary chidhood education wi, where possibe, be provided as part of a seamess provision of care and education. The nature of the proposed mode of eary chidhood education broady satisfies the desirabe criteria identified at the Forum. The criteria and the extent to which they are addressed by the mode are outined beow. Universa covering a chidren from 0-6 years. The White Paper sets out a range of proposas in respect of chidren from birth to 6 years. The nature of the provisions wi vary according to age and circumstances, with support being directed in particuar to those with a specia educationa need or in situations of disadvantage. Two-generationa focussing on the deveopment of young chidren and the heath, wefare and education of parents, in particuar of mothers. The deveopment of young chidren is a centra objective of the White Paper. The invovement of parents is considered to be basic to the achievement of this objective and chapter 9 wi outine strategies to invove parents in provision and to support them in providing eary chidhood education in the home. There are ikey to be considerabe benefits for the heath, wefare and education of parents, and for their empoyment and educationa opportunities. However, the White Paper is chid-centred, and the proposas contained herein can be justified soey on the basis of the benefits which they wi bring to chidren. Mixed with differing eves of responsibiity, with both home and centre-based modes of deivery and with a variety of service deivery providers incuding statutory, oca authority, vountary and private sector bodies.

45 A guiding principe is that the White Paper buid on (not repace) existing provision and this principe is centra to the proposas made. The poicy set out in the White Paper aso recognises the importance of diversity in the provision made. Integrated heath, wefare and education services working together at centra and oca eves. Integrated provision is a cornerstone of the White Paper. In addition, coordination between Government Departments at centra eve wi be vita and coordination between schoos and other interests at oca eve wi be encouraged and supported. Proposas for coordination are outined in more detai in chapter 11. Democratic catering equitaby for a parents and chidren, party decentraised, based on partnerships and oca responsibiity. The White Paper seeks to promote eary chidhood education for a chidren. As indicated earier in this chapter, priority wi be given to the greater needs of disadvantaged chidren and of chidren with disabiities. This is necessary to ensure equaity of opportunity and equitabe treatment. Consistent with ong-term economic objectives the envisaged eary care and education system shoud be seen not ony as preparing young chidren to enter successfuy the forma education cyce, but aso as a significant investment in human capita. It woud be an educationa mechanism to hep parents to move from home to work. The economic and other benefits for individua chidren have aready been discussed at great ength. In addition, as indicated earier, athough the White Paper is chid-centred, impementation wi resut in spin-off benefits to parents and the economy. Educationa the unifying thread through the system woud be education. The integrated service woud be a privieged ocus for eary education and the persona deveopment and further education of parents. Improvement of educationa achievement of chidren is at the heart of the White Paper s core objective. Parents wi benefit from educationa, training and empoyment opportunities as spin-off benefits. Provision wi accord with best internationa practice. Internationa comparisons confirm that the saient features of good practice in the direction and management of the provision of Eary Chidhood Services incude: The integration of education and care. Unified responsibiity for provision.

46 Targets for growth by a specified year. Coherent and thorough training of eary years staff. A curricuum based on the principe of purposefu pay. Effective inkage between the home and pre-schoo and smooth progression between pre-schoo and primary schoo. Adequate resources. 8 Previous discussion has outined how the White Paper wi support integration of care and education, the invovement of parents and inkages between pre-schoo and primary schoo (points 1 and 6). Chapter 11 wi outine the proposed assignment of responsibiity for eary chidhood education to an executive agency and wi set out the proposed structures to enhance co-ordination between Departments (point 2). Chapter 10 wi propose a system of evauation and inspection which wi incude specific performance indicators (point 3). Training and the curricuum (points 4 and 5) are outined in the next chapter.

47 4 ISSUES OF QUALITY The ink between quaity of provision in eary chidhood education and the nature and extent of benefits to chidren is, as outined in chapter 1, we estabished. Quaity may often be considered as a rather vague term, the definition of which wi vary according to individua perspectives. This chapter first considers the meaning of quaity and identifies some of the important variabes which determine the quaity of eary chidhood education provision. A key eement of the White Paper strategy to raise and maintain quaity of provision concerns the deveopment of a Quaity in Education (QE) mark, which is discussed in section 4.2. The awarding of a QE mark to a provider wi signify that provision meets defined quaity standards. A system of supports, evauation and inspection wi be introduced to assist providers to meet these standards and to ensure that standards are maintained among funded providers and those appying for the QE mark. The areas to be covered by the quaity standards - curricuum and methodoogy, quaifications and training and inputs - are set out in the second haf of the chapter. Quaity wi aso be enhanced through the deveopment and dissemination by the State of modes of good practice. Quaity of provision in primary schoos and for chidren with specia needs or who are educationay disadvantaged wi be deat with in chapters 6, 7 and 8 respectivey.

48 4.1 Definition of Quaity Quaitative aspects of eary chidhood educationa provision are difficut to define. Interpretations of quaity vary and are inked to individua perspectives and circumstances. What might be seen by some as a quaity service may be seen by others as poor quaity. Any definition of quaity depends upon which vaues are given priority. Quaity can be defined from the perspectives of parents, chid care workers, empoyers and chidren. 1 The White Paper is chid-centred. It seeks to achieve asting educationa and deveopmenta benefits for chidren and quaity must be viewed in this context. This corresponds with the chid deveopment perspective (which) is concerned with the potentia effects of chidren s experiences on their inteectua, physica and motor, socia and psychoogica deveopment. 2 It is recognised that quaity is no onger viewed as one standard of exceence identified for a chidren in a services, but rather as a set of core criteria towards which services may progress and against which their progress may be measured. Different chidren wi have different needs which must be addressed in a variety of ways. Consequenty, the nature and extent of provision may vary according to the target group. Athough there is no universa definition of quaity in eary chidhood education provision, a number of variabes are generay associated with it. Some of these concern inputs such as staffing ratios, equipment and premises, and are easiy quantified. The existing Chid Care Reguations, for exampe, require that pre-schoo providers compy with minimum standards concerning adut-chid ratios, insurance, size and condition of premises. These factors affect the quaity of provision in various ways. For exampe, high adut-chid ratios mean that chidren receive ess intensive and individuaised attention which may have a detrimenta effect on the quaity of the service they receive. Such quantitative factors are of crucia importance to chidren s services, but they te ony haf the story. It is necessary to ook beyond the quantitative factors for a more comprehensive view of quaity: In seeking to measure quaity, it is not sufficient to focus on static, tangibe variabes such as space, ratio and toiets at the expense of more dynamic, intangibe aspects of quaity such as interaction between aduts and chidren and the deveopmenta appropriateness of activities and expectations. Whie it may be a difficut task to egisate for or assess such quaity criteria, they must be discussed and debated if effective eary education, that wi impact positivey on the ater educationa experiences of chidren, is to be provided. 3

49 Factors which are not currenty covered by the Chid Care Reguations, but which infuence quaity of provision and the scae and duration of benefits to chidren, incude: curricuum and methodoogy, staff quaifications, training and retention, the extent to which parents are invoved and the nature of the setting (non-physica aspects). Minimum standards wi be recommended concerning some of these factors, whie, in other cases, recommendations wi be made concerning best practice. Providers who receive State funding for deveopmenta/educationa paces wi be required to meet these standards. Other providers who satisfy the required standards may obtain specia recognition through the awarding of a Quaity in Education (QE) mark. 4.2 The Quaity in Education (QE) Mark Many providers have consistenty sought to deiver quaity eary chidhood education to their young cients and their parents, whie other providers woud ike to achieve higher standards but may ack the necessary skis and materias to do so or may be unsure of an objective standard against which to measure their provision. In recognition of these matters, a QE (quaity in education) mark wi be deveoped. The QE mark wi be avaiabe to providers who reach minimum standards in a number of key education-reated areas. The QE mark wi fufi a number of functions. Firsty, it wi improve the quaity of eary chidhood education provision generay. Secondy, the QE mark wi signa that a provider has achieved certain standards and is subject to inspection and evauation. At present, the absence of a nationa system of education standards in the pre-schoo sector means that parents and guardians often cannot make an informed choice of preschoo. In choosing a provider with a QE mark, parents can be confident that their chid wi receive a quaity eary education. Thirdy, as far as providers are concerned, avaiabiity of the QE mark wi provide an incentive to them to raise and maintain quaity in ine with the standards. The awarding of the QE mark may be used by providers in their advertising, giving them an advantage over other competitors who have faied, or opted not to meet the standards. This in turn shoud provide an added impetus for their competitors to achieve standards, and ead to a genera improvement in quaity of provision, a target which is at the heart of the White Paper. The QE mark wi appy ony to educationa standards concerning curricuum, methodoogies, staff quaifications and training. These standards wi operate in tandem with the Department of Heath and Chidren requirements under the Chid Care Reguations, The definition of appropriate educationa and deveopmenta standards wi be undertaken by the proposed Eary Chidhood Education Agency

50 (ECEA) and the Department of Education and Science, foowing extensive and ongoing consutation. The mechanism for introducing the QE mark is discussed as part of the description of the intervention mode in the next chapter. The requirement for funded providers to meet defined standards wi be phased in graduay, foowing consutation with the various interested parties. This wi aow eary chidhood education providers and staff sufficient time to upgrade their skis, quaifications and provision to the required eve. An evauation and inspection mechanism (discussed in more detai in chapter 10) wi be introduced to support and assess standards of eary chidhood education among funded providers and among non-funded providers seeking a QE mark. This wi invove an initia inspection and subsequent periodic visits to ensure maintenance of standards. In keeping with the principe of buiding on existing structures, set out in chapter 3, it is proposed that the assessment of compiance with existing Chid Care Reguations and with minimum educationa standards wi be undertaken as part of a singe inspection. This wi imit the amount of red-tape and minimise disruption for providers, improve coordination between Government Departments and contribute to the integration of chidcare and eary chidhood education. Continuous review of the quaity standards wi aso be a function of the ECEA. The review wi cover the extent of adoption of the standards, their impact on quaity and suppy, and the need for ongoing updating of standards in the ight of new research and modes of good practice. The ECEA wi aso oversee the provision of support and advice to providers on the attainment and maintenance of good practice. 4.3 Curricuum and Methodoogy Whie educators are more ikey to beieve in the superiority of the curricuum in which they have been trained research appears to show that curricua are simiar in their short-term effects so ong as they are consistenty of a high quaity we cannot state that the specifics of the actua curricuum empoyed by any pre-schoo are a significant factor in terms of positive gains for the chid. 4 It is ony where a curricuum fais to conform to basic principes - acking quaity or structure that a difference in effectiveness may be observed. Various curricua are foowed by existing providers and, in keeping with guiding principes, this diversity of provision and choice shoud be maintained. Moreover, a one size fits a approach is not suitabe for young chidren since curricuum has to be matched to chidren s deveopmenta status. Curricuum design must take a

51 deveopmenta approach, showing a cognisance of the quaitative differences in chidren s behaviours at different periods in deveopment and recognising those behaviours and skis which are typica for a particuar stage or period in deveopment. 5 The aim of estabishing curricuum standards, therefore, is to ensure that eary chidhood education provision is structured, deveopmenta, of high quaity and designed to create in young chidren a readiness to earn. Thus, curricuum guideines, rather than prescribing specific curricuar detais, wi outine the broad principes with which curricua shoud compy. Individua providers wi have discretion to design and modify their particuar curricuum within these guideines. The deveopment of guideines on deveopmentay appropriate practice in eary chidhood education wi be undertaken by the Eary Chidhood Education Agency (ECEA) and the Department of Education and Science in consutation with a of the agencies currenty working in the fied. In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act, the Nationa Counci for Curricuum and Assessment, which has recenty competed the deveopment of the revised primary schoo curricuum, wi aso be consuted. 6 The guideines wi have regard to the need to provide a range of experiences and earning opportunities to enhance a aspects of a chid s deveopment cognitive, emotiona, inguistic, mora, physica, sensory and socia. They wi aso take account of the need for structure and for earning through pay. As we as drawing up curricuum guideines, the ECEA and the Department, in consutation with the various agencies, wi aso deveop a recommended or specimen curricuum for pre-schoo chidren, which wi provide more specific detai on content and methodoogy. This may be used by providers who may not wish to foow, or have difficuty in seecting, one of the estabished curricua, and who, despite the avaiabiity of the guideines, do not fee abe to deveop their own curricua. It wi aso be vauabe as a tempate for parents who wish to hep their chidren in their eary chidhood earning. The specimen curricuum wi deveop over time in ight of the outcome of research and deveopment undertaken by or on behaf of the ECEA. The Forum highighted concerns at the ack of a curricuum for very young chidren: Within the age range 0-3 years the absence of guideines on deveopmentay appropriate curricuum (was) identified as a major concern. 7 To address this concern, deveopment of a ess forma curricuum, for chidren up to 3 years, wi aso be undertaken by the ECEA, in consutation with interested parties, and in ight of the best internationa research in this area. The emphasis at this eve wi be on how chidren earn and how parents can hep their chidren to earn.

