South Dublin County NEYAI Consortium - Addressing Gaps between Training & Practice

1. South Dublin County NEYAI Consortium - Addressing Gaps between Training & Practice South Dublin County Partnership – Lead Agency

2. Why 2010 ECCE CCS 2007 Transition EOCP - CCSS 1995 2010 NEYAI P. National Standards 2008 CCSS 2006 Siolta HSE Regs 2000 EOCP 1996 HSE Regs

3. Rationale • Practice based training and work experience • Training Survey • 64% or n=48 staff have minimum standard of education FETAC 5; • 87% completed work placement (majority 2 weeks) • 71% reported that the manager supervised their work placement • 63% stated they worked beside another staff member who observed their practice and provided feedback • 57% did not have visits from the training agency

4. Partners • Key Early Years Stakeholders, SDCP, SDCC, ECI, DDETB: • Young Explorers Pre-school, • St. Mary’s Community Childcare • Tallaght Childcare Centre, • Dublin West: • Beechtree, • Limetree, • Kozy Kids pre-school • St Ronans Playgroup; • Areas of significant socio –economic disadvantage; • 75 staff, 411 children;

5. Action

6. Mentoring Process

7. Mentoring Approach • Using A Common Framework - ITERs/ECERs - Siolta and Aistear, Hanen – making it meaningful theory to practice; • Phased approach – related to readiness to engage – relationship building critical for buy-in but ongoing process; • A one size fits all approach to delivery of support may not meet the needs of each service – start at where people can and WANT to engage; • Small gains greater dividend; • Facilitative – allowing staff/services to direct their learning and professional development; ( use of video significant); • Creating a spaces for learning – The Peer Group and Expert Group; • Mentoring the mentor – ongoing professional development;

8. Project Evaluation Findings

9. Project Evaluation Findings • Statistically significant increases in all subscales were observed across time • Largest effect size observed in the subscale Interactions, along with language and reasoning; In addition – staff survey indicated: • 89% staff stated participation – positive impact on practice • 85% reported that working with a mentor was beneficial to their development as early years professionals

10. Emergent Learning - Mentoring • Practice based experience: practical skill set + knowledge + confidence • ‘Art’ of bringing people on board: • Un-intrusive on site presence which gradually builds trust, respect and growth of learning • Flexible approach – not a one size fits all • Mentor as ongoing learner • Review and refine • Supervision – ‘Mentor the Mentor’ • Broad knowledge base or a separate parallel process? HR, Leadership/management, Corporate governance, Organisational change

11. Emergent Learning - Change • Voluntary engagement essential = genuine buy in • Readiness for engagement and change? • Effecting change at what level? • Staff practice level • Management/Leadership level • Board /Owner level • Whole company • Realistic time line for change • 18mths – 3 years – 5 years

12. Emergent Learning - Quality • A consensus on quality and making it tangible • Use of standardised tools - shared language - Evidencing quality through video feedback, role modelling and peer to peer exchanges • Continuous professional development • Peer to peer onsite and off site for managers • Staff support and supervision and leadership training • Board buy in – reflect where possible in policies • Non – Contact time • Challenges to deliver v’s benefits • Board/owner buy in • Funders buy in • Role of board or off site owners in quality • How to engage? Role of a Mentor in working with board/owners • Boundaries and who is mentor’s key stakeholder

13. South Dublin County NEYAI - Legacy • Informing the Mainstream • Consortium Submission to Departments on the National Early Years Quality Support Service • Influence local Area Based Poverty Initiative • An Implementation Guide for Quality Mentoring • A Proposed Model of Workplace Learning for Early Years Students • Peer Group Network - South Dublin County Childcare Committee • Improved quality in 7 Early Years Services

14. South Dublin County NEYAI - Legacy ‘Participating in this programme has improved and helped my interaction with children. It’s all the ideas and the discussions the mentor has with us, and the video recording that she did with us. I think it really helped us to learn how to engage the children. How to come into their play, how to join in, to interact with them…’