Síolta has 16 standards that guide the way we provide and develop early childhood care and education services. These range from the Rights of the Child to Legislation and Regulation.
Each standard is broken down into components and questions that help us to reflect and think about improvements we could make.
Here, we have provided an overview of the 16 areas to which the standards relate but a further breakdown of the individual components of each standard is available on the Síolta website.
The 16 Standards:
| Rights of the Child | Environments | Parents and Families | Consultation |
| Interactions | Play | Curriculum | Planning and Evaluation |
| Health and Welfare | Organisation | Professional Practice | Communication |
| Transitions | Identity and Belonging | Legislation and Regulation | Community Involvement |
The Síolta Quality Assurance Programme and Self-Evaluation
Services participating in a Síolta Quality Assurance Programme engage in a process of self-evaluation. This means they need to be able to:
- describe their own practice in relation to each standard
- make plans for improving their practice and then carry out these plans
- collect a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate the progress they have made
The services are guided and supported in their aim of meeting these standards by a Síolta Coordinator.