52 In order to be effective, even the most comprehensive curricuum must be accompanied by appropriate methodoogies. Athough the Eary Start piot programme was based on the Rutand Street curricuum, it has not so far yieded the gains which were recorded in the initia Rutand Street evauation; this outcome was ascribed to a number of factors. Areas identified by the evauation as offering scope for improvement (see chapter 8) incuded teaching practice. The work on curricuum wi, therefore, be accompanied by anaysis and deveopment of best practice in the area of methodoogies since it is the teacher s responsibiity to create a earning environment that is appropriate for (a chid s) deveopment Quaifications and Training The task of ensuring that high-quaity education and care services are made avaiabe to young chidren depends, in a crucia way, on the quaity and training of the personne invoved. 9 The system of training and quaifications for eary chidhood workers, ike the pre-schoo system generay, has deveoped in a somewhat ad hoc manner in Ireand. This has resuted in certain weaknesses in the existing system. These weaknesses, outined in chapter 2, concern dupication of provision, inconsistency in standards, ack of consumer awareness as to the skis which courses deveop, and difficuties regarding progression between eves of quaification. To tacke the weaknesses, a strategy wi be deveoped, which wi incude the designation of suitabe quaifications, estabishment of cear routes of progression between quaifications and improved provision of information on a aspects of quaifications. Tacking these issues wi be done within the framework of the Quaifications (Education and Training) Act, The Act provides for the setting up of the Nationa Quaifications Authority of Ireand, which (section 7) wi have three objectives: to estabish and maintain a framework for the deveopment, recognition and award of quaifications in the State based on standards of knowedge, ski or competence to be acquired by earners to estabish and promote the maintenance and improvement of the standards of further and higher education and training awards to promote and faciitate access, transfer and progression. The nationa quaifications framework envisaged wi incude a quaifications framework for the eary chidhood sector. This framework wi be designed in consutation with the Eary Chidhood Education Agency, existing eary chidhood education providers and organisations invoved in the provision of eary chidhood education courses. It wi identify the core competencies required for eary chidhood education teachers and chidcare

53 workers and determine which courses can equip participants with those skis. Cear routes of progression wi be estabished between the various courses. The ad hoc deveopment of the existing systems of quaifications means that some persons empoyed in eary chidhood education may not have acquired forma quaifications. However, their accumuated experience wi have equipped them with the necessary skis to dea effectivey with chidren s needs. An emphasis on quaifications as the soe criterion of suitabiity woud pace such individuas at a disadvantage and woud impy that their experience counted for nothing. Concerns that this matter shoud be addressed in any new system were voiced strongy at the Forum. 10 The framework deveoped in accordance with the Act wi address this issue. Part VII of the Act sets out arrangements for the protection of earners incuding (section 46) whether and to what extent a programme of education is accommodated through procedures in the Act for access, transfer and progression. Phasing in of the new arrangements wi be important to aow eary chidhood education providers and staff sufficient time to upgrade their skis to the required eves and to take account of the risk of initia skis shortages in an expanding area. The State agrees with the consensus expressed in the Nationa Forum report that a uniform approach to provision of training is not desirabe. 11 Thus, apart from the arrangements set out above, the State does not propose to introduce compusory rationaisation of courses. Suppy and demand, particuary in the context of the improved eve of information which wi be made avaiabe, shoud ensure the surviva of the most effective courses. Fexibe deivery of courses - incuding course times and entry requirements wi be encouraged, to maximise the options avaiabe, incuding for parents, to acquire skis and competencies reevant to the needs of chidren. Diaogue and exchange of ideas between course providers wi aso be encouraged to improve coordination and quaity. An ongoing process of training wi be required to faciitate updating of quaifications and skis to take account of deveopments in best practice. A programme of training and deveopment wi be devised under the aegis of the ECEA, with input from parents, existing eary chidhood education providers and other partners in education. Staff Retention Standardisation of training shoud ead to the creation of career adders and movement between the different areas of the eary chidhood education system, resuting in improved retention and professionaisation of the sector: Status is aso an important issue. Ireand has been fortunate in having a highy professiona and we-respected

54 4.5 Inputs teaching profession. Research shows that we sha do we to extend this profie to eary education. 12 Low esteem can be tacked by raising awareness of the importance of eary chidhood education and the quaities required in those who provide it. The measures set out in the preceding paragraphs wi hep to enhance the career status and structure for eary chidhood education staff. In addition, growth in demand for services and the proposas in this White Paper to deveop the sector, shoud provide scope for improvement in overa career prospects. This shoud ead, in turn, to ower turnover of staff and enhanced quaity of provision. Some of the inputs which have a bearing on the quaity of eary chidhood education provision are aready covered by the existing Chid Care Reguations. These Reguations set down minimum standards for adut-chid ratios, insurance, and size and condition of premises. A pre-schoo providers currenty covered wi continue to remain subject to the Reguations. The Reguations set down a recommended staffing ratio concerning sessiona services for chidren aged from birth to 6 years, of 1 adut to 10 chidren. 13 Lower ratios, which vary by age group, are specified for other settings. These ratios are seen as necessary to ensure that the care and wefare of chidren is safeguarded. Adut:chid ratios for educationa purposes may differ. In certain cases, ower ratios may be appropriate. These might, where supported by research, incude chidren from disadvantaged backgrounds or settings which incude chidren with specia educationa needs. These particuar cases, and the specific circumstances of the infant casses in nationa schoos, wi be discussed in ater chapters of this White Paper. The Reguations do not cover the provision of educationa equipment and materias and minimum standards in this area wi be drawn up by the ECEA in consutation with interested parties. Size and quaity of premises are, however, covered in detai in the Reguations. As a resut of faing enroments, some schoos wi have spare capacity which coud be made avaiabe to eary chidhood education providers. Schoos may aso be in a position to make accommodation avaiabe outside of reguar schoo hours. To assist providers to acquire suitabe premises, incentives wi be provided to schoos to reease accommodation. This approach, which is supported by the Commission on the Famiy, wi improve the quaity of premises and strengthen the inks between eary chidhood education and primary education. 14 It wi aso compement broader strategies (for exampe, tax aowances for capita investment) to improve suppy and quaity for provision of chidcare paces.

55 4.6 Research, Deveopment and Dissemination Research and deveopment is vita to ensure best practice and improve quaity of provision. It is particuary important in the eary chidhood education area, given the extent of variation in effectiveness of interventions and the somewhat ad hoc nature of the deveopment of the provision in Ireand to date. A significant research and deveopment programme wi be funded and overseen through the Eary Chidhood Education Agency. In devising the programme of research, the Agency wi take account of the views of internationa experts in the eary chidhood education fied. Co-funding of research projects of common interest, with other agencies and Departments, wi aso be pursued. The programme of research wi invove an eement of provision aimed at key groups, through which modes of best practice in curricuum and methodoogy may be impemented and evauated. Evauation of the various initiatives proposed in this White Paper wi be undertaken as part of the research programme. Dissemination of the research findings wi hep to encourage best practice and raise standards. Particuar emphasis wi be given to ongitudina studies of eary chidhood education participants and to projects which focus on the disadvantaged and chidren with specia needs.

56 5 INTERVENTION MODEL This chapter buids on the materia in previous chapters to set out a genera mode of provision of eary chidhood education for chidren from birth to 6 years. Proposas concerning three specific groups are discussed in ater chapters. Chapter 6 outines the eary chidhood education mode for chidren in primary schoo, chapter 7 considers chidren with a specia educationa need and chapter 8 deas with proposas regarding chidren who are disadvantaged. The mode described wi adopt a chid-centred approach, with the aim of improving the educationa achievement of chidren and enhancing a aspects of their deveopment, through high-quaity eary chidhood education. There wi be a particuar focus on tacking the educationa needs of chidren who are disadvantaged. Athough the main focus in the chapter wi be on chidren aged 3 to 4, catered for in a forma chidcare/education setting outside of the home, consideration wi aso be given to younger chidren and to chidren whose parents opt to care for them in the home.

57 5.1 Overview State interventions wi be designed to faciitate and support providers to deiver quaity eary education as an integra part of a eary chidhood services. Providers who are funded by the State with the aim of meeting the deveopmenta/educationa needs of chidren wi be required to meet prescribed standards as set out in chapter 4; other providers wi be supported and encouraged to meet these standards, and wi be given the opportunity to have this fact recognised through the award of the Quaity in Education (QE) mark. In ine with the key principes set out earier in this Paper, the State, in making provision for eary chidhood education, wi seek to buid on existing provision and to use the existing reguatory framework, where possibe. The State s roe in this area wi argey be executed by the Eary Chidhood Education Agency (chapter 11). 5.2 Framework for Provision A arge number of Government Departments and State agencies aready fund eary chidhood services; an outine of these services was given in chapter 2. The aims of these services vary: services provided by the Department of Justice, Equaity and Law Reform have the genera objective of faciitating equa participation by parents in the abour force or the education system; services provided by the Department of Heath and Chidren are argey aimed at ensuring the care and protection of chidren. Most State-funded services have, as a primary or secondary aim, the aeviation of disadvantage. As set out earier in this paper, the research indicates that the provision of paces is not sufficient, in itsef, to achieve deveopmenta/ educationa goas, which are basic to the aeviation of disadvantage: the State must be concerned with the deveopmenta experiences of the chidren who fi these paces and must ensure that the provision is actuay heping in the achievement of the deveopmenta/educationa goas. The basic principe underpinning State intervention is that where provision is funded by the State with the aim of meeting the deveopmenta/educationa needs of chidren, the provision of quaity eary chidhood education must be ensured. 5.3 Buiding on Existing State-funded Provision In ine with the key principe that the State wi seek to buid on existing provision and to use the existing reguatory framework, where possibe, the State wi:

58 continue to provide eary chidhood education for priority groups chidren with specia needs, traveers and chidren who are disadvantaged estabish strategies, at nationa eve, to ensure an educationa/ deveopmenta content to provision set down minimum quaity standards for the educationa/deveopmenta content, in accordance with the principes aid down in chapter 4 deveop and pubish guideines in a number of areas, as set out in chapter 4 deveop and pubish a specimen curricuum which may be used for pre-schoo chidren, incuding chidren under 3 years of age estabish and maintain a framework for the deveopment, recognition and award of quaifications and for the promotion and faciitation of access, transfer and progression throughout the sector where necessary, provide funding and other supports to providers to assist them in deveoping their services to the required standards inspect/evauate the provision, in accordance with the framework deveoped in chapter 10, with a view to ensuring that standards are enhanced and maintained; in the case of a serious breach of educationa standards, which remains unaddressed, State funding may, as set out in chapter 10, be withdrawn review quaity standards on a continuing basis in the ight of new research and modes of good practice. The structures through which the State s intervention in this area wi be managed wi be set out in chapter 11. The requirement for funded providers to meet minimum standards wi be phased in graduay, foowing consutation with the various interested parties. This wi aow eary chidhood education providers and staff sufficient time to upgrade their skis, quaifications and provision to the required eve. Is mór an ceann oibre a dhéanann Naíonraí a shoáthraíonn oideachas trí Ghaeige, chomh fada agus a bhaineann e forbairt agus uathoideachas eanaí agus e tacaíocht don Ghaeige. Liamhnaítear go bhfui Naíonraí faoi mhíbhuntáiste seachas saghasanna eie réamhscoieanna, i dtaca e háiseanna a bheith ar fái iontu. Tacaíonn an scáthghrúpa, An Comhchoiste Réamhscoaíochta, e soáthar áiseanna agus soáthraíonn Údarás na Gaetachta maoiniú teoranta ceannsraithe.

59 Beidh na tacaithe uie do réamhscoieanna atá uaite sa Pháipéar Ban ar fái mar an gcéanna, dar ndóigh, do Naíonraí. Beidh áiseanna agus comhaire ar fái, i ngaeige agus i mbéara, ón Áisíneacht Luathoideachais Leanaí. Chomh maith eis sin, beidh sé mar chúram speisiata ar an Áisíneacht curacam agus áiseanna do réamhscoieanna án-ghaeacha a chomh-mhaoiniú agus a thacú agus cúrsaí oiiúna agus tuismitheoireachta trí mheán na Gaeige a fhorbairt. Ina theannta sin, beidh ro árnach sna cúrsaí seo ag an gcoiste Gaeige a éiítear in At 31 den Acht Oideachais. The Government recognises the important roe payed by Irish pre-schoo education in fostering the anguage. As noted, a provisions that appy generay to pre-schoo education wi appy to Irish medium pre-schooing. However, the Government recognises that pre-schooing in Irish has been traditionay funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaetacht and the Isands (Bord na Gaeige/Údarás na Gaetachta) and sees no reason to change this. It shoud be stated that the amounts concerned are on a very imited scae. It is envisaged that, particuary in the context of the estabishment of the North/South Irish anguage body, increased funding wi be made avaiabe to the Irish anguage pre-schooing sector from 2001 onwards. 5.4 Direct State Intervention There wi be instances where the educationa needs of disadvantaged chidren, or those with specia educationa needs, are not being met by existing State-funded services. Some of these wi be deat with through the research strand, outined ater in this chapter. The particuar requirements of chidren with specia educationa needs wi be deat with in chapter 7. Proposas concerning disadvantaged chidren are set out in chapter Faciitating Quaity Eary Education for a Whie direct State funding or provision of eary chidhood education wi be targeted argey at chidren in key groups, mainy those experiencing educationa disadvantage or those with a specia educationa need, the State has an interest, for a the reasons set out in chapter 1, in faciitating the incorporation of quaity education provision into a eary chidhood services. The Quaity in Education (QE) mark, outined in chapter 4, wi be the main instrument by which the State wi seek to ensure that quaity eary education services are widey avaiabe. The QE mark wi be avaiabe to a providers of eary chidhood services, who may appy for the mark.

60 The State, through the Eary Chidhood Education Agency, wi promote the QE mark, and wi faciitate and support providers in obtaining it. In particuar, the State wi: make avaiabe to providers guideines in a number of areas, outined in chapter 4, incuding the recommended or specimen curricuum for pre-schoo chidren promote the framework estabished for the deveopment, recognition and award of quaifications and for the promotion and faciitation of access, transfer and progression throughout the sector faciitate and support providers and chidcare staff in acquiring quaifications, through the deveopment and provision of training courses, and through the provision of incentives for training consider providing imited funding for the upgrading of faciities and materias to enabe provision of quaity eary chidhood education provide an inspection and evauation service for purposes of assessing quaity in ine with QE standards insofar as possibe, provide genera advice and support to providers disseminate the resuts of research and good practice encourage funded providers to deveop inks with other providers in the neighbourhood, and with oca schoos, to ease the transition to primary schoo. 5.6 Chidren aged 3 to 4 cared for in the Home 1 A considerabe number of parents choose to care for their pre-schoo chidren in the home. Where parents opt to do this, the State wi make avaiabe a number of supports which they may use to deveop and encourage the educationa dimension of their chidren s care. A variety of educationa materias, incuding, most particuary, the guideines on curricuum and methodoogy, and the specimen curricuum deveoped by the State (see chapter 4), wi be made avaiabe to parents, in a number of formats (hard copy, Internet), and through a number of channes - the oca ibrary network, community heath care centres, socia wefare offices and the Nationa Parents Counci. In addition, chapter 9 proposes that the Eary Chidhood Education Agency deveop courses, with particuar emphasis on deveopment of eary iteracy skis, of which parents may avai.

61 The Eary Chidhood Education Agency (ECEA) wi work with other Departments and agencies to examine the feasibiity of faciitating and supporting the estabishment of drop-in centres, or parent and todder groups, where parents may receive and exchange advice and experience on issues reating to eary chidhood education. The possibiity of buiding on the Department of Socia, Community and Famiy Affairs support for Famiy and Community Services Resource Centres wi be examined. Typicay, these Centres provide a wide range of services incuding crèche and pre-schoo faciities, after schoo activities and usuay provide a genera drop-in faciity for parents. In addition, adut education and training courses (incuding parenting) are avaiabe in the Centres. The ECEA wi consider, in particuar, the possibiity of ocating centres in vacant cassrooms in nationa schoos, which woud have the added advantage of inking the eary education experience to the mainstream education system; incentives woud be provided for schoos which provided vacant cassrooms for use in this way. The possibiity of recognised nationa eary years agencies being supported to estabish centres of this sort in particuar ocations wi aso be considered. 5.7 Chidren under 3 Years Athough the needs of this age group are predominanty care-reated, as outined earier, there are substantia benefits to be gained from supportive education, even at this eary age. Whie it is not necessary to provide a forma eary education system for these chidren, it is desirabe that they be provided with opportunities to deveop in a number of areas cognitive, inguistic, socia, emotiona, aesthetic, sensory, physica and mora areas. The initiatives concerning curricuum, advice and support wi be avaiabe to this age group. The active invovement of parents is crucia to the deveopment of their chidren and this is particuary the case for chidren aged under 3. Assistance is therefore most effective when provided to parents, to assist them to hep their chidren. A range of proposas is outined in chapter 9. Interventions wi aso aim to buid on the existing invovement of the Department of Heath and Chidren. The Eary Chidhood Education Agency wi aso, in cooperation with maternity hospitas, provide support materias and deveopmenta guideines and advice to parents of newborn chidren. 5.8 Research Strand Genera provisions with regard to research, deveopment and dissemination were set out in chapter 4. It is envisaged that the research programme wi invove the estabishment of a number of piot projects, under the aegis of the Eary Chidhood Education Agency, to test

62 modes of provision, with a view to dissemination of the resuts. Existing Eary Start projects wi form the core of the initia research piot projects. Providers wi be encouraged to engage in the research process from the outset. Funded providers which seek to tacke disadvantage wi be required to impement best practice findings from the research strand; non-funded providers wi be encouraged to impement these findings. 5.9 Impementation Two of the key principes underpinning this White Paper are that impementation wi be undertaken on a gradua, phased basis, to aow a the participants in the system to prepare adequatey for the chaenges which ie ahead, and that progress wi be achieved through a process of consutation, diaogue and partnership. An incrementa, phased impementation wi be necessary to ensure that eary chidhood education staff have adequate time to update/enhance their existing skis base to the required eves and to aow providers sufficient time to adjust to the new system. An incrementa approach aso recognises the pressures that exist in the chidcare sector and avoids any danger of reductions in the suppy of eary chidhood paces.

