1. Development of Professional awards in ELC – in context
Aoife Conduit principal officer early years education policy unit
Maresa Duignan assistant chief inspector
Department of Education and Skills
QQI CONSULTATION – ASHLING HOTEL MAY 2019

2. Future destination
Realising the workforce vision in first 5

3. First 5 vision for workforce by 2029
50% graduate led workforce – Early Childhood educator graduate responsible for pedagogical leadership in every room
Workforce development planning process launched by Minister of Children and Youth Affairs
Shared professional values, skills and core knowledge areas for “educators” and “practitioners” – see generic role profile (Urban et al 2017).
Suite of major ECEC professional awards for practitioners in the ELC sector from QQI Levels 5 and 6 through to degree programmes at Level 7 and 8.
Suite of awards designed to:
Be building blocks for career pathway in practice for ELC workforce
Provide for professional formation at all levels (5 to 8)
Make clear and transparent – access, transfer, progression – pathways in and out of all awards

4. The journey to date
Professionalisation of the Early Year Workforce: Awards Standards Development

5. The milestones – research and consultation
1998 – New Opportunities for Women project to develop Cores Standards and Essential Skills and Knowledge for Early Childhood Care and Education – 3 levels – Level 2 RPL process to award NCVA/FETAC Level 2.
2002 – A Model Framework for Education Training and Professional Development in Early Childhood Care and Education – Principles of professional practice, 5 Occupational role profiles, six Core Knowledge areas.
2009 – Alignment of Occupational Role Profiles with awards on the National Framework for Qualifications

6. continued
2011 – Development of Common Award Standards for early childhood care and education – inclusion of work practice component award and early learning theory and practice
2011 – Publication of CoRE Report on Professional Competences in ECEC – European Commission
2015 – Initial consultative review of the quality of qualifications in terms of their preparation for professional practice
2016 – Publication of survey responses of practitioners
Commissioning of review of occupational role profiles in the context of the emerging national and international landscape

7. Increasing demand for professional workforce

8. Context
December 2016 – consultation event in Dublin Castle on initial research and findings of Roehampton team led by Professor Mathias Urban.
April 2017 – publication of the “Urban report” – shared professional values and practices for all professional regardless of occupational status, title and level of qualification;
Report sets out knowledge practices and values that should form the core requirement for an ELC practitioner building on CoRe report;
2017 – establishment of working group led by DES, with representatives from IUA, THEA, HEA and QQI to develop draft C&G for professional awards at level 7 and 8 in ELC in Ireland.

9. C&G Level 7 and 8
End December 2017 – draft launched and opened for consultation (online survey and submissions).
Evaluation report on consultation commissioned and published in Summer 2018.
C&G reviewed and finalised for decision by senior management in DES and DCYA – approved in September 2018.
November 2018 – publication of First 5 and commitment to publish C&G and agree implementation plan – vision for graduate-led workforce by 2028.
January 2019 – preview for HE institutions offering degree programmes of C&G in advance of publication and consultation on draft implementation actions.
April 2019 – approval and publication by two Ministers of the new C&G

11. Professional Award Descriptors
Purpose and future alignment with c&G

12. Purpose of new PATD for consultation
To reflect the continuum from QQI Level 5 to QQI Level 8
To further reflect the changing knowledge, skills and competencies needed by future learners
Include language that is reflected in current and future
discourses and initiatives in early years

13. Include language and concepts
That are based on the latest research and which allow for transferability internationally
That further support the future learners on their professional journey as the Early Childhood leaders of tomorrow
That mirrors fully the language in Aistear and Síolta 1
Include language and concepts 2 3

14. Reflects latest initiatives
First Five Whole-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families
The Department of Education Quality Framework for Early Years Inspections
Latest early education initiatives: The Literacy and Numeracy Strategy; STEM Education Policy; Digital Learning. 1
Reflects latest initiatives 2 3

15. Future workforce vision – next steps
Implementation of published C&G – Qualifications Advisory Board
First graduates potentially emerging in 2022 at Level 7
Finalise professional award descriptors for QQI levels 5 and 6 – begin implementation
Mapping progression from Level 5 to Level 8 critical part of the development of PATD
C&G set out clear progression/advance entry from current QQI Level 5 and 6 awards (60 ECTS/240 ECTS for advance entry to Level 8.
Agreement between FE Sector and HE sector on progression pathways from new QQI professional awards into new professional degree programmes to be sought.
Workforce development process to be led by DCYA commencing in 2019 in collaboration with DES.