Start Strong Submission on Education-focused Inspections - June 2015

June 30, 2015

Start Strong welcomes the increased involvement by the Department of Education and Skills in early care and education, and the decision to introduce "Early Years Education-focused Inspections". However, we have a number of concerns about current plans for the education-focused inspections as set out in the Department's briefing paper. Our submission highlights our concerns and makes a number of recommendations for reform including:

• Broaden the Education-focused inspections to address whole settings, not just the Free Pre-School Year.
• Roll out Síolta and Aistear nationally, in parallel with the introduction of Education-focused Inspections.
• Merge the DES early years inspections with the Tusla early years inspectorate.
• Develop clear procedures for sanctions and for referral mechanisms between the two inspectorates.

Read our submission here.