63 6 EDUCATION EARLY CHILDHOOD PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN This White Paper encompasses poicy for a chidren aged up to 6 years. Chapter 5 has focussed on chidren up to the age of 4 years; the focus in this chapter is on chidren above this age, most of whom, as pointed out in chapter 1, attend State-funded nationa schoos. These chidren form an important infant cohort which, in internationa terms, is regarded as a pre-schoo cohort. It is important, therefore, that poicy in reation to the eary chidhood education needs of these chidren be set out ceary in this White Paper.

64 6.1 Existing Provision The first few years a chid spends in primary schoo have a profound effect on the chid and on her/his ater achievement throughout the education system. The experience can be daunting, as the chid has to cope with the transition from a setting which is party, or indeed argey, care based, to a more forma and structured earning environment. The services provided to chidren in these infant casses must recognise this and must assist the chidren successfuy to make the transition to primary schoo. The genera aims of eary education for chidren in the infant casses of primary schoos are essentiay the same as those outined for younger chidren in a pre-schoo setting. If chidren have experienced quaity eary chidhood education during the preschoo years, they wi enter the eary years of primary schoo with a disposition and in a state of readiness to earn. It is important that, for these chidren, the benefits of eary chidhood education are not ost but rather are consoidated as they progress through the education system. Chidren who have not benefited from eary chidhood education, either in a home or other setting, must aso be enabed to benefit to the maximum degree from the education provided in the eary casses in primary schoo. Whie there are many positive aspects of the education provided in the infant casses in primary schoos, it is cear, from the anaysis in chapter 2, that some aspects of provision require some modification to ensure that provision remains of the highest possibe quaity. Chapter 2 highighted cass size for target groups, resources and inconsistent appication of new methodoogies as particuar issues which must be tacked in this context. 6.2 Curricuum and Methodoogy Chapter 4 has deat in a genera way with the issues of curricuum and methodoogy and proposed that the Eary Chidhood Education Agency shoud deveop appropriate guidance for curricuum and methodoogies for pre-schoo chidren. A revised curricuum for primary schoos, incuding infant casses, has recenty been introduced into schoos. The revised curricuum aso incudes guideines on methodoogies. It buids on the atest research into, and the most up-to-date expertise on, chidhood earning. Used by teachers in the infant casses in primary schoos, and couped with additiona resources for equipment and, in particuar cases, by smaer chid:adut ratios, the curricuum guideines and methodoogies shoud prove adequate to address the educationa needs of the chidren in infant casses in primary schoos. Further evauation and deveopment of curricuum and methodoogies for infants casses wi continue on an ongoing basis. The proposed programme of research and deveopment wi be important in this regard. In particuar, it

65 wi be necessary to ensure that provision continues to take account of deveoping knowedge and best practice. 6.3 Quaifications and Training 6.4 Inputs The twin issues of quaifications and training were addressed in a genera way in chapter 4, which aso noted that the issues wi be addressed for the system as a whoe by the Quaifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999, with input aso from the Eary Chidhood Education Agency. To enhance and maintain the integrity of the primary schoo system, and of the primary teaching service, there is a case for maintaining the system whereby fuy-trained teachers are depoyed as the eading cassroom professionas in infant casses. However, other teaching professionas wi aso have deveoped skis which may be particuary suited to the needs of infants in primary schoos. These incude, for exampe, quaified Montessori teachers, who have been awarded an NCEA accredited degree quaification, foowing a fu-time course of no ess than three years in duration. Recognition extends to such teachers to teach in specia schoos and specia casses in nationa schoos. Difficuties, of course, arise in reation to further extending this recognition to mainstream teaching posts as it is necessary for a teachers to have quaifications in reation to the fu range of the primary curricuum since each primary schoo teacher may be required to teach any age group. This said, the Department of Education and Science intends consuting on the most appropriate means of assisting these other professionas to obtain quaifications which woud entite them to hod mainstream posts in nationa schoos. More generay, an Expert Advisory Group, estabished by the Minister for Education and Science, is currenty undertaking a review of the pre-service education programme for primary teachers provided by the coeges of education. The Group has been particuary asked to consider issues reating to pre-service training for teachers in infant casses. It woud be premature to recommend changes in advance of this Group s fina report. However, it is cear that its findings wi inform any changes in training for teachers. The Eary Chidhood Education Agency, in its capacity as an originator and disseminator of research findings, wi iaise with and have an input into in-career deveopment provision for teaching professionas in infant casses, insofar as the particuar needs of eary chidhood education are concerned.

66 Much debate in recent years has centred on the optima chid:adut ratio and the impications of this ratio for effective earning. Internationa research indicates that smaer ratios (18:1) in the initia years are beneficia, in particuar for disadvantaged and minority students The research suggests that minority and economicay disadvantaged students benefit most from smaer casses. 1 However, the benefits are ikey to be essened uness teachers adapt their teaching methodoogies in ine with the reductions the cearest evidence of positive effects is in the primary grades, particuary kindergarten through third grade, and that reducing cass size is especiay promising for disadvantaged and minority students. positive effects were ess ikey if teachers did not change their instructiona methods and cassroom procedures in the smaer casses. 2 The Department of Education and Science has traditionay empoyed ower chid:adut ratios as one method of targetting the needs of disadvantaged chidren, particuary in the eary years in primary schoos. This measure, combined with changed teaching methodoogies and other arrangements is seen, for exampe, in the Breaking the Cyce piot programme, which makes provision for reduced cass sizes for each of the first four years of primary schoo. The Chidcare Reguations aso make provision for reativey sma chid:adut ratios, which vary according to the age of the chid and the circumstances of the setting. Chidren who are in situations of reativey sma chid:adut ratios in pre-schoo settings may find it difficut to adapt to the much arger cass sizes in primary schoos. The Department wi continue to address this issue in the context of prioritising schoos which serve significant numbers of disadvantaged chidren. Evidence from recent internationa research suggests that eary identification of and intervention concerning a chid s specia needs is most effective for the individua chid, and most cost-effective in the ong term. Particuar attention wi be directed by the remedia service (extended to a schoos with effect from September 1999) towards the needs of chidren in the eary years in nationa schoos. The Department accepts that quaity provision shoud be supported by appropriate faciities, equipment and materias. It considers that where resources are aocated to the primary education system, priority shoud be given to the needs of infants casses. and materias for infant casses. The introduction of the new infant capitation grant for the schoo year 1999/2000 is evidence of this priority. The grant may be used by schoos to purchase equipment according to their individua needs. In utiising the grant, schoos wi have to have regard to the enhancement of quaity in the eary casses and to the importance of making avaiabe materias that support earning through pay and activity. Schoos may aso ink into reevant initiatives at primary

67 eve. For exampe, the grant may be inked into the Schoos IT 2000 programme, through the purchase of CDs and computer software.

68 7 CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Since the 1930s, there has been research evidence that the provision of stimuation and education at an eary, pre-schoo age tends to acceerate the physica, socia and cognitive deveopment of chidren with disabiities. In the ast decade, in particuar, there has been significant research into the effectiveness of eary intervention programmes for chidren with disabiities. The evidence emerging from these studies is unequivoca in highighting the significance of the eary years in the deveopment of chidren with disabiities and in stressing the vaue of targeted systematic, intensive and high-quaity interventions.

69 7.1 Definition of Chidren with Specia Educationa Needs The Report of the Specia Education Review Committee in its definition of pupis with specia educationa needs incuded a those whose disabiities and/or circumstances prevent or hinder them from benefiting adequatey from the education which is normay provided for pupis of the same age, or for whom the education which can generay be provided in the ordinary cassroom is not sufficienty chaenging. 1 The Report described particuar categories of pupis with specia educationa needs, incuding pupis with menta handicap, emotiona and behavioura disorders, physica and sensory disabiities, specific earning disabiities, specific speech and anguage disorders, and autism. 7.2 Rationae for Eary Education for Chidren with Specia Needs The rationae for eary chidhood education for chidren generay was set out in chapter 1. The arguments outined in that chapter appy equay, or even more so, to pupis with specia educationa needs. In particuar: a chid s eary earning provides the foundation for ater earning, so the sooner intervention is begun the greater the opportunity and ikeihood for the chid to go on to earn more compex skis and have deveopment enhanced there is the possibiity that, with quaity eary chidhood educationa interventions, the handicaps and difficuties of a chid with a disabiity such as autism, cerebra pasy, hearing impairment or Down s Syndrome may experience wi be reduced and additiona probems wi be prevented eary intervention can support famiies in adjusting to having a chid with specia needs; moreover, if parents have the assistance of an eary chidhood teacher, who is trained and experienced in specia needs education, they may be assisted to acquire the skis they need to hep their chid to deveop to his/her fu potentia. These arguments are persuasive for a young chidren with specia needs. However, they are particuary strong in the case of chidren with severe disabiities in whom the deveopment of anguage, communication and socia skis are affected as a resut of their disabiities. Chidren who can benefit from eary chidhood specia education and other forms of eary intervention incude chidren with:

70 inteectua impairment and genera earning difficuties, incuding chidren who are diagnosed as such from birth or soon after birth; chidren with mutipe disabiities and chidren with certain syndromes, incuding Down s Syndrome, form part of this group severe physica disabiities, incuding those with spina bifida and/or hydrocephaus, cerebra pasy and muscuar dystrophy sensory disabiities, particuary those with severe visua impairment and those with profound or severe hearing impairment emotiona and/or behavioura disorder deayed or disordered speech or anguage deveopment autistic spectrum disorders. Consideration of best practice in the United States and esewhere eads to the concusion that eary intervention is effective when it provides high quaity, intensive and ceary articuated programmes, deivered by highy skied and carefuy trained personne in contexts of sma group and individua instruction, and which are panned specificay to address individua, identified needs. Intervention programmes require a range of supports and services in order to maximize benefits to the chid. These supports and services come through access to and coordination with other reevant agencies and professionas. They extend the focus of attention beyond the immediate context of the actua intervention programme to incude the chid s famiy and home/community environment, providing a comprehensive web of support. Each eement has its own ceary defined roe but, equay, each contributes to the effectiveness of the other, necessary components of the intervention programme. 7.3 Identification and Assessment A Nationa Inteectua Disabiity Database has been estabished and panning is aready underway to set up a simiar database for physica and sensory disabiities. The existence of these databases wi assist in panning services and poicy at the nationa eve. However, chidren with disabiities ive at oca eve and each heath board must maintain its own database to cover the broad range of disabiities. The coection and recording of data must ead to appropriate panning of intervention services, incuding eary chidhood specia education, at oca eve. In the absence of accurate statistics for each disabiity category, ony an estimate can be made of the numbers of young chidren who wi require eary chidhood specia education. Not a disabiities wi be detected in the years before chidren reach the age of six years. Many chidren with mid inteectua impairment and the resutant

71 genera earning disabiities are identified ony after some time in schoo. A reasonabe estimate of the number of chidren who wi require specia education in the eary years is about four per cent of an age cohort. The diagnosis and identification of disabiity at heath board eve is crucia. To do this effectivey it is essentia that, within each heath board, there are we-staffed, mutidiscipinary teams avaiabe to function in hospitas where chidren are born and at oca eve where a variety of heath services is provided to young chidren. Mutidiscipinary teams aready function within the heath boards. Their utimate goa is the improvement of the genera wefare of chidren through the eary identification and assessment of difficuties and disabiities. Teams shoud have the range of professiona expertise needed to identify and advise on the range of disabiities they wi meet in young chidren. Whie the contribution of each speciaist in the diagnosis of specia needs is to be vaued, the data from certain speciaists is of particuar use. The insights and recommendations of psychoogists, speech and anguage therapists, physiotherapists and occupationa therapists, can be of immediate vaue in pre-schoo settings and in schoos in deveoping education pans for pupis with disabiities. The advice and support of these professionas shoud be avaiabe to staff who are working with young chidren with specia needs. Teachers with expertise in specia needs education shoud be members of teams when panning for the eary education of a chid with a disabiity is being discussed. The teacher member of the mutidiscipinary teams shoud be the main channe of communication between the team and pre-schoo staff and teachers in schoos. Shortcomings that exist in present provision and wi need to be addressed incude: the restricted composition of mutidiscipinary teams and, particuary, the absence of teachers with expertise in specia education on those teams the shortage in the suppy of key professionas, which is a matter of immediate and ongoing concern the need to promote and increase take-up of the services offered at deveopmenta check-ups the absence of iaison between these teams and the pre-schoo settings and schoos which chidren identified with disabiities wi attend. 7.4 Existing Provision for Chidren aged 4 to 5 years with Specia Needs in the Schoo System

72 The State currenty makes extensive provision for chidren with specia needs in the schoo system, incuding the infant casses in nationa schoos. Since November 1998, every chid with an identified specia need has an automatic entitement to specia provision, from a range of supports, incuding resource teachers, specia needs assistants, specia casses, visiting teachers and enhanced additiona supports, such as specia schoo transport, equipment and assistive technoogy. A significant feature of the expanded provision of specia education services is that it is argey happening within mainstream schoos on an integrated basis. Very many individua pupis with specia educationa needs are being supported in their mainstream casses with the assistance of resource teachers. This support is becoming increasingy avaiabe to 4 to 6-year-ods. A range of specia schoos caters for chidren with specia needs; these schoos enro chidren from four years of age. This option, in particuar, is the one preferred for chidren with autism and those with specific speech and anguage disorders. In the case of one specia schoo for chidren with physica disabiities the Centra Remedia Cinic Schoo - a cass for 3-year ods has been estabished. These chidren are incuded on the ro of the schoo and are taught by a member of the teaching staff of the schoo. Three new pre-schoo specia casses have been estabished on a piot basis for young chidren diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders. A three casses two in Dubin and one in Cork (CABAS) - have favourabe staffing eves and are supported by mutidiscipinary teams as required. 7.5 Provision for Chidren with Specia Needs under 4 years of Age The Visiting Teacher Service of the Department provides a service to young chidren with visua and/or hearing impairment, from the age of 2 years. Teachers with speciaist quaifications visit and teach the young chidren in their homes. They aso demonstrate mode teaching approaches for the benefit of parents, and advise parents on appropriate management of their chid s specia educationa needs. The heath boards and/or vountary bodies provide services for many young chidren who have been assessed with severe or profound disabiities. These preschoo services, which incude varying amounts of education provision, are avaied of by chidren who have been assessed, by eary intervention teams, usuay with menta handicap. However they aso cater for chidren with mutipe disabiities and chidren within the autistic spectrum. The services are provided in Chid Education and Deveopment Centres and are generay run by a Cinica Director and staffed by nurses with a

