{"schema_version":"ICEQC_NEWS_ARTICLE_V1","id":"iceqc-news-7d96d9cb37b92541","slug":"2007-01-24-early-childhood-provision-moves-to-the-centre-of-the-quality-agenda","language":"en","publication_status":"PUBLISHED","publication_date":"2007-01-24","last_modified_date":"2007-01-24","title":"Early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda","summary":"Considers early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda in its applicable policy context.","category":{"code":"POLICY_AND_REGULATORY_INTERPRETATION","label":"Industry Policy and Regional Regulatory Interpretation"},"article_type":"Policy and regulatory analysis","publisher":"International Council for Education Quality Certification (ICEQC)","jurisdictional_scope":"International","historical_reference_basis":"2007 Education for All Global Monitoring Report","reference_authority":"United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization","sections":[{"heading":null,"paragraphs":["In 2007, consideration of early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda must take account of the 2007 Education for All Global Monitoring Report and the responsibilities it places before education systems. The relevant policy question is how the stated public objective is translated into responsibilities that can be applied, supervised and reviewed. Learner protection and reliable decisions require controls commensurate with the nature and scale of risk."]},{"heading":"Status and scope","paragraphs":["The reference basis—the 2007 Education for All Global Monitoring Report—is evidential rather than self-executing. Its value lies in identifying matters for examination; it should not be read as a legal instruction or causal finding. In applying it to early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, users should review the source definitions, population coverage, reference period and stated limitations before transferring a system-level finding to an individual provider or learner group.","For early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, the 2007 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, Strong Foundations, focuses on early childhood care and education. It treats early childhood provision as extending beyond access to pre-primary places and considers health, nutrition, care, protection and learning together. The report’s framing requires quality analysis to examine who participates, the suitability of provision for young children, workforce capacity and unequal access."]},{"heading":"Public-interest implications","paragraphs":["In the context of early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, the central objective should not be obscured by the form of the administrative response. Provision for young children should integrate learning, wellbeing, protection and development, with expectations appropriate to age and context. When examining early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, assurance should not stop at adoption, resourcing or completion of administrative tasks. For decisions concerning early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, authorities and providers require evidence of operation and effect, with a route to identify and correct unequal or unintended consequences.","In work concerning early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, in this case, the subject should be examined as a connected system of policy, people, resources, decisions and evidence. The most consequential weakness may arise at a handover rather than within one responsible function. As regards early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, an imprecise scope or measure may produce a credible-looking record that does not answer the relevant decision question."],"bullets":["Who controls each stage?","What action is required by the finding?","Which evidence establishes operation?","Where do exceptions occur?","What outcome is intended?"]},{"heading":"Institutional responsibilities","paragraphs":["Where early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda is under review, the applicable expectation should be capable of consistent application. For the assessment of early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, implementation should be assessed against observable effects on access, learning, safety and fair treatment, rather than against the existence of a policy statement alone. For early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, criteria affecting learners should not permit materially different interpretation without an evidenced reason.","A narrow control over the relevant measure may create false assurance. In the present context, inappropriate formalisation of learning, unequal access to trained staff and access expanding without adequate quality may produce acceptable aggregate reporting while individual learners remain exposed to material disadvantage. In the context of early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, the test should deliberately include exceptions and cases in which the expected outcome was not achieved."]},{"heading":"Continuing review","paragraphs":["Assurance of early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda should draw on more than one form of evidence. Useful records include safe environment and safeguarding records, observation-based learning records, access and attendance by relevant group, staff competence and supervision, and transition and referral arrangements. Documents should be reconciled with observed practice and, where relevant, the experience of affected learners. When examining early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, a positive example may illustrate operation, but it cannot demonstrate coverage or consistency.","Authorities and providers reviewing the relevant measure should proceed in a defined sequence. The method for the issue is to map the complete process, identify the intended result and responsible authority at each stage, and test normal cases together with exceptions.","For decisions concerning early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, a policy conclusion on the issue should state who is required or expected to act, the source of that expectation and the consequence of non-implementation. Any conclusion should state where differences in law limit its application. Public communication should not present an aspiration, recommendation or proposed measure as an existing legal duty."]},{"heading":"Continuing review","paragraphs":["The analysis of early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda should remain within the limits of the evidence. In work concerning early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, the existence of an international commitment does not remove the need for jurisdiction-specific interpretation, consultation and proportionate transition arrangements. For the relevant measure, participation rates do not establish the quality of early learning, and narrow academic measures do not provide a complete account of development or wellbeing.","The assurance record for early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda should retain the date of the evidence, the source responsible for it, the scope examined and the version of any instrument or definition applied. Where early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda is under review, traceable source and version information allow genuine improvement to be distinguished from administrative revision. For the assessment of early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, the evidential history should preserve conclusions that were operative when a material decision was made.","Accountability for early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda should follow decision-making authority. In the context of early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, where work is delegated, the record should continue to identify who is accountable for material consequences to learners.","When examining early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda, a clear objective, proportionate evidential basis and account of affected learners are required. The decision record for early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda should state the unsupported element and the further work required."]}],"word_count":1067,"content_hash":"sha256-505549871d0c3add7874283d08390c789f566f25a19164e4483be3c66871b936","seo_keywords":["early childhood provision moves to the centre of the quality agenda","education policy and regulation","education quality","ICEQC"],"schema_type":"AnalysisNewsArticle"}