The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn, T.D., today published a Focussed Policy Assessment of the Early Start pre-school programme.
Early Start is a one-year early intervention scheme to meet the needs of children of pre-school age who are at risk of not reaching their potential within the school system.
It consists of an educational programme to enhance overall development, promote positive educational outcomes and offset the effects of social disadvantage. The programme operates in 40 primary schools in designated areas of urban disadvantage in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Louth, Limerick, Waterford and Wicklow.
The Focussed Policy Assessment examines the efficiency and effectiveness of the programme. The analysis is informed by relevant research literature, policy documents, and by the results of a survey of school principals who have responsibility for Early Start units.
Minister Quinn welcomed the findings of the Policy Assessment, “Early Start is twenty years old this year. This report provides evidence that the programme continues to serve the needs of children who are in need of additional supports to ensure that they are able to develop to their full potential.”
“The programme has particular benefits in fostering children’s social, emotional and cognitive development and is influenced by Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework.”
The Policy Assessment includes recommendations to strengthen the future operation of Early Start. These include providing appropriate continuing professional development opportunities for those working in Early Start units and the establishment of advisory groups in each Early Start unit to include parents. The inclusion of parents is in keeping with Minister Quinn’s agenda to ensure the voice of parents is an integral part of decision making in education.
There are also recommendations intended to improve the future efficiency of the programme. These include measures to increase enrolments, including the enforcement of a minimum enrolment threshold for the continued viability of Early Start units.
Minister Quinn outlined the next steps to be taken following the publication of this report.
“This report makes a number of important recommendations which will be considered by the Department in consultation with key stakeholders. I intend to convene a forum at the beginning of the next academic year to invite Early Start school principals, academics, teachers and childcare workers to discuss the most appropriate means of implementing the recommendations. The outcome of this process will ensure that the Early Start programme continues to be my Department’s flagship initiative in the pre-school sector,” he concluded.