73 menta handicap quaification, with teaching inputs suppied typicay by Montessoritrained teachers. Pay therapists are aso empoyed in some of these centres. The pre-schoo service provided varies. In a cases, there are direct teaching services to young chidren. In some cases, principay in the case of hearing and visuay impaired chidren but aso in the case of disadvantaged chidren, they are indirect, advisory services offered to parents and cassroom teachers. In a sma number of cases, particuary with hearing impaired, reated services, such as the provision of assistive technoogy, are provided. 7.6 Deveoping a Poicy for Eary Specia Needs Education The range of services aready provided by the Department of Education and Science, athough reativey imited to date, typifies the range of services that may be provided more generay. This range of services wi continue to be provided and wi be expanded. However, in the matter of eary chidhood education generay, but especiay in the matter of eary chidhood specia education, one size does not fit a. Young chidren with specia educationa needs form a very varied popuation. They have very different combinations of needs and abiities and are iving in very different environments. A wide range of issues impinges on any poicy that can be deveoped for their eary education. These are discussed in the foowing paragraphs. Demographic and prevaence issues Demographic and prevaence issues arise and must be tacked. Some disabiities are more common than others and there is a wide spread in terms of prevaence. In urban areas it may be possibe to provide expert supports, both in pre-schoo settings and in designated schoos where chidren under 4 years od who have disabiities can be brought together for stimuation and education. Such an arrangement in a rura setting might prove very difficut because of ower prevaence, greater dispersa, transport probems and the difficuties inherent in bringing young chidren with disabiities ong distances to services. Education and care issues The issues of care and education shoud aso be mentioned here. Deveopment happens across a spectrum, in an uneven manner. This has an impact on the services which can be made avaiabe to chidren generay, but the effects are more severe for chidren with disabiities, where the existence of the disabiity may seriousy deay the emergence of particuar competencies or abiities. The deveopmenta age eve of the

74 chid across the spectrum can be important in regard to whether the focus is principay on care or education. It can never be excusivey on one or the other. This, in turn, may determine whether the provision made is indirect, through advice on stimuation and education to parents and carers, or direct, in terms of teaching the chid. At times, it may be both. A reated and important issue is the significance of the benefit to the chid from getting eary education as opposed to care and stimuation. The justification for the provision of eary education to certain groups such as those who are disadvantaged or who are Traveers aready exists. Whereas care, stimuation and eary education are of benefit to a chidren, incuding a those with disabiities, a more focussed eary education may reap greater benefits for certain sub-groups among those disabiities. These subgroups woud incude, in particuar, chidren whose speech and anguage is seriousy deayed or disordered, chidren with gross sensory impairments where anguage, cognitive and socia deveopment are very seriousy disrupted, and chidren whose behaviour and impairments present very difficut management probems for their parents or carers. This atter group woud incude chidren with certain syndromes and chidren within the autistic spectrum, where eary education can focus on the specific areas of impairment. Curricuum issues It is vitay important that the curricuum/programme, and the teaching approaches and methods, be appropriate to the needs of the chidren. As chidren with disabiities are a very varied group, their needs and abiities are quite different. For some young chidren the acquisition of certain persona skis may assume greater significance at a particuar stage. For a young chid, being abe to manage his/her own needs in regard to the toiet, persona hygiene, feeding and behaviour is a great boost to feeings of competence and sef-esteem. For a deaf chid, it is critica to make decisions at an eary stage about an approach to anguage deveopment and the option of sign anguage. A specia focus on anguage deveopment may be the most significant reason for the provision of eary specia education to young chidren who have been diagnosed with serious deays or disorders in that area. The deveopment of communication, socia and cognitive skis and the eimination of certain behaviours may a be very important in the case of young chidren with autism. A chidren can benefit from a broad curricuum, but with chidren with specia needs, some areas of the curricuum may be more important at particuar times and may need greater focus. They, ike a chidren, wi need to foow a programme that caters for the acquisition and use of sensorimotor skis, pre-schoo cognitive skis and processes, pay and socia skis, sef-hep, communication and motor skis. The approaches used need to be fexibe enough to cater for the range and specificity of the specia needs at any

75 particuar time. They wi incude imitation, pay that is structured and unstructured, direct teaching and at times behavioura approaches. Another issue concerns what is possibe for young chidren with disabiities in terms of incusive or integrated eary specia education as opposed to segregated education. Many factors impinge on this issue aone and fexibiity wi be required in its resoution. Here, it is certainy the case that one size does not fit a, and that different arrangements may be required at different stages in a chid s ife-span. 7.7 Eements of an Eary Intervention for Chidren with Specia Needs Athough chidren with specia needs wi benefit from the genera improvements proposed as part of this White Paper, a number of particuar improvements wi be made to the services avaiabe for these chidren. In keeping with the genera thrust of this White Paper, the approach in regard to eary specia education is to buid on and improve the extent and quaity of existing services. The parents of a pre-schoo chidren with diagnosed disabiities wi have access to an eary education expert. Initiay, the experts invovement wi be as advisers to parents and as disseminators of modes of best teaching approaches. Later, it may be to teach the chidren for short periods. Once chidren begin to attend a pre-schoo or care faciity in which they wi receive education, specia education advice wi be extended to those who work with the chidren. The Visiting Teacher or resource teacher wi be a significant source of specia education support to parents and those who run eary chidhood faciities. However, there shoud aso be access to the advice and support of other speciaists, such as psychoogists and speech and anguage therapists in particuar, but aso physiotherapists and occupationa therapists in reation to specific chidren. The shortages in the suppy of key professionas, mentioned in 7.3, are reevant here aso. Care wi be taken to ensure that there is iaison between the different speciaist advisors so that dupication is avoided and parents and those in charge of faciities are not confused. Steps wi be taken to ensure that a teachers have access to appropriate pre-service and in-service deveopment to ensure that they have the expert skis and knowedge to deveop the potentia of pupis with specia needs. This wi require improved training in areas such as eary chid deveopment, how young chidren earn most effectivey and the content of the eary chidhood curricuum, and how it can be most appropriatey adapted to meet the varying needs of pupis with disabiities. It wi be

76 necessary for teachers of chidren with specia needs to update their skis continuay to take account of the rapid growth in knowedge of disabiities and the deveopment of best practice in this regard. A range of induction courses and post-graduate courses wi be made avaiabe, through coeges of education and education support centres, to those teachers who are working specificay with pupis with specia needs. These courses are aready avaiabe in a number of coeges of education. Initiay, the courses wi contain a mixture of generic and specific specia education content. Courses may aso be moduar, for teachers who work with specific popuations of specia needs pupis, such as those with autism or those with severe or profound inteectua impairment and associated genera earning difficuties. Those who aready work with young chidren with specia needs wi have access to training in specia education. A such personne wi need training in areas such as chid deveopment, the effects of different disabiities, how chidren with different disabiities earn best and curricuum design for specia needs. Appropriate curricuum guideines wi be made avaiabe to meet the needs of pupis with disabiities. The revised curricuum is appropriate for pupis with disabiities who do not have an inteectua impairment and genera earning difficuty. Adaptations to the curricuum and access to it through the use of assistive technoogy wi be required by some pupis with disabiities. This wi be the case, in particuar, for some chidren with physica disabiities and with visua impairments. For other pupis there wi be an increased emphasis on the deveopment of anguage and communication. The NCCA is aready working on the deveopment of curricuum guideines for pupis with inteectua impairments and genera earning difficuties. A range of professiona services wi be made avaiabe, as required, to support pupis with specia needs and their teachers, athough the difficuties with suppy, noted earier, are again reevant here. The mutidiscipinary teams mentioned earier wi be faciitated to provide these support services. Support wi be made avaiabe to those who run pre-schoo services that enro young chidren with disabiities. For some chidren who are aready in dedicated services for chidren with disabiities, principay with earning disabiities, arrangements wi be made to expand the services to provide for five-days per week coverage. Centres wi be faciitated in empoying teachers to provide direct education services to these chidren. Where necessary, further casses for young chidren with disabiities between the ages of 3 and 4 years wi be estabished. The issues raised earier that impinge on the feasibiity of this proposa wi matter, of course, but, in principe, provision wi be made for sub-groups of chidren with disabiities such as those referred to earier, some of whom are aready

77 getting such a service. Such casses may be estabished for chidren with autism, and for chidren with particuar severe difficuties in anguage deveopment arising from a deay or disorder, or from a hearing impairment. The Nationa Educationa Psychoogica Service (NEPS) wi be extended to a schoos and wi be avaied of by pupis with specia needs. 7.8 Structura Matters Arrangements wi be made to ensure better coordination of the work of a of the professionas invoved in the interests of chidren with specia needs. The Eary Chidhood Education Agency, proposed ater in this White Paper, wi pay a particuar roe in this regard. It wi ensure high quaity of provision of eary specia education services and that providers: have the requisite training to provide a service that is effective and have access to further staff deveopment are supported by professionas with particuar expertise when such is required and by an Inspectorate who wi monitor standards and advise in regard to improvements. Mutidiscipinary teams, which can function in an effective, coordinated and fexibe way, wi be estabished or expanded. The teams, which need not be very arge, wi consist of the key payers, representing professionas in specia education and heath, who can ca on other professiona expertise, as required, in the case of particuar chidren with specia needs. Teams wi meet to: consut with and advise parents of a chid with disabiities in regard to best options for the education of their chid make decisions with parents in regard to the form of provision that wi be made and the ocation in which it wi happen draft the outines of an education pan for each chid which can be carried out by those invoved in the education of the chid with assistance and advice from reevant professiona as required. It is important that a muti-discipinary team is tighty structured, we managed and focussed. As its key purpose in this case is educationa, it shoud be chaired by an educationaist who can ensure that any decisions arrived at are carried out effectivey. Whie the Eary Chidhood Education Agency wi have a roe that invoves the

78 coordination of the services of different Government Departments and groups at a nationa eve, the mutidiscipinary team wi be responsibe for efficient and effective coordination of provision at oca eve. The Agency wi operate in tandem with evoving structures in the specia needs area.

79 8 CHILDREN WHO ARE DISADVANTAGED Research indicates that eary chidhood education can be particuary beneficia for chidren in disadvantaged circumstances. This chapter examines current State invovement in the area and outines a strategy to enhance provision.

80 8.1 Definition Together with chidren with specia needs, disadvantaged chidren represent a key target group for the White Paper. Section 32 of the Education Act, 1998, defines educationa disadvantage as the impediments to education arising from socia or economic disadvantage which prevent students from deriving appropriate benefit from education in schoos. Educationa disadvantage is a compex, muti-faceted probem which may arise from a number of factors. These incude financia hardship, parenta unempoyment, ow eves of parenta (particuary materna) education, ocation and famiy size. In many cases, chidren wi be affected by combinations of these factors. The importance of the various factors and the degree of disadvantage varies with individua circumstances. Two reated difficuties must be overcome even before steps can be taken to tacke educationa disadvantage. Firsty, educationa disadvantage is difficut to identify. In some cases, the symptoms may be reativey easy to spot - ocation, financia hardship. However, other variabes, such as ow eves of parenta education, may not be so obvious. Moreover, it must be stressed that the presence of a given factor may not equate with disadvantage. The second difficuty is to quantify the degree of disadvantage. Many chidren may be affected by specific factors, but the impact of these factors may be mediated by individua circumstances. Accordingy, variation in the severity of disadvantage shoud be taken into account when designing and impementing intervention programmes. 8.2 Importance of Eary Chidhood Education Chapter 1 provides a detaied account of the range of benefits which may accrue from quaity eary chidhood education. These incude benefits to the individua chid, his or her parents, as we as the wider economic and socia returns. The benefits may accrue to a chidren, but as in the case of chidren with specia needs, research shows that they are particuary significant for disadvantaged chidren. An OECD review cites research in the USA which shows that eary intervention can produce ong-term cognitive and academic benefits for chidren from disadvantaged backgrounds. 1 Further American research shows ceary that interventions which tacke disadvantage may yied significant financia returns in terms of savings and may be much more cost-effective than equivaent interventions for other chidren. Assessments of savings to Government from the Emira Prenata/Eary Infancy Project

81 vary substantiay according to the risk factor invoved. Anayses indicate savings of $24, 694 per chid for higher-risk famiies to $3,775 for ower risk famiies. 2 In Ireand, evauations of the Rutand Street project have shown that quaity intervention can yied asting benefits. 3 O Faherty notes that the benefits are strongest in chidren from disadvantaged backgrounds. 4 The resuts of the interim evauation of the Eary Start piot pre-schoo programme (discussed in the next section) show that, as is the case for a eary education programmes, carefu panning and review are required to achieve benefits for disadvantaged chidren. Brain research, discussed in chapter 1, indicates that during the eary years most chidren wi benefit from a supportive, caring home environment and wi receive sufficient stimuation to assist rapid brain deveopment. 5 However, this environment and support wi not be avaiabe in some homes and chidren s deveopment may be hampered as a resut. The research further suggests that if intervention is not undertaken eary, asting damage may be caused, and that if chidren fa behind their peers at an eary stage, it becomes extremey difficut to cose the gap. 8.3 Existing Provision for Disadvantaged Young Chidren Intervention by the Department of Education and Science comprises the Eary Start piot pre-schoo project, the Rutand Street project, pre-schoo provision for Traveers and, at primary schoo eve, the Breaking the Cyce piot programme. Rutand Street Project In 1969, a pre-schoo was estabished and attached to the Rutand Street primary schoo in Dubin. The project, which is sti in operation today, aims to ease the transition for young chidren from home to primary schoo. A purpose-designed curricuum is in operation and parents are activey encouraged to participate in the education process by attending at the pre-schoo. Advice is aso provided to parents in their homes as to how they may best assist their chidren. The importance of active parenta invovement has since achieved recognition in a number of other schemes operated by the Department, most notaby the Home Schoo Community Liaison Scheme. Eary evauation of the impact of the Rutand Street Project showed that, over the course of their two years in the pre-schoo, participants made good progress in acquiring schoo-reated skis and knowedge. However, they faied to keep pace with the achievements of chidren in the genera popuation when they transferred to primary schoo. 6 Later foow-up of the participants showed that they stayed onger at

82 schoo and were more ikey to take a pubic examination than were non-participants from the same area. 7 Eary Start The Eary Start piot programme aims to tacke educationa disadvantage by targeting chidren who are considered to be at risk of not reaching their potentia within the education system. The programme was introduced in 1994 and catered initiay for and 4 year od chidren. It was expanded the foowing year and now caters for more than 1,500 pupis in 40 schoos. The approach is to estabish groups of 15 pupis in existing primary schoos in disadvantaged areas. Each cass is run by a primary schoo teacher and a quaified chidcare worker. Whie the Eary Start curricuum emphasises the deveopment of cognitive and inguistic skis, due recognition is aso given to persona and socia deveopment. The Eary Start programme seeks to draw on the Rutand Street Project curricuum and methodoogies. Staff visited the Rutand Street pre-schoo to observe its modus operandi and to discuss activities and curricuum with pre-schoo staff. An interim evauation of the piot programme undertaken by the Educationa Research Centre found that On a range of objective tests which invoved an assessment of chidren s cognitive, anguage and motor behaviour, no differences were found between the performance of Eary Start pupis when they reached Junior Infants cass and the performance of Junior Infant pupis who had not experienced Eary Start. Whie we might not be too surprised that participants did not show any benefit on assessments of higher order skis, it is somewhat surprising that the emphasis paced in curricua on perceptua skis was not refected in the test performance of pupis. 8 The evauation aso records surprise that the emphasis on anguage skis was not refected in participants test performance. However, potentia improvement in this area was noted: the anguage performance of the second cohort of pupis was significanty better than the performance of the first cohort. This may indicate that the emphasis on anguage deveopment was gaining momentum. Teachers perceptions of Eary Start pupis when in Junior Infants were more positive than the test resuts. Teachers aso considered that participants were superior in terms of a range of non-cognitive characteristics incuding sef-determination, adaptation to cassroom procedures, abiity to concentrate, creativity and originaity. However, it must be noted that the number of teachers interviewed was sma (17) and that views differed within this group. Moreover, the correation between teachers ratings of pupis cognitive abiity and objective tests of abiity, athough statisticay significant, was moderate in size.

83 The test findings on cognitive abiity run counter to evauations of simiar programmes, incuding the Rutand Street project, where an initia immediate impact on test performance was found. The evauation identifies a number of possibe causes for the difference in impact between Eary Start and the Rutand Street project: There was ess emphasis on cognitive deveopment in the Eary Start cassrooms than in the Rutand Street project. Eary Start is administered in a number of schoos whie the Rutand Street project is ocated on a singe premises. The opportunities for Eary Start staff from a of the schoos invoved to meet, whie considerabe by norma standards, were much ess frequent than in Rutand Street. This has had impications for the impementation of the programme and particuary for achieving homogeneity of practice across a of the Eary Start centres. A review of the in-career deveopment for the programme has ed to a revised approach which incudes a series of cassroom visits from experienced trainers. The effectiveness of Eary Start was aso affected by: Poor attendance (attendance is vountary) Methodoogies: The fact that the teachers had a ot of experience of teaching anguage probaby aso contributed to the high eve of quaity in anguage teaching. The deveopment of broader cognitive abiities was not as we handed. Despite the existence of a universa commitment to parenta invovement on the part of a staff, a need for greater carification of the roe which parents might pay in the cassroom. Lack of invovement and different expectations about procedures ed to frustration among some Chid Care workers There is an obvious need for greater carification of the roes of teachers and Chid Care workers and for procedures to ensure that the roes are adequatey and harmoniousy impemented. Whether the Eary Start programme wi ead to gains in the onger term remains to be seen. A foow-up anaysis of participants to be undertaken wi iustrate whether the programme has had more asting effects on iteracy and numeracy. Pre-schoo Provision for Traveers Fifty-four pre-schoos provide specia preparation for approximatey 660 Traveer chidren before enroment in nationa schoos. The State provides 98% of the tuition

84 costs for a maximum of three hours tuition per day for the reguar nationa schoo year. Transport costs, where necessary, are aso amost fuy-funded by the State, whie additiona support is provided for the purchase of equipment. The heath authorities contribute toward the cost of care assistants and the provision of meas. In some cases, the oca authorities provide accommodation for the pre-schoos. Vountary groups such as Barnardos, the Society of Saint Vincent de Pau and Traveer Support Groups undertake the management and administration of the pre-schoos, incuding accommodation, recruiting and empoying staff, content of the education programme and the genera deivery of the service. Breaking the Cyce The Breaking the Cyce piot project, which is an integra part of the nationa schoo system, targets disadvantage in primary schoos through the provision of enhanced capitation and specia grants for equipment and consumabes. Cass sizes are reduced in the first four years of primary schoo and significant emphasis is paced on schoo panning and teaching methodoogies. The Breaking the Cyce piot project is currenty being evauated and the resuts of this evauation wi inform any further deveopments in this area. Other State Intervention A range of programmes aimed at aeviating disadvantage, run by other Departments, is summarised in chapter 2. These incude support from the Department of Heath and Chidren for nurseries and the Equa Opportunities Chidcare Programme of the Department of Justice, Equaity and Law Reform. Lessons from existing provision The difficuties outined in chapter 2 concerning the need for coordination, greater invovement of parents and raising quaity aso appy to provision for disadvantaged chidren. Increased participation of disadvantaged chidren in eary chidhood education is vita for the chidren concerned. Disadvantaged groups generay have ower participation rates, are east abe to afford private provision and have most to benefit from participation. Targetted eary education provision for very young disadvantaged chidren in this country is sti at an eary stage of deveopment. A of the initiatives supported by the Department of Education and Science are sti at piot stage and this shoud be borne in mind when evauating the effectiveness of the existing system. Significant improvement in terms of coverage and impact shoud be possibe as essons are earned from the piot programmes.

85 Scope for improvement exists in a number of areas. The method of seection used, whie satisfactory for piot projects, woud require refinement. In particuar, the use of schoos coud be seen as a bunt seection instrument. The need to address quaifications and training is aso apparent from the Eary Start evauation. Opportunities for parenta invovement, athough more significant than in other sectors, have been imited to date. Parenta invovement, as chapter 9 wi show, heps to raise quaity and participation rates and eads to benefits for chidren and parents aike. These benefits are particuary strong where educationa disadvantage is concerned. Athough priority for and targetting of the disadvantaged is necessary, care must be taken to avoid stigmatising chidren. It is aso important to avoid giving the impression that eary chidhood education is ony for the disadvantaged. Accordingy, where possibe, provision shoud take pace in integrated settings. 8.4 Schoo-based Interventions Chapter 2 highighted research which showed that the benefits of smaer cass sizes are strongest for chidren who are disadvantaged. The existing piot Breaking the Cyce initiative, which provides for smaer cass sizes in the first four years in schoos with a high proportion of disadvantaged pupis, wi be continued. The future deveopment of support for pre-schoo initiatives wi be informed by the resuts of evauation of the programme and other (incuding internationa) research. It has aready been noted in chapter 6 that, in the aocation of support to primary schoos, priority wi be given to infants casses. The introduction of a new grant for equipment for infants casses is evidence of this commitment. However, within this group, particuar emphasis wi be given to the needs of disadvantaged chidren. The extension of a remedia service to a schoos with effect from September 1999 wi permit greater attention to the needs of a chidren in primary schoo with earning difficuties, incuding those in infant casses. New guideines and reforms, aong the ines of the report on the remedia service, are crucia to improving the effectiveness of this scheme. The benefits of invoving parents in eary chidhood education are outined in detai in chapter 9. These benefits are particuary significant for both parents and chidren who are educationay disadvantaged. Structures are aready in pace to aow parents to become invoved in their chidren s primary schoo education. These incude the Home Schoo Community Liaison Scheme. Under the Scheme, schoos provide a range of

86 training opportunities for parents, incuding parenting courses and casses to advise parents on the primary curricuum and how best to assist their chidren s work. Home visits are aso undertaken. The Eary Chidhood Education Agency wi assess the effectiveness of these arrangements, insofar as the infant casses are concerned, and wi make proposas, where necessary, to strengthen parenta invovement. 8.5 Provision for Chidren Aged 3-4 Outside Primary Schoo As indicated earier in this chapter, a number of schemes are aready in pace to cater for the pre-schoo needs of disadvantaged chidren. These incude the Rutand Street project, the Eary Start piot programme, and pre-schoos for Traveers. The Department wi continue to support and improve a range of programmes for the disadvantaged. As part of the research and deveopment programme proposed in chapter 5, particuar attention wi be given to addressing the weaknesses identified by the Eary Start evauation. The programme wi aso focus on deveopment of best practice for eary chidhood education for the disadvantaged. In addition to improving existing programmes, the Eary Chidhood Education Agency (ECEA) wi encourage disadvantaged communities and groups to estabish their own pre-schoo programmes. Many such groups aready receive assistance from other Government Departments. Communities circumstances wi vary widey and they are best abe to identify their own needs and strategies. For this reason, programmes may take a number of forms. Loca schoos wi be encouraged and given incentives to make premises avaiabe to community-based groups and to deveop inks with them. Assistance wi be provided by the ECEA in the form of advice, a Visiting Teacher service, materias and support, whie inspectors wi be avaiabe to assist groups to raise standards and quaity to the eves required for awarding of the QE (Quaity in Education) mark. Some oca communities may not be in a position to deveop services themseves. In such cases, a more proactive roe wi be undertaken by the ECEA to stimuate and deveop a strategy for eary chidhood education. As we as the range of supports outined above, start-up funding wi be made avaiabe to kick-start programmes. The Department of Education and Science wi aso become invoved in direct provision in disadvantaged areas, where gaps exist. Provision wi be in a variety of settings, depending on the circumstances. Provision wi be put in pace ony foowing fu consideration with schoos and communities.

87 Where demographic (sma numbers of chidren), geographica (remote ocation, dispersed popuation) or cutura (ethnic minorities) factors prevent the deveopment of conventiona strategies, the ECEA wi seek to deveop innovative approaches to providing an eary education service. Options may incude the provision of a distance education service, a mobie pre-schoo and provision of transport for disadvantaged chidren and parents. As shown in chapter 2 (particuary in the case of New Zeaand), these approaches have been deveoped esewhere, and the ECEA wi take account of internationa experience and best practice in this regard. Where sma numbers of disadvantaged chidren are ocated in advantaged areas, the ECEA wi aso fund provision of eary education by private providers for such chidren. In order to quaify for such funding, providers must quaify for the QE mark discussed in chapter 4. The pacement of disadvantaged chidren in mixed settings wi be in keeping with the need, referred to earier, to avoid stigmatising such chidren or abeing eary education as something for the disadvantaged ony. 8.6 Chidren under 3 Assistance to parents is crucia for this age group. The rationae for intervention and the range of services and assistance outined in other chapters wi aso appy to parents of disadvantaged chidren under 3 years of age. 8.7 Traveer Chidren The Report of the Task Force on the Traveing Community and the Report of the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education draw particuar attention to the importance of eary intervention for chidren of the Traveing community. Traveer chidren and their parents who have a positive experience of pre-schoo provision are better prepared for primary schoo and are, therefore, more ikey to obtain maximum benefit from their primary and post-primary schooing. The management and staff of Traveer pre-schoos shoud, in co-operation with the staff of oca primary schoos, deveop and maintain cose inks to ensure more effective participation of Traveer chidren in primary schooing. The Report on the Forum makes reference to the fact that provision has deveoped on an ad hoc basis and is bewidering in its variety in terms of quaity of accommodation, staffing programmes and accountabiity. The current arrangements for funding (both current and capita), staffing and management are inadequate to meet the needs of the chidren attending the pre-schoos. The vountary agencies that are invoved in this area are finding it increasingy difficut to meet the costs associated with the organisation, administration and maintenance of pre-schoos. At the same time, the White Paper seeks to underpin and support the growth of, rather than repace, existing provision in this area. Existing providers have deveoped expertise in eary chidhood education for Traveers. The roe of the State

88 wi not be to undermine their expertise but rather to raise standards so that a Traveer chidren can receive eary education of a high quaity. Parenta invovement The important roe of parents in the eary education of a chidren has been emphasised earier in this White Paper. Traveer parents shoud be encouraged and empowered to become invoved in the management and administration of Traveer pre-schoos and, where State-funded mainstream provision is avaiabe, Traveer parents shoud be abe to exercise choice between integrated and Traveer-specific pre-schoo education. Proposas The Eary Chidhood Education Agency (ECEA) wi be responsibe for a aspects of eary chidhood education for Traveer chidren, incuding standards of quaity, materias and curricuum, research, deveopment and inspection/evauation. In carrying out its roe in this area, the Agency wi consut with existing providers, parents and Traveer organisations on the range of issues affecting Traveer pre-schoos. 8.8 Research and Deveopment The research and deveopment programme outined in chapter 5 wi have a particuar focus on the priority groups: chidren with specia needs or who are educationay disadvantaged. The deveopment and initia impementation of best practice wi be undertaken primariy through direct provision by the State. Anaysis of effectiveness and dissemination of findings wi be vita components. Particuar attention wi be given initiay to tacking the weaknesses identified by the interim evauation of the Eary Start piot project. The input and cooperation of schoos and staff participating in the piot programme wi be an essentia component of the ongoing review and improvement of strategies to tacke educationa disadvantage at pre-schoo eve. Nongovernmenta organisations, particuary in the case of pre-schoos for Traveers, have deveoped extensive experience and expertise concerning the education of disadvantaged chidren and wi have a significant input into the deveopment and improvement of programmes. Longitudina anayses, particuary important to determine whether intervention is effective in combating disadvantage, wi aso be undertaken. 8.9 Other Matters Educationa intervention to combat disadvantage wi not be effective uness accompanied by initiatives from other sectors such as heath, housing, socia wefare

89 and empoyment. Accordingy, cross-sector coordination of effort is particuary important in this area. Structures to enhance coordination are outined in chapter 11. Some structures additiona to those proposed in chapter 11 wi be required to deveop services for disadvantaged chidren. In particuar, structures must focus on the identification of disadvantage and must provide a means of tracking disadvantaged chidren through the education system. As noted earier, educationa disadvantage may stem from many causes and the identification of disadvantage may be compex and difficut. The use of proxy indicators for disadvantage, such as the catchment areas of designated schoos, wi provide some measure of need in an area. However, since designated primary schoos capture about 30% of disadvantaged pupis, significant refinement is required. 9 Census data and other sources, incuding surveys of the extent of poverty by area, may be drawn on. The input of oca knowedge and the perspectives of the various Heath Boards wi aso be vauabe. A tracking system for disadvantaged chidren wi aso be necessary for two reasons. An effective strategy to combat educationa disadvantage requires a continuum of support through the education system. Aso, ongitudina studies of the effectiveness of eary education wi invove foow-up of assisted chidren, creating the need for some means of tracking these chidren and assessing their progress.

