LO3: Describe, analyze and constructively critique legislation, social policies, and research related to the partnership between young children (0-6), parents, and professionals

LO4: Describe, analyse and constructively critique the theory and practice of leadership when supporting teams in promoting high quality provision

The following section will explore how important strong leadership is in providing high-quality care in early childhood settings.   In Ireland, quality is measured by two main bodies the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) against the Quality Regulatory Framework (QRF) (Tusla, 2018) and by the Department of Education and Skills using the Early Years Education Inspection Guide (EYEI) (DES, 2018). As previously discussed, we have two national practice frameworks in Ireland for early-year education, Siolta: (DES, 2017), which is based on 12 principles and 16 standards measuring all areas of quality, and Aistear (NCCA, 2009), which guides the development of challenging, enjoyable learning experiences for children. As a leader of quality practice, we regularly have staff meeting to discuss, evaluation, and reviewing legislation and guidelines. These interactions provide the opportunity to communicate openly and honestly with staff which ensures transparency which according to Rodd (2006) is vital for successful leadership.