Introduction to ECOS Institute
The ECOS Institute, a new platform designed to provide equitable, relevant, and accessible professional learning for those involved in the ecosystem of early childhood, was recently launched. It is described as “a global learning movement built with and for the people shaping young children’s lives”. ECOS (Early Childhood One System) exists to make learning more accessible, connected and meaningful across international systems. The platform will connect practitioners, policymakers, networks, and partners across borders to co-create certified, multilingual learning that strengthens practice, grows collective capacity, and fuels systemic change. We provide an overview of ECOS and its webinar launch which took place on the 17 February 2026.
Importance of ECOS
By acting as a bridge between research, policy, and practice, ECOS aims to create an equitable, connected, and future-ready early childhood ecosystem. The platform allows all stakeholders within the Early Years space to share experiences and learn from each other. ECOS recognises that the domains of child development are integrated and that a cross-sector approach is necessary to achieve effective Early Childhood Development (ECD) strategies. It aims to empower the Early Years workforce and help build integrated systems of care. ECOS addresses the issue that demand for high quality services is rising, yet access to training remains uneven, especially in local languages or remote regions. It creates a space for professionals and leaders to not just adapt to change, but to co-create what comes next.
Early childhood ecosystem
The ECOS webinar highlighted that ecosystems grow because of the relationships that exist within them. Collaboration and shared decision making underpins the new initiative. ECOS defines the ecosystem as consisting of the following:
- Practitioners: educators, trainers, caregivers seeking flexible, certified learning
- Ministries and municipalities needing scalable, quality-assured workforce development
- Civil society organizations expanding training impact without duplicating infrastructure
- Universities and training centresenriching curricula and extending reach
- Funders and philanthropies investing in sustainable, measurable system-level change
What ECOS offers
The ECOS Institute is a one-stop platform for learning, impact, and community:
- Academy: Certified professional development in multiple languages and formats, from self-paced and live online courses to hybrid and in-person trainings. The Academy also delivers tailored support for ministries, NGOs, and funders seeking to strengthen systems
- Resources: A growing library of downloadable guides, tools, and open-access materials co-created with practitioners and grounded in daily realities
- Community: A vibrant space for peer exchange and collaboration. Through forums, masterclasses, virtual study visits, and thought leadership events, professionals and system leaders connect, reflect, and grow together
In addition to its main priorities, ECOS also tackles urgent and often overlooked issues such as emergency response, technology, and mental wellbeing. It will remain flexible and adapt to the changing needs of children, families, and communities.
Considerations
The following considerations were highlighted to ensure the goals of ECOS are achieved:
- The knowledge and information shared through the platform should reflect cultures and conditions of the children and professionals on the ground
- A common vision and shared decision making are needed
- Interconnected pathways of child development services should be enabled
- The efficiencies of other systems need to be learned from
- Strengthening the whole system will help to close the gaps experienced by vulnerable children
- Ongoing collaborative relationships should be built at all levels
- ECD should not just be viewed as a resource for parents but as a widespread public good
- A whole of government approach is need for ECD policy
Opportunities that ECOS should offer
The webinar participants highlighted the following as important to include in the further development of the platform:
- Interactive and multimedia case studies of successful implementation of ECD policy
- High quality practical Continuous Professional Development accessible and relevant across all countries
- Support in adapting knowledge across countries
- Access to the highest quality of knowledge to those working for with vulnerable children
Conclusion
The webinar highlighted that the ECOS platform is not a finished product and will continue to grow and expand. You can access the portal here. If you have any questions or queries about our work, please contact policy@earlychildhoodireland.ie.
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How to Track Your Garda Vetting applications and avoid unnecessary delays
Keeping Garda Vetting applications moving smoothly often comes down to one simple task: tracking them regularly. While processing times are determined by the National Vetting Bureau, many delays occur before an application even enters the vetting process because applicants have not completed their NVB link. Regularly monitoring your Garda Vetting Dashboard, using the NVB tracker, and following up with applicants can help identify issues early, reduce delays, and ensure applications progress as quickly as possible.
Accessing your Garda Vetting Dashboard
The Garda Vetting Dashboard provides a centralised view of all applications submitted through Early Childhood Ireland. It allows you to monitor applications, locate reference numbers, and track progress throughout the vetting process.
To access your dashboard:
- Log in to the Early Childhood Ireland website
- Navigate to My Account
- Open the Garda Vetting Dashboard
If your organisation operates across multiple sites and uses more than one Membership or Garda Vetting user number, ensure you are logged into the correct account, as only applications linked to that membership number will be displayed.
Check applications 24 hours after submission
Once an application has been submitted, it is vital the designated Garda Vetting contact for your setting checks their email inbox or the setting dashboard approximately 24 hours later to confirm that the application has been submitted and received successfully.
If:
- No confirmation email has been received, and
- The applicant does not appear on the dashboard,
this indicates that the application was not successfully submitted and should be resubmitted. Always ensure the “Thank You” screen appears after clicking submit.
To track an application, you will need:
- The ECI Reference Number (Application ID)
- The applicant’s date of birth
The tracker provides real-time updates on the application’s current stage and is available 24 hours a day. You can find clear explanations for each step of the status history of the Garda Vetting process in our Garda Vetting FAQs, under the section “How can I track an application I have submitted for a staff member?”.
Don’t forget to follow up with applicants
A key part of managing applications is ensuring applicants complete the NVB link they receive by email. An application cannot begin processing until the applicant has accessed, completed, and submitted their NVB link correctly.
We recommend that validators:
- Confirm applicants have received the NVB email
- Ask applicants to check junk or spam folders if the email has not arrived
- If email link received, ensure applicants can access the link successfully
- Follow up if the link has not been completed within a reasonable timeframe (Link will expire after 30 days)
A quick follow-up can often prevent weeks of avoidable delay.
When your applicant confirms they have completed the NVB link, use the NVB tracker to ensure your applicant has completed the link correctly. If the applicant has completed the link correctly, on the tracker you should see ‘Application submitted to NVB for processing’
If the applicant has completed the application incorrectly, you will see something similar to the below:
Applications will be cancelled and resent to the applicant until they have completed the link correctly. Therefore, it is important to use the NVB tracker and follow up with applicants, as only the applicant receives an email outlining the issue and providing instructions on how to amend it when the link is completed incorrectly.
Timeline reminder – The clock starts when the applicant submits the NVB link
One of the most important points to remember is that processing timelines do not begin when the validator submits the applicant’s details to Early Childhood Ireland. Timelines only begin once the applicant has completed and submitted their NVB application link.
Current processing timelines are approximately:
- Standard applications: 15–20 working days
- Applications with EU address history: up to 25–30 working days
- Applications with UK address history: up to 35–40 working days
Please note that some applications may take longer depending on individual circumstances.
Re-vetting applications require the same processing time
A common misconception is that re-vetting applications are processed faster than new applications. This is not the case. Re-vetting applications follow the same process and are subject to the same processing timelines as new Garda Vetting applications. The NVB processes applications in chronological order, and applications cannot be prioritised or expedited.
For this reason, services should begin the re-vetting process well in advance of disclosure expiry dates. Starting re-vetting 2–3 months before expiration can help avoid disruption and ensure your setting remains compliant.
Key takeaway
Regularly checking your Garda Vetting Dashboard, tracking applications through the NVB Tracker, and following up with applicants who have not completed their NVB link are some of the most effective ways to prevent delays.
With the busy recruitment and re-vetting period approaching, now is the ideal time to review upcoming Garda Vetting requirements within your service. We encourage members to begin both new vetting and re-vetting applications as early as possible, keeping current processing timelines in mind. A proactive approach, combined with regular tracking of applications and timely follow-up with applicants, can help avoid unnecessary delays and ensure applications are completed when needed
Share this post
More to explore
How to Track Your Garda Vetting applications and avoid unnecessary delays
Keeping Garda Vetting applications moving smoothly often comes down to one simple task: tracking them regularly. While processing times are determined by the National Vetting Bureau, many delays occur before an application even enters the vetting process because applicants have not completed their NVB link. Regularly monitoring your Garda Vetting Dashboard, using the NVB tracker, and following up with applicants can help identify issues early, reduce delays, and ensure applications progress as quickly as possible.
Accessing your Garda Vetting Dashboard
The Garda Vetting Dashboard provides a centralised view of all applications submitted through Early Childhood Ireland. It allows you to monitor applications, locate reference numbers, and track progress throughout the vetting process.
To access your dashboard:
- Log in to the Early Childhood Ireland website
- Navigate to My Account
- Open the Garda Vetting Dashboard
If your organisation operates across multiple sites and uses more than one Membership or Garda Vetting user number, ensure you are logged into the correct account, as only applications linked to that membership number will be displayed.
Check applications 24 hours after submission
Once an application has been submitted, it is vital the designated Garda Vetting contact for your setting checks their email inbox or the setting dashboard approximately 24 hours later to confirm that the application has been submitted and received successfully.
If:
- No confirmation email has been received, and
- The applicant does not appear on the dashboard,
this indicates that the application was not successfully submitted and should be resubmitted. Always ensure the “Thank You” screen appears after clicking submit.
To track an application, you will need:
- The ECI Reference Number (Application ID)
- The applicant’s date of birth
The tracker provides real-time updates on the application’s current stage and is available 24 hours a day. You can find clear explanations for each step of the status history of the Garda Vetting process in our Garda Vetting FAQs, under the section “How can I track an application I have submitted for a staff member?”.
Don’t forget to follow up with applicants
A key part of managing applications is ensuring applicants complete the NVB link they receive by email. An application cannot begin processing until the applicant has accessed, completed, and submitted their NVB link correctly.
We recommend that validators:
- Confirm applicants have received the NVB email
- Ask applicants to check junk or spam folders if the email has not arrived
- If email link received, ensure applicants can access the link successfully
- Follow up if the link has not been completed within a reasonable timeframe (Link will expire after 30 days)
A quick follow-up can often prevent weeks of avoidable delay.
When your applicant confirms they have completed the NVB link, use the NVB tracker to ensure your applicant has completed the link correctly. If the applicant has completed the link correctly, on the tracker you should see ‘Application submitted to NVB for processing’
If the applicant has completed the application incorrectly, you will see something similar to the below:
Applications will be cancelled and resent to the applicant until they have completed the link correctly. Therefore, it is important to use the NVB tracker and follow up with applicants, as only the applicant receives an email outlining the issue and providing instructions on how to amend it when the link is completed incorrectly.
Timeline reminder – The clock starts when the applicant submits the NVB link
One of the most important points to remember is that processing timelines do not begin when the validator submits the applicant’s details to Early Childhood Ireland. Timelines only begin once the applicant has completed and submitted their NVB application link.
Current processing timelines are approximately:
- Standard applications: 15–20 working days
- Applications with EU address history: up to 25–30 working days
- Applications with UK address history: up to 35–40 working days
Please note that some applications may take longer depending on individual circumstances.
Re-vetting applications require the same processing time
A common misconception is that re-vetting applications are processed faster than new applications. This is not the case. Re-vetting applications follow the same process and are subject to the same processing timelines as new Garda Vetting applications. The NVB processes applications in chronological order, and applications cannot be prioritised or expedited.
For this reason, services should begin the re-vetting process well in advance of disclosure expiry dates. Starting re-vetting 2–3 months before expiration can help avoid disruption and ensure your setting remains compliant.
Key takeaway
Regularly checking your Garda Vetting Dashboard, tracking applications through the NVB Tracker, and following up with applicants who have not completed their NVB link are some of the most effective ways to prevent delays.
With the busy recruitment and re-vetting period approaching, now is the ideal time to review upcoming Garda Vetting requirements within your service. We encourage members to begin both new vetting and re-vetting applications as early as possible, keeping current processing timelines in mind. A proactive approach, combined with regular tracking of applications and timely follow-up with applicants, can help avoid unnecessary delays and ensure applications are completed when needed
High quality Early Years for children under three-Part 1
First Event of Early Childhood Ireland’s Budget 2027 Campaign
Action needed: Download your certificates
Our new ECI Professional Learning Hub will launch next month. The certificates you have already gained will not automatically transfer.
We ask that you please download any certificates you may need from the current Learning Hub for both you and your staff.
