Module Code: H6ILR
Long Title Introduction to Legislation and Regulation in Early Childhood Education
Title Introduction to Legislation and Regulation in Early Childhood Education
Module Level: LEVEL 6
EQF Level: 5
EHEA Level: Short Cycle
Credits: 5
Module Coordinator: ARLENE EGAN
Module Author: Jane Liu
Departments: NCI Learning & Teaching
Specifications of the qualifications and experience required of staff  
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner will be able to:
# Learning Outcome Description
LO1 Demonstrate a clear understanding of the key pieces of Irish legislation relating to Early Childhood Education and the Government departments and bodies with responsibility for them.
LO2 Demonstrate knowledge of all the major regulations that impact on the diverse nature of early childhood settings in Ireland from birth to six years.
LO3 Demonstrate an ability to use the pre-school inspection tool and the Aistear /Siolta Practice Guide to develop and maintain high levels of quality in early childhood settings.
LO4 Discuss the impact of legislation and regulation on both the education and care of the child in each setting.
Dependencies
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is required before enrolment on this module. While the prior learning is expressed as named NCI module(s) it also allows for learning (in another module or modules) which is equivalent to the learning specified in the named module(s).
No recommendations listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Entry requirements  
 

Module Content & Assessment

Indicative Content
Origins and timelines of the Legislation and Regulation in Early Child
• From how the Irish Constitution impacts legislation and regulation of ECE up until the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 , including the UN convention on the Rights of the Child, Education Act, Childcare Act 1991, Preschool Regulations 2006, Children First and the anticipated Children and Family Relationships Bill.
Types of legislation and regulation
• Environments, care of children, education of children, child protection, health and safety, Human Resources, children’s right, quality standards, curriculum, the ECCE scheme.
Government Departments and Bodies responsible for regulating Early Chi
• The landscape of regulation in Ireland. Who is responsible for the regulation and inspection of early childhood education and care settings from childminders to junior cycle in national school?
Types of settings and the regulations that apply
• The individual factors that determine which regulations apply to which setting.
Inspections & Quality Assurance
• Accessing resources such as the Pre-school inspection tool or Aistear toolkit and discussing how to audit a setting in order to meet regulations. The roles of the County Childcare Committee, Pre-School Inspector, Environmental Health Officer, Department of Education Inspectorate, Pobal and Better Start.
Impact of Legislation & Regulation on the Child
• Discussing the potential impact, both positive and negative, of legislation and regulation on the child in various early childhood education settings.
Assessment Breakdown%
Coursework60.00%
End of Module Assessment40.00%

Assessments

Full Time

Coursework
Assessment Type: Assignment (0350) % of total: 60
Assessment Date: n/a Outcome addressed: 1,2,4
Non-Marked: No
Assessment Description:
Comparing two different types of ECE settings and mapping the legislation and regulations that apply to them and why. Also providing a short summary of the impact that they have on the child in each setting. (2500 words)
End of Module Assessment
Assessment Type: Terminal Exam % of total: 40
Assessment Date: End-of-Semester Outcome addressed: 1,2,3,4
Non-Marked: No
Assessment Description:
n/a
No Workplace Assessment
Reassessment Requirement
Repeat failed items
The student must repeat any item failed

NCIRL reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Module Target Workload Hours 0 Hours
Workload: Part Time
Workload Type Workload Description Hours Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload
Lecture per week 2 Once per semester 0.17
Independent Learning No Description 8.5 Once per semester 0.71
Total Weekly Contact Hours 0.17
 

Module Resources

Recommended Book Resources
  • Department of Health & Children. (2011), Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children DoHC (Revised), Department of Health & Children, Dublin.
  • Department of Health & Children 2006 Child Care. (Pre-School Services) (No. 2) Regulations 2006 and Explanatory Guide to Requirements and Procedures for Notification and Inspection, Stationary Office, Dublin.
  • Department of Health & Children. (2010), National Standards for Pre-School Services, DoHC (Revised), Department of Health & Children, Dublin.
  • Hayes. N. (2013), Early Years Practice- Getting It Right from the Start, Gill & Macmillan, Dublin, [ISBN: 9780717157204].
  • Hayes. N. (2006), Early Childhood Education and Care, A Decade of Reflection1996-2006., Centre for Social & Educational Research,, Dublin.
  • National Council for Curriculum & Assessment. (2009), Aistear Toolkit, NCCA, Dublin Available at: http://www.ncca.ie/en/Curriculum_and_Assessment/Early_Childhood_and_Primary_Education/Early_Childhood_Education/Aistear_Toolkit/.
  • National Council for Curriculum & Assessment. (2015), Aistear Siolta Practice Guide, Available at: http://www.ncca.ie/en/Practice-Guide, NCCA, Dublin.
  • Maire Mhic Mhathuna (Editor), Mark Taylor (Editor). Early Childhood Education & Care, Gill & Macmillan Ltd, p.384, [ISBN: 9780717153244].
  • Tulsa Child & Family Agency. (2015), Inspection of Early Years Services Inspection Tool, Tusla Child & Family Agency, Dublin.
  • O’Kane, M.. (2005), The effect of regulation on the quality of early childhood services in Ireland, Childcare in Practice 11:2, p231-51, Taylor & Francis.
This module does not have any article/paper resources
Other Resources
  • United Nations. (1998), Convention on the Rights of the Child, UN, Treaty Series 1577, p.3. Available at: www2.ohchr.org/English/bodies/crc/commen t.htm..
  • Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education. (2006), Siolta: The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education, Dublin, CECDE.
  • [Website], Children’s Database,
    http://www.childrensdatabase.ie
  • Education Act 1998,
    http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1998/en/a ct/pub/0051/
  • National Council for Curriculum & Assessment. (2009), Aistear the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, Dublin, NCCA.
  • (1937), Bunreacht Na hEireann.
  • [Journals], An Leanabh Og: The OMEP Ireland Journal of Early Childhood Studies.
  • [Journals], Children’s Research Digest.
Discussion Note: