In October 2002 the Minister for Education and Science launched the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE). The CECDE was established by the Dublin Institute of Technology and St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra who also formed a board of management consisting of representatives from both institutions.
The aim of the CECDE is to develop and co-ordinate early childhood education in pursuance of the objectives of the White Paper 'Ready to Learn' and to advise the Department of Education and Science on policy issues in this area. The Centre's brief covers children from birth to 6 years of age in a wide variety of settings, including families, nurseries, crèches, playgroups, child minders, preschools and the infant classes of primary schools.
The main objectives of the Centre are:
To develop a quality framework for early childhood education;
To develop targeted interventions on a pilot basis for
children who are educationally disadvantaged and children with
special needs; and
To prepare the groundwork for the establishment of an Early
Childhood Education Agency as envisaged by the White Paper.
Within this context, the functions of the Centre are:
To develop early education quality standards in relation to
all aspects of early childhood education including equipment
and material, staff qualifications, training, learning
objectives, teaching methodologies, curriculum and related
areas;
To develop a support framework to encourage compliance with
quality standards by early education providers;
To co-ordinate and enhance early education provision,
including parental involvement, with a particular focus on
disadvantaged and special needs groups;
To undertake and/or commission research and development
through which best practice in curriculum, teaching
methodology and parent involvement may be implemented and
evaluated.
Quality early educational and care experiences provide not just a pretext for lifelong learning, but are valued as essential responses to children's needs and rights. The CECDE's brief is comprehensive and bridges many traditional divides. The Centre, in carrying out its functions, will consult on an ongoing basis with relevant agencies, groups, advisory bodies and providers of early childhood education. To this end, a Consultative Committee has been established to inform interested participants of developments in relation to the project; to give them the opportunity to present their views and to provide a forum for discussion of issues related to early childhood education.
Please click here to see the full work programme and research strategy of the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education.
Keep up to date with current events in the CECDE with our quarterly newsletter Alana and contact us to subscribe to an email notification list to be informed of when new issues are published.
Centre for Early Childhood Development & Education
Gate Lodge, St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. Tel: 00353 (0)1 8842110 Fax: 00353 (0)1 8842111
Email: early.childhood@spd.dcu.ie