90 9 THE CENTRAL ROLE OF PARENTS The importance of invoving parents in their chidren s eary education has been highighted in earier chapters. Chapter 1 outined how most young chidren benefit from a supportive and caring home environment and receive sufficient stimuation to assist rapid brain deveopment. However, chapter 2 noted that the absence of appropriate support structures and, in some cases, a ack of skis and awareness as to how to hep chidren to earn, may hamper effective invovement by parents in the eary education of their chidren. The chapter aso noted that existing systems of provision of eary chidhood education may imit parents scope to become invoved in provision outside the home. This chapter focuses on parenta roes in more detai. 1 It expains why the contribution of parents is crucia and considers aspects of provision which may have the effect of preventing parents from being invoved fuy in their chidren s eary education. A strategy to enhance parenta participation is then discussed, with the emphasis on: providing advice and support to parents regarding the earning process and how they may assist their chidren. faciitating and encouraging parenta invovement in provision

91 9.1 Why shoud Parents be invoved in Eary Chidhood Education? The active invovement of parents at a stages of the poicy formuation process is recognised as vita to the quaity of education poicy deveopment and the effectiveness of its impementation. This partnership and consutation approach is now we estabished in the education fied and represents an essentia ingredient for effective poicy-making. The important roe of parents in the education system was given statutory underpinning in the Education Act, Parents bring with them a vast quantity of expertise and different perspectives on the needs of their chidren. Parenta invovement is particuary important in the case of pre-schoo chidren, where, as this White Paper has aready acknowedged, parents are the prime educators and experts on chidren s needs. Chapter 2 iustrates the vaue which other countries attach to active parenta invovement. In particuar, invoving parents in the management and deivery of provision outside the home is a key feature of the systems in countries such as New Zeaand and Norway. A range of supports is aso provided for parents in the home, incuding a visiting teacher service, drop-in centres and (in the case of New Zeaand) a distance education service. Parenta invovement in eary chidhood education is important for a number of other reasons. Firsty, (as outined in chapter 1) brain research findings indicate that the first three years of a chid s ife are crucia in terms of deveopment. Parents pay the centra educationa roe in the eary years and provide the stimuation, care and interaction required to ensure their chidren s rapid deveopment. It is important that this parenta invovement be continued through to the period of more forma education. Secondy, parents prepare their chidren for the transition to forma education. Effectiveness of forma education is inked to the acquisition by a chid of certain skis, such as sociaisation skis and readiness to earn. These skis are deveoped, not ony in the forma education system, but aso in the home environment. Thirdy, the benefits of participation by parents in a chid s education outside the home are aso significant. Even when high-quaity pubic chid care is provided, the weight of research indicates that parents make an irrepaceabe contribution to the chid s deveopment, and their active invovement in their chidren s programmes outside the home greaty increases the ikeihood of the chid s success in ater ife. 2 Two-way communication between the parents and the more forma pre-schoo system enhances the quaity of the eary chidhood education received by the chid. Each chid is unique and has specific needs, quaities and characteristics which parents are best paced to identify. By participating in meaningfu and reguar diaogue with teaching staff, parents may communicate such information to schoos and pre-schoos. Diaogue aso enabes teaching staff to make parents aware of any areas where they may be abe

92 to assist their chidren s earning; teachers wi aso be in a position to notify parents of any issues or difficuties which are arising in the forma education setting. A positive attitude in the home towards education is inked to improved performance by the chid. As the Hargreaves Report notes: parenta commitment is a cornerstone of the schoo s success. If parents are interested in their chidren s schooing, are supportive of the schoo s endeavours, act in partnership with teachers, then the chidren wi achieve more in schoo. 3 Recent research highights the positive association between the extent of such invovement and pupi outcomes present in Irish second-eve schoos. 4 The importance of partnership between parents and teachers in the education endeavour is recognised in existing Department of Education and Science programmes, such as the Home Schoo Community Liaison Scheme, which operates at both first and second eves. Research aso shows that invoving parents from minority or disadvantaged groups in provision heps to raise eary chidhood education participation rates among those groups. Parents aso derive some benefits from their participation in their chidren s eary chidhood education. Parents invoved in piot eary education programmes have reported improved sef-confidence and better reationships with their chidren. Parenta invovement aso creates scope for further educationa and career deveopment in the eary chidhood education area. Substantia benefits from parenta invovement in eary chidhood education are shown by internationa research. As shown in previous chapters, these benefits are particuary significant for chidren with specia needs or who are disadvantaged. However, some studies suggest that parenta participation may not make a difference in a cases. For exampe, an evauation of the Even Start Programme shows that supports for parenting skis ead to positive gains in earning activities, story reading and parent-chid interaction; however, simiar gains were recorded for the nonparticipating contro group. 5 White, Tayor and Moss examined the beief that eary intervention programmes that invove parents are more effective than those that do not. They found no convincing evidence 6 These are, however, reativey isoated incidents: O Faherty concudes that There is genera agreement in the iterature to support the view that participation by parents in the deveopment and education of themseves and their chidren is a positive and perhaps necessary force. 7 and that further research on the issue is required. The interventions proposed in this White Paper wi seek to buid on the identified positive aspects of parenta invovement in eary chidhood education whie, at the same time, through the research strand, examining aspects of parenta invovement with a view to identifying positive aspects and buiding on these in ater interventions.

93 Mention must aso be made of the Constitutiona provisions in regard to parenta invovement in education. Artice 42.1 of the Constitution enshrines the roe of the famiy as the natura and primary educator of the chid. The reference in the artice to the right and duty of parents to provide for their chid s education confers on them the right to active participation in the chid s education. This view is refected by the Commission on the Famiy: parents are the first educators of their chidren. The roe of the State is to support parents in carrying out these responsibiities The Commission s approach is underpinned by a beief that chidren are generay best ooked after within the famiy Factors which inhibit Parenta Invovement The previous section noted the essentia contribution which parents make to the deveopment and effectiveness of education poicy. Education poicy and the education system generay has become increasingy parent-friendy in recent years. Parents are becoming centray invoved in the deveopment of education poicy at a nationa eve; at individua schoo eve, parents are invoved in the schoo s activities through their invovement in the schoo s parents association. Despite this, severa factors combine to inhibit the active participation by parents in their chidren s eary education. Representative bodies at nationa and oca eves represent the interests of parents at first and second eve. Further deveopment of the roes of these bodies is envisaged by the Education Act, The interests of parents of chidren in infant casses in primary schoos are represented by the Nationa Parents Counci, Primary. However, the absence of a forma representative structure for other parents of pre-schoo chidren hampers their invovement in the poicy process and imits the quaity of poicy deveopment. This is particuary unfortunate in the eary chidhood area given the primary roe of parents. Unike some other countries, Ireand acks a mechanism to invove parents in the management and organisation of services, other than schoo-based services, outside the home. As stated earier, parents are best paced to understand and meet the eary educationa and deveopment needs of their chidren. Their input in a management/supervisory/advisory capacity woud enhance quaity of provision and increase participation, particuary (as experience in the Netherands and esewhere shows) among minorities and the disadvantaged. In addition, some parents woud gain in terms of increased sef-confidence and greater understanding of eary education approaches and methodoogies.

94 For a variety of reasons, associated with changing famiy structures and increasing economic and socia pressures, many parents may not be abe to care for their chidren in the home setting for substantia periods each week and much of the care of young chidren may be provided by a third party. Famiies in this situation may face a range of additiona probems. For exampe, the Commission on the Famiy notes that ow educationa attainment and ess secure housing tenure are characteristics of one parent famiies. 9 Such famiies aso face a greater risk of poverty and have ower rates of participation in empoyment. As a consequence they may ack the confidence, or in some cases the skis, to assist with their chidren s education. The need to dea effectivey with these issues is pressing, given the ongoing change in famiy structures in Ireand. Other parents may not be obiged, but may choose to send their chidren outside the home for pre-schoo education. However, such parents may equay not have the opportunity to pay an active roe in eary chidhood education. Even where parents have the time to devote to their chidren s education, practica constraints of the environment in which education is provided (space, access) and poicy of providers may effectivey prevent their invovement. Other factors, which appy equay in the home and out-of-home situations to inhibit parents from effective invovement in their chidren s education, incude ack of confidence, ack of skis (for exampe in iteracy or numeracy areas) or ack of awareness concerning how chidren earn and how they may pay a usefu roe. 9.3 Strategies to enhance Parenta Invovement A muti-faceted strategy is proposed to faciitate and encourage parenta invovement. This invoves greater invovement of and consutation with parents in the deveopment of eary education poicy, support for parents providing eary chidhood education in the home, enhancing parenta skis, improving access to and diaogue with providers and research on best practice concerning the invovement of parents. The State wi seek to invove parents at every stage of the eary education process. This wi ensure strengthening of the parenta voice and the deveopment of a strong and expert interest group which wi participate in the consutation/partnership process. As a resut, eary education poicy wi be better informed, of higher quaity, have greater acceptabiity among the pubic and achieve greater participation.

95 The simpest and most direct approach to enhancing parenta invovement in their chidren s eary education is to faciitate greater provision in the home or in parent-chid groups. This woud invove progress on two fronts. Firsty, parents woud have to be faciitated, through a combination of financia support (to cushion the impact of oss of earnings) and continuing improvements concerning access to fexibe working arrangements (such as jobsharing, term-time working and career breaks) to provide some or a of their chidren s care and education in the home setting. These issues are inked to wider poicy matters which go beyond education; they are being considered in depth by the Government and wi not be pursued further here. Secondy, appropriate supports woud have to be made avaiabe to parents in undertaking their chidren s eary care and education at home. One option, which has been expored in other countries, and in Ireand by private providers, concerns funding the estabishment of mobie units with equipment, materias and books. These units coud serve as a resource for community groups or individuas, or in some cases, coud be used as mobie pre-schoo premises. The production of information packs and provision of advice on how chidren earn and how parents may assist their chidren, is another important support. The provision of such supports at maternity hospitas to parents of newborn chidren, and through the community heath service wi be pursued by the ECEA. In addition, parents wi, in connection with the revised primary schoo curricuum, be sent newssheets outining how they may best assist their chidren s acquisition of iteracy skis. As indicated earier, some parents may fee i-equipped to dea with the eary education needs of their chidren and this inhibits their invovement in it. One way to address this issue woud be to increase the avaiabiity of, and access to, appropriate parenting courses. Courses woud aso have to cater for different eves of prior parenta education and for the diverse needs of those with specia requirements. Introductory courses woud have to be pitched at a suitabe eve, where necessary, either inked to, or incuding basic iteracy and numeracy components. To faciitate maximum participation, courses shoud be provided in a fexibe manner and in a variety of settings. This is not unexpored territory and it shoud be possibe to buid on existing provision for adut education and on courses run in the private sector and by community and umbrea groups. The Nationa Forum earned of severa exampes of good parenting programmes which hod great promise for the future. 10 It is understood aso that the Department of Socia, Community and Famiy Affairs is deveoping a Parenting Awareness Programme. In addition, the Department of Heath and Chidren is deveoping (in conjunction with the Heath Boards) strategies for famiy support (incuding parenting programmes). The recent pubication of the Chidren Bi, 1999, with its provisions for the introduction of Famiy Wefare Conferences, is reevant in this context. In keeping with the principe of buiding on

96 existing provision and structures, arrangements wi be made to incorporate additiona materia into these programmes concerning the earning process in young chidren and how parents may contribute to this process. Eary education may aso be buit in as part of more genera parenting programmes: the Forum report notes that There is a need to avoid patronising and stigmatising abes with regard to parenting skis. 11 There is aso an argument for using more upbeat terminoogy to raise the profie of courses: use of tites ike Chid Deveopment or Eary Years, or other tites with a more specific education focus shoud assist in this regard. The importance of meaningfu diaogue and exchange of ideas between parents and teachers was highighted earier. Forma arrangements for diaogue are aready in pace in the nationa schoo sector. In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act; simiar arrangements shoud be faciitated and encouraged in the pre-schoo sector generay. Important in this context is a genera raising of the awareness of the mutua benefits of such arrangements. Existing structures provide for the invovement of parents in the education of first and second-eve chidren. However, it is essentia that parents of pre-schoo chidren shoud have significanty more invovement than parents at other eves. The deveopment of an appropriate structure to faciitate and encourage the invovement of parents in their chidren s eary education wi be considered by the Eary Chidhood Education Agency. In seeking to promote parenta invovement in eary education sectors, the Government is aware of concerns expressed that the goas and objectives of parents, teachers and schoos may not aways coincide. However, in ight of the arguments earier, genuine partnership is essentia to effective eary chidhood education. Nevertheess, in promoting participation by parents in their chidren s education, it wi be important to strike a baance between the needs of teachers, parents and, most importanty, pupis. Unfettered access to the cassroom is neither sought by parents nor desirabe for teachers and pupis. However, designating specific days or introducing a rota system for access shoud ensure that parenta participation can be faciitated whie minimising disruption in the cassroom. Further research is required into best practice on parenta invovement. This wi be undertaken as part of the research and deveopment programme which wi be overseen by the Eary Chidhood Education Agency. The Agency wi aso be responsibe for deveoping and impementing the broad strategy outined in this chapter, to enhance parenta invovement. In consutation with parents and providers, the Agency wi deveop mechanisms to support greater invovement of parents in the management and deivery of provision outside the home.

97 10 INSPECTION AND EVALUATION The White Paper strategy seeks to raise and support the quaity of eary chidhood education provision. In order to ensure that this objective is met, and that enhanced quaity is being achieved both at an aggregate eve and among specific providers, a system of evauation and inspection is required. This chapter outines the importance of effective inspection and evauation and sets out the aims of the proposed system. It describes the eves at which inspection and evauation wi take pace and outines the mechanisms which wi be used to impement the evauation and inspection strategy.

