Quality of provision through support of a Quality Specialist Heather Godfrey IPPA hgodfrey@ippa.ie

1. Quality of provision through support of a Quality Specialist Heather Godfrey IPPA hgodfrey@ippa.ie EECERA Prague 2007

2. Background to the Study • IPPA Quality Improvement Programme: Aim: support a play curriculum 6 Training Days over 6 months 3 on-site support visits • Regulations and Reports (all top down) EECERA Prague 2007

3. Dimensions of Quality • Aims, values and physical environment • Play, equipment and experiences • Daily routines • Interaction, learning and teaching strategies • Observation, planning and assessment • Partnership with parents and community EECERA Prague 2007

4. Rationale Being aware of the challenges facing childcare practitioners, I want to support them in providing a quality service In my role I want to improve my own practice EECERA Prague 2007

5. The Quality Cycle EECERA Prague 2007

6. Research Question How can I support practitioners to provide a quality service, taking account of their diverse needs & how can I improve my practice during the course of a Q.I.P? EECERA Prague 2007

7. Literature Review • Models of Quality • Reflective Practice • Vygotsky’s (1978) Zone of proximal development • Rogoff’s (1990) Guided apprenticeship EECERA Prague 2007

8. Elements of Quality Support • 1 Training • 2 On-site support • 3 Documentation and evaluation EECERA Prague 2007

9. Research Design ‘Action Research is a form of enquiry that enables practitioners to investigate and evaluate their work’… to improve their own learning and influence the learning of others’ (McNiff, J. & Whitehead, J. 2006:7) EECERA Prague 2007

10. Sample 6 services- full-daycare and sessional preschool - community & private 13Participants on QIP On site staff from 3- 20+ 6 month period Method Training Days Focus groups Evaluations Portfolios Data Collection EECERA Prague 2007

11. Step One • Met the services – process of application & preliminary visit. Gathered baseline information e.g. facilities for play experiences • Personal reflection on challenges EECERA Prague 2007

12. Step Two • Training Day Format: Discussion, expert input, peer sharing & experientials. End of training day – Signposts to consider for action • Personal Reflection & evaluation EECERA Prague 2007

13. Step Three • Participants met with staff and formulated an action plan EECERA Prague 2007

14. Step Four • On-site support – Quality Specialist met with staff – supported action plan & evaluated progress – feedback • Personal Reflection EECERA Prague 2007

15. Step Five • Subsequent training days began with sharing of progress to date and then focussed on another dimension of quality EECERA Prague 2007

16. Changes to practice • Enhanced children’s play - altered layout • Children had more choices because accessible equipment & materials were provided • Children more engaged - added open-ended materials • More relaxed meal times – problem solving & collaboration EECERA Prague 2007

17. Emerging Findings • A greater understanding of ‘Quality’: “ I now realise it only takes a small change to make a difference ….” • Improved relationships: “We now use the steps in Conflict Resolution and have explained these to the parents…” EECERA Prague 2007

18. Emerging Findings • Enhancing children’s play: “Since the on-site visit we decided to move the water play area out of the big room…and it has made such a difference to the children’s play” “Since we moved the dress-up area the children are using this more” EECERA Prague 2007

19. Emerging Findings • Altered routines: “We decided to have the dinner time ten minutes later…this has reduced the stress on both children and us” “We changed our routine after break… there is less fuss now” EECERA Prague 2007

20. Emerging Findings • Provided access to equipment and wider experiences: “The new boxes we got means the children can now get at the things themselves” “We gave them bits of string, boxes and glue – it was great to watch as they enjoyed using these open ended materials” EECERA Prague 2007

21. Emerging Findings • Benefited from sharing: “I have found that the group discussion at the beginning of each training day very useful, as the discussion would be based around how we got on with the previous report – it would throw up all sorts of issues/ideas” EECERA Prague 2007

22. Outcomes • Better experiences for children • Motivated staff • Child centred routines • Benefited from sharing EECERA Prague 2007

23. My Reflections • Igained a deeper understanding of what quality means and that small changes really do make a huge difference • I was encouraged by the enthusiasm of staff to provide quality childcare for the children in their services by giving up their time to attend the Training Days EECERA Prague 2007

24. Implications for Practice • Value Reflective practice - Emphasise use of Quality Cycle on support visit • Time frame – more time between training days • Awareness of diversity in levels of training and experience EECERA Prague 2007

25. Thank You Heather Godfrey hgodfrey@ippa.ie EECERA Prague 2007