The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education
Practising in a professional manner requires that individuals have skills, knowledge, values and attitudes appropriate to their role and responsibility within the setting. In addition, it requires regular reflection upon practice and engagement in supported, ongoing professional development.
Component 11.1 | Component 11.2 | Component 11.3 | Component 11.4 | Component 11.5
Component 11.1 - All adults working within the setting can provide evidence that they have achieved levels of skills and knowledge appropriate to their role and responsibilities.
Signposts for Reflection
11.1.1What levels of qualifications have been attained by adults working in the setting?
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Can adults working directly with children in the setting demonstrate that they have skills and knowledge in core areas appropriate to their role and responsibilities?
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Are those in managerial roles qualified to at least Bachelor degree level or equivalent?
Are adults working in autonomous or supervisory positions qualified to at least Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) Level 6 or equivalent?
Are all adults included for the purposes of calculating ratios of adults to children in the setting qualified to FETAC Level 5 or equivalent?
Are all other adults who are unqualified, or in the process of acquiring training and qualifications, treated as supernumerary in the setting?
Are adults working in support positions appropriately qualified?
What evidence can adults provide to demonstrate the levels of skills and knowledge they have achieved?
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Component 11.2 - All adults subscribe to a set of core principles, which inform all aspects of their practice in early childhood care and education settings.
Signposts for Reflection
11.2.1What are the key principles which guide and determine practice in your setting?
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What processes demonstrate how your principles/vision statement influences practice in your setting?
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Component 11.3 - The setting supports and promotes regular opportunity for practitioners to reflect upon and review their practice and contribute positively to the development of quality practice in the setting.
Signposts for Reflection
11.3.1What processes are in place to allow practitioners time to reflect on their own practice, in order to identify areas where obtaining additional knowledge or changing approaches is necessary?
How often is time scheduled in your setting for group reflection and discussion about practice?
How are practitioners encouraged to share their experience and ideas regarding practice in the setting? See 16.1
Component 11.4 - Adults within the setting are encouraged and appropriately resourced to engage in a wide variety of regular and ongoing professional development.
Signposts for Reflection
11.4.1In what type of professional development activity do adults working in the setting participate?
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How are practitioners encouraged to engage in professional development?
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To what degree are practitioners regularly observed in the setting and provided with feedback by someone familiar with the curriculum's/programme's goals, objectives and methods of working with children?
How are cooperative working relationships with other community services used to support professional development of practitioners? See 16.1 / 16.3
Component 11.5 - Adults demonstrate sensitivity, warmth and positive regard for children and their families.
Signposts for Reflection
11.5.1How are individual children's efforts and ideas acknowledged and encouraged? See 5.3 / 5.4
How do you communicate this information to parents and families? See 3.1
How do adults encourage children to interact with, and turn to, one another for assistance throughout the day? See 5.1 / 5.2
How do adults respond sensitively to parents' need for information and reassurance on the well-being of their child? See 3.3 See 12.2
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