The light beneath the bushel - a discussion paper on early years education and care in the Republic of Ireland

Abstract

This discussion paper builds on 'Where Angels Fear to Tread' in vol. 1, no. 1 of this journal (Horgan and Douglas 1998). It seeks to provide recommendations concerning the way forward which were submitted by the authors to the National Forum for Early Childhood Education in February 1988. These were based on research carried out for more than a decade on Early Years Education and Care in the Education Department of University College Cork. The paper commences with an overview of the 'Early Years' in the Republic of Ireland and then considers quality child-centred provision under three headings; structures, training and curriculum. It concludes that the period from zero to six heralds the development of an individual's spiritual, emotional, moral, social, cognitive, linguistic, creative and physical growth. Hence, if we really care about educational standards, educational continuity and the spiritual and psychological well-being of future generations, Early Childhood services must be a priority target. In other words, the main concern should be the care and education of our youngest, and indeed most vulnerable, citizens-the children of this State. 186 Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies, Vol 2, No.2. 2000 Each new generation offers humanity another chance. If we ensure the survival and development of children in all parts of the world, protect them from harm and exploitation and enable them to participate in decisions directly affecting their lives, we will surely build the foundation of the just society we all want and that children deserve. [UNICEF, cited in Nutbrown, c., 1996, p.109] Introduction Since the time of Aristotle and Plato eminent educationalists, philosophers and theorists have attempted to focus attention on the importance of educating young children, but until the middle of the nineteenth century these appeals largely fell upon deaf ears. One thinks, for example, of Luther, Comenius, Rousseau, Edgeworth (the first important Irish man in this area) and Pestalozzi. It was not until the German political upheaval of the 1840s and the exile of the many disciples of Frederick Froebel that early years education became respectable and was taken up by the middle classes throughout much of the western world. Interestingly, however, several members of the present Economic Union, such as Germany, Italy, Denmark and Belgium, have over the past 30 years allocated huge sums of money to Early Years Education. Germany, for example, as part of the major overhaul of its education system in the early 1970s recognised the Kindergarten (the education of 3-6 year olds) as the first stage of education. The ensuing great debate on the most beneficial curriculum for children at this crucial stage was highly significant. The Belgian government has also debated this area at length, spending ten years compiling their Early Years Curriculum which was finally produced in 1985 with a foreword by their (then)