Early Childhood Education
Ireland
Nóirín Hayes
Centre for Social and Educational Research, Dublin Institute of Technology
noirin.hayes@dit.ie
School of Education, Trinity College Dublin
noirin.hayes@tcd.ie
Introduction
• Ireland has seen dramatic changes in
policy approach to Early Childhood
Education over the last 10-15 years
– Brief context
– The 1990s
– The 2000s
– Since 2010
Defining ECE
• Internationally defined as the first stage of
education
• Pre compulsory provision (0-6 years)
• Incorporates the concept of education and
care [of/about]
• Includes a variety of services supporting
families and children [including infant
classes]
• Private, community based and state
supported
Brief Context
• The Irish Constitution
• The Irish State engagement with family
• The Irish State longstanding commitment
to education
The role of OMEP
• Training – first national training programme at
Dublin Institute of Technology [DIT]
• Legislation and Regulation – OMEP influence on
the Child Care Act 1991
• Research – partnership between UCC and DIT
to host research seminars: development of an
Irish Journal of Early Childhood Studies [An
Leanbh Óg]
Defining Early Childhood Education in
Ireland
• A difficulty of language and auspices
– Childcare
• Early childcare [0-3]
• Out of school care [4-12]
– Early Education
• Inside school system - junior/senior infants [4-6]
• Outside school system - creches, nurseries,
preschools [limited recognition of childminding]
[birth – 6]
• Conceptual and structural distinction between education
and care
– Privileging education over care
Early Childhood Education
• An instance of confusion about the
concept childcare/early education
– Indicator for Early Childhood Education:
• Enrolment in early childhood care and education:
• The percentage of children under 13 [sic] in
various early childhood care and education
arrangements. [State of the Nations Children Report, 2008]
Education and Care
• Compulsory school age in Ireland is 6 years
– but many 4 and 5 year olds attend and all children at
school come under the aegis of the Dept. of
Education and Skills
• Preschool children defined as:
– Children under 6 years of age who are not attending a
national school or equivalent --- come under the aegis
of a range of departments including Dept. of Children
and Youth Affairs and the Dept. of Health.
Education v Care
• Qualifications:
– Strict qualification requirements for primary school
teachers [BEd – L8]
– Limited qualification requirements for early years
teachers [Certificate – L5/6]
• Regulation/Inspection:
– Education:- long-standing with dedicated education
inspectorate
– Early years – a health inspectorate with no early
education training
The 1990s
• Child Care Act 1991
– Implementation of Regulations [1997]
• Growth of membership organisations and NGO groups
• Increasing calls for a national strategy and for clarity re
departmental responsibility
– Labour Market: Unions and women’s groups
– Education equality: target investment on
disadvantaged
– Children’s rights advocates: universal supports
– Politicians
The 1990s
• Emerging relevant policy documents:
– Report on National Forum on ECE [1998] ( 03/0-6 split)
– Strengthening Families for Life [1998]
– National Childcare Strategy [1999] (birth –
12/14 years)
– White paper on ECE – Ready to Learn [1999]
(birth – 6 years)
2000-2010: A decade of activity
• Equal Opportunities Childcare programme
[EU funding] [2000-2006]
– Childcare for working parents
– Capital investment in childcare places
– Structural supports – local childcare committees
• National Childcare Investment programme
[Exchequer funding] [2007-2011]
– Focus on cash payments to parents
• Fee Subsidy
• Early Childcare Supplement
2000 - 2010
• Centre for Early Childhood Education and
Development [CECDE] established [2002]
• OECD thematic review [2004] calls for:
– Systematic and integrated approach
– Appointment of a lead office
– Co-ordination between central and local
– Quality improvement and assurance
– Universal access for 3-4 year olds
2000 - 2010
• Office of the Minister for Children opens
[2006]
– Childcare Directorate
– Early Years Policy Unit
• Síolta – National Quality framework [2006]
• Aistear – National Early Childhood
Curriculum Framework [2009]
• Workforce Development Plan [2010]
2000 - 2010
• Prevention and Early Intervention
Programme (2007)
• Closure of CECDE [2008]
• Withdrawal of the ECS [2009]
• Launch of the Universal Free Preschool
Year Initiative [2010]
– Capitation grant to settings
– Incentivising training
2011 - 2014
• National Early Years Initiative (2011-2014)
– 11 local projects supported
• Ministry for Children and Youth Affairs
(2011)
• Area Based Childhood Initiative (2013)
• Early Years Advisory group reports (2014)
• Early Years Strategy imminent
• National Early Years Quality Support
Service announced
Summary
• Ireland slow to recognise value of early
childhood care and education
• Split between education and care remains
• Investment in spaces rather than the
development of an integrated quality
service
• Limited investment in early years services
directly
How are we doing?
• OECD thematic review [2004] called for:
– Systematic and integrated approach – not yet
– Appointment of a lead office - DCYA
– Co-ordination between central and local improving
– Quality improvement and assurance –
NEYQSS??
– Universal access for 3-4 year olds - FPSY
How do we compare?
• UNICEF Report Card 8 (2008):
– 2008 - Ireland met 1 of the ten indicators;
poorest performance of the 24 countries
– 2014 – Ireland meets 2 of the ten indicators
• Starting Well Index (2012) on Quality,
Affordability and Access to ECE
– Ireland 67.4 [range 21.2 (India) – 91.8
(Finland)]
– Ireland ranking of 18th in 45 countries
Challenges
• Investment remains very low - <.04% GDP
• Quality supports limited
– Limited funding to support implementation of
Síolta – the National Quality Framework
– No funding to support the implementation of
Aistear – the Early Years Curriculum
Framework
• Investment in training support fragmented
and limited
• Salaries and conditions of service poor
A shift in emphasis –
• The Universal Free Preschool Year*
– a shift in policy?
– an engagement with the idea that Early
Childhood Education is good for all children?
• Yet to be assessed - *In another linguistic confusion the Free Preschool Year is
also called the ECCE initiative
– perpetuating the confusion on definition!!
Thank You 