NCI Courses

This section would introduce theory, concepts and approaches to collaborative practice. Bronfenbrenner could be referred to here as it would be bringing learners back to the idea that building positive relationships with parents and specialists such as speech and language, health and nutrition supports the child covered in stage 3 ‘Child Family Society’.

This section will extend on last week’s topic and could include Joyce Epstein’s model of partnership with parents (it includes a collaborating with community element that brings the focus to working with other professionals in the child’s life).

Continue on by looking at the National documents such as Aistear and Siolta (Research Digest), TUSLA QRF, DES early years inspection . guidelines in terms of the importance of collaboration with professionals. Introduce learners to the First Five Government Strategy, in particular to explain that it refers to ‘silos’ (inter agency collaboration) as being essential in the first five years of a child’s life.

This area would focus on identifying the current agencies and groups working at a local level or national level in Ireland. This could include: Better Start (& AIM), ELI, ABC Start Right Limerick, Barnardo’s, The Demonstration Project (An ongoing trial with OT and SLT working in ECEC, Primary and post-primary schools) – locally there might be Addiction services for parents with child care/ preschool attached.

The Core competences document can be explored in relation to the roles and responsibilities of early childhood educators. The Code of professional responsibility and Code of ethics for early childhood teachers can be examined and reflected on in relation to one’s own professionalism when working with children, families and other professionals.

This section would be very focused on the Whole of Government ten-year strategy 2019-2028: First Five. This document refers to a competent ECEC system – this would be about learners seeing the full picture that we can’t meet the needs of children on our own within ECEC we need to work together with other professionals, agencies, education systems.

This covers leadership- negotiation- conflict resolution and understanding conflict (Furlongs circle of conflict). Teamwork and collaboration. The aim of this section is build learners confidence working with professionals they might need to work with such as DES and TUSLA inspectorate, Therapists, Primary school principals, Childcare Committees, Better Start specialists, mentors, coordinators, multi-disciplinary and inter-agency teams.

This session covers presenting, sharing and evaluating data/ findings (report writing) –Practical exercises in report writing or form filling could be introduced, such as completing the AIM Access and Inclusion Profile form or Mo Sceal transitions to primary school template. The aim of this section is to build learners confidence and skills with different types of report writing/ form filling that might be needed when working in multi professional contexts.

This section could introduce a transformative approach to learning – where early year’s teachers engage in action research/ or bringing about change to their ECEC setting. Reflective practice is important for assessing collaborative practice within the ECEC setting, for example when working with other professional cycles of action and reflection can be beneficial to see what is working and what can be adjusted etc. Introduce different Action Research and Reflective Practice cycles such as Kolb, Gibbs, White & McNiff, ‘What, So what, Now what’ cycle of reflective practice.

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