98 10.1 Inspection Providers in receipt of State funding for deveopmenta paces and other providers who wish to obtain the Quaity in Education (QE) mark wi be subject to inspection. The purpose of inspection wi be to determine whether provision meets the deveopmenta and education standards set by the Department of Education and Science and the Eary Chidhood Education Agency (ECEA). Inspectors wi aso assist providers to attain the QE standards by identifying the areas where improvements are required and by suggesting approaches which providers coud take to achieve the improvements. A system of inspection is aready in pace to ensure compiance with the Chid Care Reguations, Under the existing system, inspection staff from the reevant Heath Board visit the premises of each notified provider (provider who, within the terms of the Reguations, notifies the Heath Board that they are providing chidcare services) to determine whether the provider is compying with the Reguations and to offer advice concerning compiance. Where a provider is in breach of the Reguations, the deficiencies noted are communicated in writing and a further inspection is carried out ater to determine whether the probems have been addressed. If a breach of the Reguations continues, the provider may be obiged to cose or (in the case of overcrowding) to scae down operations. The Chid Care Reguations cover matters of heath and safety and standards and do not extend to the deveopmenta or educationa component of services or the training and quaifications of staff. The inspection staff, most of whom come from a pubic heath background (either Pubic Heath Nurses or Environmenta Heath Officers), are seected and recruited by the heath boards. To simpify matters for providers and to improve coordination between the various State agencies invoved, the inspection of eary chidhood education provision outside of the primary schoo system shoud, where possibe, be inked to the existing framework for inspection under the Chid Care Reguations. Where a provider does not, and is not required to, offer an eary chidhood education service, the inspection woud reate primariy to heath and safety matters and woud remain the responsibiity of the Department of Heath and Chidren. However, where an eary education service is provided or required, inspection under the existing Chid Care Reguations and of educationa provision wi both be required. This approach raises two structura issues: the composition of the inspection team and the aocation of responsibiity for inspection between Government Departments and agencies. The Report of the Partnership 2000 Group recommends that one member of the inspection

99 team shoud be trained in the area of Eary Chidhood Care and Education 1 and suggests that a two-person team is required. This approach aows for fexibiity in quaifications and each team may comprise a heath speciaist and an education expert. However, the Department of Education and Science sees advantages in a singe person inspection system. The use of two person teams is more unwiedy and ess efficient than inspection by a singe officia with dua heath and education expertise. In addition, it is understood that heath boards are aready stretched in compying with their inspection obigations under the Chid Care Reguations. The use of a singe person system woud ensure a rapid and responsive inspection system, which in turn woud enhance the eve of care and protection avaiabe for young chidren. It is interesting that a switch from dua inspection to a singe inspection system has recenty been introduced in the UK where OFSTED (the Office for Standards in Education) wi now be responsibe for inspections of heath, care and educationa aspects of provision for young chidren, the aim being to hep to create one consistent and uniform set of standards for a providers offering eary years services and to dea with the confusion, the dupication and the unfairness which two separate regimes have created. 2 Where no education service is provided or required, the existing arrangements wi remain unchanged. However, it is proposed that where eary educationa services are provided, in accordance with the quaity or deveopmenta provisions outined earier, one inspector with expertise in both pubic heath and education shoud carry out the inspection and provide a singe report on a aspects of provision to the heath boards and the Eary Chidhood Education Agency. The use of a singe person system wi require the provision of training in both pubic heath and eary education. Consutations on this matter wi first be undertaken between both Departments, the Heath Boards and the Eary Chidhood Education Agency. The ECEA wi be authorised to recruit its own inspection staff. By drawing on a wide and varied poo of expertise, the ECEA wi maximise the range of skis and competencies within its inspection corps. Recruitment shoud be organised through open competition and might incude arrangements for secondment or for empoyment on a contract basis. The ECEA inspectors wi be independent of the Department s Inspectorate. However, exchange of information and staff pacements wi be encouraged, since there wi be many paraes in the areas covered by both groups. To ensure that the expertise across the education system, which currenty resides in the Department s Inspectorate, is avaiabe to the eary chidhood sector, members of the Department s Inspectorate wi retain responsibiity for inspection of the infant casses in primary schoos. Personne invoved in

100 these inspections must acquire appropriate expertise in other areas, reating to both care and deveopmenta/educationa aspects of eary education. Expertise in the Irish anguage wi aso be necessary for inspection of Naoínraí. To ensure quaity, the ECEA s inspection service wi itsef be subject to independent, expert review. This review may invove observation of inspection visits as we as assessment of inspection reports. The new arrangements for inspection wi be phased in, foowing consutations between reevant Departments and their agents and pending the deveopment of educationa standards and the training and recruitment of inspection staff. As indicated in Chapter 5, chidcare or eary chidhood education providers wi continue to be bound by the standards appicabe under the Chid Care Reguations. Providers in receipt of State funding for deveopmenta paces wi be inspected for compiance with the educationa standards as they are phased in and appicants for the QE mark wi be inspected once the reevant standards are in pace. Inspection wi take pace on appication and, subsequenty, every two years. Provision may aso be made for specia inspection where the ECEA or a heath board has reason to beieve that there is a serious breach of standards. As in the current system, providers in breach of the standards wi be informed of the deficiencies which they must address. Continued faiure to compy with the standards may ead to funding (in the case of State-funded providers which seek to tacke disadvantage) or QE recognition (in a other cases) being withdrawn or withhed. The White Paper seeks to support and deveop quaity eary chidhood education, whie maintaining an adequate suppy of provision. Accordingy, efforts must be made to prevent oss of suppy where possibe. Thus, in addition to their inspection roe, inspectors wi be avaiabe to support providers and suggest ways of remedying deficiencies. This may invove assistance with staff recruitment, training and curricuum, and anaysis of the most common breaches of standards, together with dissemination of the resuts and design of strategies to tacke issues arising. It may aso invove the visiting teacher service, advice hep-ine and other services proposed in earier chapters. The supportive roe of the inspection staff is at east as important as its monitoring roe. Under the existing system, standards for many providers are deveoped and promoted by their nationa umbrea organisations. These organisations are we paced and have a duty to assist their membership in meeting standards. The deveopment of a parae system of sef-reguation for providers woud be beneficia. This coud compement and operate in tandem with the ECEA inspections and woud provide an additiona safeguard for quaity. Funding wi be

101 provided to nationa organisations to promote the deveopment of a sef-reguation system. In addition, secondment of quaified personne from these organisations to the inspection and evauation teams in the ECEA wi be considered Evauation Whie the purpose of inspection is to ensure compiance with best practice, evauation seeks to determine what constitutes best practice, to assess the effectiveness of various eary chidhood education approaches and interventions and to indicate how effectiveness and efficiency may be enhanced. Evauation wi be carried out at three eves: specific project(s) eve, thematic eve and aggregate or nationa eve. At project eve, the impact of specific interventions, approaches and innovations wi be anaysed. These wi generay be piot projects, the future deveopment of which wi depend on the evauation resuts. Thematic-eve evauation wi be undertaken to assess the impact of an approach or intervention across a range of providers or to compare the reative impact of different approaches. In each case, the resuts wi be widey disseminated to assist deveopment of good practice. Evauation wi be undertaken at an aggregate eve to assess the extent to which the White Paper objective the attainment of asting educationa and deveopmenta benefits for chidren, particuary the disadvantaged and those with specia needs is achieved. The nature of the anayses undertaken wi vary. Ongoing evauation wi be required to determine the effectiveness of provision on young chidren s deveopment whie in preschoo settings and on their transition to primary schoo. In addition, ongitudina studies wi be necessary to determine whether ong-term benefits accrue to participants. This wi require foow-up of chidren from participation in eary chidhood education, through forma education at primary and second eves and beyond. Particuar attention wi be paid to the impact of provision on the specia target groups. The resuts of the evauations wi be centra to the poicy formuation process. Evauation wi be carried out by ECEA staff and by independent researchers and wi form part of the research and deveopment programme referred to in chapter 5. The programme wi be overseen by a steering group representative of the ECEA, the Department of Education and Science, other Departments, parents, providers, partners in education and independent experts. A key eement in the evauation process wi be the deveopment of performance and process indicators. The primary focus wi be on the extent to which programmes succeed in meeting chidren s deveopmenta needs. In particuar, effectiveness wi be benchmarked by the success in engendering among participants a disposition and readiness to earn and the extent to which chidren successfuy make the transition

102 from pre-schoo to primary schoo. Longitudina studies wi focus on the academic participation and attainment of eary chidhood education participants and on their broader deveopment and sociaisation skis. The effectiveness of interventions wi aso be judged by the extent to which the specific needs of target groups are addressed. Indicators wi aso be designed to cover specific aspects of eary chidhood education incuding: quaity of provision, staff training, premises and environment effectiveness of parenta invovement effectiveness of partnership arrangements and approach efficiency and effectiveness of coordination and structures. To maximise transparency and inform parenta choice, a evauation reports wi be avaiabe to the pubic.

103 11 STRUCTURES It is cear that suitabe structures must be put in pace to permit efficient and effective impementation of the poicy proposas discussed in earier chapters since uness structure foows strategy, inefficiency resuts. 1 This chapter first describes some of the chaenges which must be taken into account when designing structures. The proposed two-tier structure is then outined: this wi invove aocating poicy and macro-eve co-ordination to the Department of Education and Science and devoving administrative tasks to a new executive agency. The invovement of parents, providers and other partners in education is considered in the fina section.

104 11.1 Structura Chaenges A number of factors combine to make the deveopment of appropriate structures in the eary chidhood education area a difficut task. These incude the comparative ack of deveopment in the eary chidhood education area, the wide range of proposas in the White Paper and the need to dea with co-ordination probems and other weaknesses of the existing system, identified in chapter 2. Athough private provision is we estabished, the provision of universa eary chidhood education outside of the primary schoo sector is sti reativey new to Ireand. The State s roe to date has been confined to provision for specific groups: Traveers, chidren with specia needs and the piot Eary Start project. Participation rates in eary chidhood education are ow compared to other European countries, appreciation of the benefits of participation is ony beginning to increase and considerabe effort wi be required to deveop the sector. The proposas outined in previous chapters concern a wide range of activities aimed at various target groups. In addition to provision for key groups, the State wi deveop standards of provision, a quaity assurance programme (the QE mark), curricuum guideines and materias, and wi undertake a research roe concerning the deveopment and dissemination of best practice. Incentives wi be provided to primary schoos to become invoved and additiona resources wi be made avaiabe for infants casses in primary schoos. Proposas are aso directed at training and advice for parents and provision for chidren with disabiities. The wide range of tasks invoved means that a comprehensive and fexibe structure for administration and deveopment wi be required. Chapter 2 outined weaknesses in the existing system which must be taken into account in designing a new structure. In particuar, the need to improve coordination of services across Departments is highighted by the Commission on the Famiy, the Partnership 2000 Group on Chidcare and the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education. Coordination is vita in view of the wide range of provision, the risk of dupication of effort, the numerous training courses avaiabe and the need to strengthen provision, raise awareness and buid on existing strengths. The issue arises at three eves: within the Department of Education and Science, between Departments, agencies and other providers, and at oca eve. The new structure must address the coordination issue and ensure adequate exchange of information and coordination of strategy and effort between the various parties invoved in the eary chidhood education sector Meeting the Chaenge

105 The structures issue was anaysed in some detai at the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education. There was consensus that athough many successfu initiatives were operating the efforts invoved in estabishing and maintaining services was being dissipated through weakness in co-ordination 2 The Forum considered that coordination woud be best served by aocating a ead roe to a singe organisation and there was unanimous support for the estabishment of an Eary Years Deveopment Unit to take on this roe. Views differed on the choice of an appropriate home for such a unit and severa options were considered. Locating the unit in the Department of the Taoiseach woud pace eary education in the spotight and at the centre of power and infuence. However, since this particuar department had itte engagement or experience in the provision of services to famiies and chidren, such a move was seen as short-term option. The Departments of Heath and Chidren and of Education and Science each received support as suitabe ocations, and some deegates suggested ocating separate units in each, with responsibiity for the age group 0-3 given to the Department of Heath and Chidren, whie the management and coordination of services for those in the age range 4-6 woud ie with the Department of Education and Science. As regards the chidcare sector, the Report of the Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group recommends a three-tier structure: county committees, representative of the main stakehoders in chidcare; these committees woud prepare county chidcare pans and woud coordinate provision to avoid dupication a Nationa Chidcare Management Committee (NCMC) to assess and resource the county pans, undertake research and coordinate existing nationa deveopments in chidcare an Interdepartmenta Poicy Committee, which woud provide a ink between the NCMC and the Government. It is understood that there is some support for an aternative format of a three-tiered structure for chidcare. At intermediate eve, in the short and medium term, this woud invove the heath boards convening the county committees, with possibe aternatives in the onger term. The focus of the Report of the Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group is on chidcare in genera, whereas this White Paper deas specificay with eary chidhood education. However, the need for seamess provision of both eary education and chidcare is a continuing theme of the White Paper. The structure devised must, therefore, faciitate

106 provision of care and education in an integrated manner and must enabe coordination of strategy and exchange of information between the main payers. The White Paper envisages that the Department of Education and Science wi oversee educationa input into eary chidhood services and wi provide this input through existing and panned structures. Structures for the integrated provision of eary chidhood services care, wefare and education are required and wi be deveoped through a process of diaogue between Departments and other interested parties. In keeping with the principe of buiding on existing provision and minimising red tape, the deveopment and management of eary chidhood education wi, where possibe, be organised using existing structures. The wide range of eary chidhood education activities, noted earier, may be cassified under two broad headings poicy and administration. Aocating the atter tasks to an independent agency is attractive for a number of reasons. The estabishment of an independent agency woud highight the importance of eary chidhood education as a key area within the education system and ensure that it woud not be overshadowed by arger estabished areas of education. In addition, the Department woud be freed from the burden of executive tasks and woud be enabed to focus more cosey and effectivey on poicy issues. The retention of executive matters within the Department coud be compicated since many executive tasks cross traditiona sector boundaries. The Department is moving away from a sector-based structure towards a thematic organisation, where responsibiity wi be aocated in ine with the nature of the service to be provided or tasks to be undertaken, rather than on the basis of a target group. Devoving executive tasks to an agency woud enhance coordination whie greater scope for task speciaisation woud enhance management efficiency. The need to incorporate expertise in the eary chidhood education area into any new structure has been noted in the Forum report: it is obvious that the (Eary Years) Unit woud need to have access to externa expertise. 3 The evauation of the Eary Start piot programme aso considers that expert input woud be vauabe: The officias responsibe for Eary Start were given responsibiity for the entire programme incuding practica issues reating to the setting up of cassrooms, the panning of the programme, and the preparation of staff they woud have benefited greaty from having support from a sma team of experts in eary chidhood education. 4 Estabishing a speciaist agency woud faciitate the deveopment of a critica mass of expertise in the eary chidhood education area. In particuar, there woud be greater fexibiity to recruit speciaist staff and to second experts from existing nationa organisations of providers.

107 For these reasons, it is proposed to estabish and aocate executive functions concerning eary chidhood education to an independent Eary Chidhood Education Agency (ECEA). The roes and responsibiities of the Department and the ECEA are set out beow Roe of the Department of Education and Science The Department of Education and Science wi be responsibe for formuating and deveoping eary chidhood education poicy. Initiay, the Department wi focus on estabishing the ECEA and on impementing the proposas outined in this White Paper. When the Agency has been estabished, the Department wi devove executive functions and focus on broad poicy issues and on high-eve coordination. A specific Unit the Eary Years Deveopment Unit (EYDU) wi be estabished in the Department, to oversee the impementation and devoution strategies. Athough the estabishment of a Unit for a specific sector might seem contrary to the theme-based re-organisation of the Department, a speciaist Unit is necessary for severa reasons. Firsty, dispersing eary chidhood education activities across severa units woud risk a oss of status and priority for the area and woud hinder coordination of provision and poicy formuation. Secondy, eary chidhood education is a reativey new area for the Department and is under-deveoped nationay. The impetus required to kickstart the deveopment of the sector can ony be achieved by a speciaist Unit. Finay, particuar expertise required in the eary chidhood education area may be provided by a speciaist Unit comprising a muti-discipinary team, incuding representatives of the Inspectorate. Responsibiity for some executive tasks wi remain with the existing primary administration and teachers sections. For exampe, the saaries of teachers of infants in primary schoos wi continue to be paid by the teacher saary section. These arrangements wi evove in ine with panned restructuring of the Department of Education and Science. Coordination wi be a key roe of the new Unit. This wi require action at three eves: coordination of poicy and activities within the Department; in particuar, ongoing iaison with the primary teacher, primary administration and specia education sections wi be necessary continuous contact with the ECEA; athough poicy and executive tasks wi be spit between the two organisations, ongoing exchange of information is essentia

108 to ensure that poicy is adequatey informed by reaity on the ground and that impementation of poicy is managed effectivey by the Agency iaison with other Government Departments and agencies and others invoved in the eary chidhood area. The Unit wi aso be responsibe for evauating the effectiveness of the ECEA in the discharge of its functions. The Unit s initia priorities wi be to faciitate effective impementation of the White Paper, to kick-start the deveopment of the sector, and to assist the estabishment of and transfer of responsibiity to the new Agency. Once the Agency is estabished, a reduction in the size of the Unit wi be possibe The Eary Chidhood Education Agency (ECEA) The ECEA wi function as the primary support for parents and providers and wi be responsibe for executive and administrative tasks, incuding inspection and evauation. Its principa activities wi concern impementation of the White Paper proposas incuding: management of the Department of Education and Science eary chidhood education provision deveopment of the QE mark and associated minimum standards of quaity production of materias and curricuum deveopment research, deveopment and dissemination of best practice inspection of provision advice to providers on how to raise quaity and address deficiencies in provision deveopment of strategies and structures to invove parents and to assist them in heping their chidren to earn. However, the Agency s roe wi not be confined purey to executive tasks: it wi aso have an input into and advisory roe concerning poicy formuation. Athough a division of

109 responsibiity between the Department and the ECEA is desirabe, poicy and executive functions cannot be disaggregated entirey. Ongoing consutation between the two bodies wi be essentia. The ECEA must aso be abe to ink into the variety of services provided by or under the auspices of the Department, in particuar the In-Career Deveopment Unit, the Inspectorate and the Nationa Educationa Psychoogica Service, and the Nationa Counci for Curricuum and Assessment Coordination Structures The structures for coordination of eary chidhood issues more generay have yet to be defined. However, it is ikey that three tiers wi be invoved a oca or county structure, an intermediate tier and a nationa coordinating committee. The Department of Education and Science takes the view that effective coordination of eary chidhood education wi require deveopment of structures at two eves. Firsty, coordination of eary chidhood poicy and provision is required at a high eve between Departments and State agencies. It is considered that the most effective means of coordination is the estabishment of a high-eve interdepartmenta committee. Membership woud be drawn from Departments and agencies with significant invovement in the eary chidhood area. It is envisaged that the committee wi comprise representatives from the Departments of Heath and Chidren, Justice, Equaity and Law Reform, Socia Community and Famiy Affairs, Tourism, Sport and Recreation and Education and Science. The Department of Education and Science wi pay the key roe on the committee in regard to estabishing standards for eary education services to ensure that provision takes fu account of chidren s right to and need for eary education and deveopment. Agencies which operate in the eary chidhood area on behaf of these Departments such as the heath boards and ECEA shoud aso be represented. Other Departments wi be consuted as issues of reevance to them arise. Secondy, coordination between the various stakehoders is essentia to promote understanding, co-operation and effective provision and to avoid overap and dupication of effort. An advisory expert group wi therefore be estabished, drawn from parents, existing providers, trainers, researchers and academics, staff interests, nationa eary chidhood organisations, reevant Government Departments and agencies and other interested parties. In addition to faciitating coordination and exchange of views, the group wi aso: advise the EYDU and the ECEA on poicy formuation and executive tasks

110 evauate and seect proposas for funding for research and deveopment in the eary chidhood education area oversee the evauation and inspection function of the ECEA assist in the deveopment of an eary chidhood curricua and methodoogies. As we as representation on the advisory expert group, additiona structures to promote parenta invovement are proposed. The vita contribution of parents to the effective deveopment and impementation of poicy at an aggregate eve and to management and deivery of provision at oca eve was highighted in chapter 9. A eary education providers wi be encouraged to invove parents as much as possibe. Support for the deveopment of a representative body for parents of pre-schoo chidren is aso envisaged Impementation Next Steps Impementation of the White Paper proposas wi initiay be the task of the EYDU. One of its first tasks wi be to estabish the Advisory Group and the ECEA. The Unit wi draw up a timetabe for impementation and wi issue position papers on the key issues invoved. These wi then be considered by the Advisory Group and a interested parties wi have an opportunity to comment on the position papers. These views wi be considered carefuy before decisions are finaised. 1 Nationa Chidcare Strategy, Report of the Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Chidcare, Stationery Office Dubin, 1999, p Eary Start Preschoo Programme: Fina Evauation Report, Education Research Centre, Dubin, p Report of The Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education, Stationery Office, Dubin, Section 2(1), definition of chid. 5 Nationa Forum Report, p Martin, Micheá, T.D., Minister for Education and Science, Opening Address to the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education, 23 March, Commission on the Famiy, Strengthening Famiies for Life, Fina Report to the Minister for Socia, Community and Famiy Affairs, Stationery Office, Dubin, Juy Martin, John P., Education and Economic Performance in the OECD Countries: An Eusive Reationship?, Symposium on the Economic Returns to Education, 19 February 1998, in Journa of the Statistica and Socia Inquiry Society of Ireand, Vo. XXVII, Part V, p Action Programme for the Miennium, 1997, p Micheá Martin, Address at the cosing of the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education, 27 March, Ibid. 12 Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education, 1998, p Hayes, N., The Case for a Nationa Poicy on Eary Education, Combat Poverty Agency, Poverty & Poicy Discussion Paper No. 2, p Evauation of Nationa Curricuum Assessment at Key Stage 1, Shorrocks, D., 1992, and Nationa Research Counci, Preventing Reading Difficuties in Young Chidren, Nationa Academy Press, Washington, DC 1998, p. 320.

111 16 Barnett, W.S., The Future of Chidren: Long-term Outcomes of Eary Chidhood Programs, Long-term Effects of Eary Chidhood Programs on Cognitive and Schoo Outcomes 5(3), Keaghan T., The Evauation of an Intervention Programme for Disadvantaged Chidren, Windsor, NFER Pubishing Co., Schweinart L., and Weikart D., Young Chidren Grow Up: The Effects of the Perry Preschoo Program on Youths through Age 15, High/Scope Educationa Research Foundation, Michigan, 1980; McKey et a., Fina Report of the Head Start Evauation, Synthesis and Utiization Project, U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services, Keaghan, T., & Greany, B.J., The Educationa Deveopment of Students foowing Participation in a Preschoo Programme in a Disadvantaged Area, Educationa Research Centre, Dubin, Lynn A. Karoy, Peter W. Greenwood, Susan S. Everingham, Ji Houbé, M. Rebecca Kiburn, C. Peter Ryde, Matthew Sanders, James Chiesa, Investing in Our Chidren: What We Know and Don t Know About the Costs and Benefits of Eary Chidhood Interventions, RAND Corporation, Caifornia, 1998 pp OECD, Eary Chidhood Education and Care Poicy: A Proposa for a Thematic Review, DEELSA/ED(98)2, O Faherty, Juie, Intervention in the Eary Years An Evauation of the High/Scope Curricuum, Nationa Chidren s Bureau, London, 1995, p Psacharopouos, George, 1994, Returns to Investment in Education: A Goba Update, Word Deveopment, Voume 22, September David Duffy, John Fitzgerad, Ide Kearney, Ferga Shorta, Medium-Term Review: , ESRI, Apri 1997 p OECD Economic Surveys: Ireand, Paris, 1995, p Karoy, L., Greenwood, P., et a., The programmes compared are the Perry Preschoo programme and the Emira Prenata/Eary Infancy Project (PEIP). 27 Crime: arrests and convictions through age 15 in Emira PEIP, arrests through age 27 in Perry. Heath: hospita visits/days (Emira PEIP), teen pregnancies (Perry). Wefare: receipt of various forms of pubic assistance. 28 Ibid., pp. 74/5. 29 Ibid., p Nationa Forum Report, p Forthcoming Education Poicy Anaysis, OECD, Educationa Research Centre, Dubin, Eary Start Preschoo Programme, Fina Evauation Report. 33 Boom, B.S., Stabiity and Change in Human Characteristics, New York, Wiey, 1964, cited in (among others) Eary Chidhood Education: Issues & Concerns, INTO, Dubin, November 1995, p. xii. 34 Purves, D., Neura Activity and the Growth of the Brain, New York, Cambridge University Press, Grey Matters Current Neuroogica Research and its Impications for Educators, Sir David Winky, at Keee University, June, Ibid., Karoy, L., Greenwood, P., et a, 1998, p Winky, D., Nationa Forum Report, p A Review of Services for Young Chidren in the European Union , European Commission Network on Chidcare, January 1996, p Statistica Report 1997/98, tabes 1.4 and 2.1. According to the Statistica Report, the participation rate at age 5 is 100%. However, these rates are based on provisiona inter-censa estimates of popuation by singe year of age and must be interpreted with caution. 2 Average of rates from 1993/4 to 1997/8: girs 54.9%, boys 50.2%. 3 Report of the Primary Education Review Body, Stationery Office, Dubin, 1990, p Statistica Report 1997/98, tabe Pre-schoo service has a broad scope and is defined by section 49 of the Act as any pre-schoo, paygroup, day nursery, crèche, day care or other simiar service which caters for pre-schoo chidren. 6 Nationa Chidcare Strategy, Report of the Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Chidcare, Stationery Office, Dubin, January 1999, p Ibid., Appendix 3.2

112 8 Area Deveopment Management Ltd. was estabished in 1992 to manage the aocation of funds to oca eve partnerships for various services, incuding chidcare. 9 Strengthening Famiies for Life: Fina Report of the Commission on the Famiy, Stationery Office, Dubin, Juy 1998, p Care from reative incudes reative s home and chid s home; chidminder/other covers chidminder s home, at home with non-reative and mother and todder group. 11 O Faherty, J., Intervention in the Eary Years An Evauation of the High/Scope Curricuum, Nationa Chidren s Bureau, London, 1995, p A Review of Services for Young Chidren in the European Union, , European Commission Network on Chidcare, January 1996, p Forum Report, p Hayes, N., The Case for a Nationa Poicy on Eary Education, Poverty & Poicy Discussion Paper No. 2, Combat Poverty Agency, Dubin, p Hayes, N., O Faherty, J., A Window on Eary Education in Ireand: The First Nationa Report of the IEA Preprimary Project, Dubin Institute of Technoogy, 1997, p The ratio has faen from 27.5 in 1988/89 to 21.8 in 1997/98. Source: Key Education Statistics, Department of Education and Science. 17 In 1977/78, 81% of infants were in casses of at east 30 pupis. By 1987/88, this figure had dropped to two thirds of infants, whie 4% were in casses of 40 or more. The equivaent proportions ten years ater are substantiay ower at 33% in casses of 30+ and 0.2% in casses of at east 40 pupis. Source: Statistica Reports, 1977/78, 1987/88, 1997/98. Further improvements have since been recorded. 18 Source: Statistica Report 1997/98, tabe 2.5. The equivaent percentages for 1st through 5th standards ranged from 72% to 76%. 19 Hayes, N., O Faherty, J., op. cit., p Reducing Cass Size, What Do We Know?, Nationa Institute on Student Achievement, Curricuum, and Assessment, Office of Educationa Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, March 1999, p Cass Size Research and the Quaity of Education, NAHT and the University of Nottingham, 1996, p Preventing Reading Difficuties in Young Chidren, Nationa Research Counci, Nationa Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1998, p Hayes, N., O Faherty, J., p Report of the Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Chidcare, op. cit., p Nationa Forum Report, op. cit., p Nationa Research Counci, 1998, op. cit., p Forum Report, op. cit., p Background paper for the Nationa Forum for Eary Chidhood Education, op. cit., p Keaghan, T., 1977; Barnett, W.S., OECD, Schweinart L., and Weikart D., 1980; McKey et a, 1985; Keaghan, T., & Greany, B.J., 1993; Karoy, L., Greenwood, P., et a, Nationa Forum Report, 1998, p Nationa Forum Report, 1998, p Educationa Disadvantage in Ireand, Keaghan, T., et a, Combat Poverty Agency Research Report Series No. 20, Dubin, 1995, p O Faherty, J., 1995; OECD Ba, C., Start Right The Importance of Eary Learning, RSA, UK, O Faherty, J., op. cit., 1995, p Ibid. 3 Hayes, N., The Case for a Nationa Poicy on Education, Poverty & Poicy Discussion Paper No. 2, Combat Poverty Agency, 1995, pp O Faherty, 1995, op. cit., p Forum Report, p Section 4(1)(a).

113 7 Forum Report, p Hayes, N., & O Faherty, J., A Window on Eary Education in Ireand: The First Nationa Report of the IEA Preprimary Project, Dubin Institute of Technoogy, 1997, p Nationa Forum Report, p Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid., Background Paper, p Sessiona services are defined in section 2 of the Guideines as the provision of: a service offering a panned programme to pre-schoo chidren, a service of up to 3.5 hours. Services may incude pre-schoos, paygroups, crèches, montessori groups, naíonraí or simiar services which generay cater for chidren in the 2-6 year age bracket. 14 Commission on the Famiy, 1998, p This shoud be taken to mean in the home or in another reativey informa setting, such as a chidminder s home. The appropriate adut in these instances is the parent or other adut paying a significant part in the chid s care and education; for ease, the term parent is used to cover a of these persons. Specific issues arise in the case of chidren in foster care and it may be appropriate for the Working Group on Foster Care (estabished by the Minister of State at the Department of Heath and Chidren) which is due to report eary in 2000, to comment on these issues. 1 Reducing Cass Size: What Do We Know? Nationa Institute on Student Achievement, Curricuum and Assessment, Office of Educationa Research and Improvement, US Department of Education, p Ibid. 1 Report of the Specia Education Review Committee, Stationery Office, Dubin, October 1993, p OECD, Karoy, L., Greenwood, P., et a, 1998, p Keaghan, T., and Greany, B.J., O Faherty, J., Intervention in the Eary Years An Evauation of the High/Scope Curricuum, Nationa Chidren s Bureau, London, Karoy, L., Greenwood, P., et a, 1998; Winky, D., Keaghan, T., et a, Educationa Disadvantage in Ireand, Combat Poverty Agency Research Report Series No. 20, Dubin, Keaghan, T., & Greaney, B.J., The Educationa Deveopment of Students foowing Participation in a Preschoo Programme in a Disadvantaged Area, ERC, Dubin, Educationa Research Centre, Dubin, Eary Start Preschoo Programme, Fina Evauation Report, Keaghan, T., et a, Educationa Disadvantage in Ireand, 1995, p Throughout this White Paper, references to parents shoud be interpreted as incuding guardians, foster parents and other significant aduts in a chid s ife. 2 Nationa Forum, 1998, p Hargreaves, D., Improving Secondary Schoos, London, I.L.E.A., 1984, cited in Eary Chidhood Education Issues and Concerns, INTO, Dubin, Smyth, E., Do Schoos Differ? Academic and Persona Deveopment among Pupis in the Second-Leve Sector, Economic and Socia Research Institute/Oak Tree Press, Dubin, 1999, p Nationa Evauation of The Even Start Famiy Literacy Program, U.S. Department of Education, White, K., Tayor, M., and Moss, V., Does research support caims about the benefits of invoving parents in eary intervention programmes?, Review of Educationa Research, 1992 cited in O Faherty, J., 1995, p O Faherty, J., ibid., Commission on the Famiy, 1998, p Commission on the Famiy, 1998, pp Nationa Forum Report, 1998, p Ibid., p Report of the Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Chidcare, 1998, p Department for Education and Empoyment, Press Reease 371/99, 2 August Chander, quoted in Organizationa Theory: Structure, Design and Appications, Stephen P. Robbins, 3rd Ed. 1990, p Nationa Forum Report, 1998, p Forum Report, p Eary Start Evauation, 1998, p. 114.

114