The influence of the EQF on Irish policies
The European Quality Framework provides key principles and a European approach to high-quality Early Years provision based on good practices in EU Member States. In 2014, the European Union (EU) Directorate General for Education and Culture published Proposal for key principles of a quality framework for Early Childhood Education and Care. This report was from the Working Group on Early Childhood Education and Care which comprised representatives from 25 countries including Ireland and it identifies actions that help produce and assure high-quality Early Years provision. It covers the most relevant themes in current EU policies on Early Years in a comprehensive way and devises clear recommendations on each topic. The main objective of the Framework is to describe a system that can provide high-quality Early Years and School Age Care for all children.
In this piece we look at the influence that the framework has in the development of Irish policies, specifically First 5, the ten-year Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families (2019-2028) as well as Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC), 2022-2028.
First 5
First 5 is a whole-of-government strategy to improve the lives of babies, young children and their families. It is a ten-year plan to help make sure all children have positive early experiences and get a great start in life. The strategy uses evidence to identify goals, objectives and the specific actions required from across Government to support children (and their families) in the early years of life. The European Quality Framework is described as having been a “key input” in the design of First 5, with the structures and priorities of the strategy reflecting its five key areas:
- Access
- Workforce
- Curriculum
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Policy and Financing
The following actions are some of those in First 5 that reflect the specific priority areas.
Access
- Make high-quality Early Years and School Age Care for babies and young children more affordable.
- Maintain and extend the supply of high-quality publicly subsidised Early Years and School Age Care to best serve the developmental needs of babies and young children, ensuring that it also reflects the needs and preferences of parents and families.
- Ensure that Early Years and School Age Care provision promotes participation, strengthens social inclusion and embraces diversity through the integration of additional supports and services for children and families with additional needs.
Workforce
- Develop a Workforce Development Plan to ensure the appropriate number of Early Years and School Age Care staff at all levels in the sector.
- Improve access to high-quality initial training and Continuous Professional Development opportunities to ensure the staff involved in delivering early childhood supports and services are fully prepared for the demands of their professional roles.
- Develop mechanisms to raise the professional status of the Early Years and School Age Care workforce and support employers to offer more favourable working conditions to attract and retain staff.
Curriculum
- Through the National Síolta Aistear Initiative (NSAI), develop and implement a national plan for the phased, supported and simultaneous implementation of Síolta, the National Quality Framework, and Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, in all Early Years and School Age Care settings for babies and young children
Monitoring and Evaluation
- Progressively reform the Early Years and School Age Care regulatory and inspection systems and strengthen quality assurance, with a renewed emphasis on self-evaluation.
Policy and Financing
- Develop and introduce a new funding model for Early Years and School Age Care that will support improved quality of provision without compromising sustainability for providers or affordability for parents.
- Develop appropriate mechanisms to accurately track progress in public investment in early childhood.
Nurturing Skills
Nurturing skills aims to support and strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for the workforce in Early Years and School Age Care. Nurturing Skills sets out a vision of ‘A well-qualified, skilled, diverse and valued professional workforce’. Nurturing Skills gives credit to the European Quality Framework as having a “central influence” on the development of the Workforce Plan. With the workforce being one of the five priority areas, Nurturing Skills was guided by the framework’s understanding of what high quality Early Years and School Age Care should look like. The framework recognises that ‘Staff is the most significant factor for children’s well-being, learning and developmental outcomes. Therefore, staff working conditions and professional development are seen as essential components of quality’, sentiments that are reflected in Nurturing Skills.
In addition, a working group, of which Ireland was a member, was set up over the period 2018-2020 to build on the work of the framework through the examination of policies to support professionalisation and inclusion. A report published by the working group in December 2020 on “Early Childhood Education and Care: How to Recruit, Train and Motivate Well-Qualified Staff”, greatly informed the development of the Workforce Plan. This report echoed the need for all stakeholders including national and local decision- makers, employers, Early Years and School Age Care leaders, trade unions, social partners, and education and training institutions to support the professional development of the workforce as well as the attractiveness of the Early Years and School Age Care system. It also emphasised the need to recognise the value of the workforce.
Conclusion
The objective of the European Quality Framework is to describe a system which can provide high-quality Early Years and School Age Care for all children. As the work of Early Childhood Ireland is centred around this goal, we welcome Irish policies’ reflection of the framework’s priorities. We will continue to monitor the progress of First 5 and Nurturing Skills. Early Childhood Ireland also continues to champion the importance of the European Quality Framework among stakeholders and policy makers.
If you have any questions or queries about our work, please contact [email protected].
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International Students – Everything you need to know
Key Requirements for International Students
International students play an increasingly important role in Early Years and School Age Care settings. Ensuring that robust Garda Vetting processes are followed is essential to safeguarding children, supporting services, and protecting students themselves.
Why Garda Vetting Matters
Garda Vetting is a key safeguarding measure and a legal requirement for anyone who will have access to children or vulnerable persons. For international students, vetting requirements are more detailed due to time spent living outside Ireland.
International students aged 16 years and over, cannot begin placement until all vetting requirements have been fully completed and cleared.
Garda Vetting Requirements for International Students
Identity validation is a critical step to ensure compliance and the safeguarding of children. As international students are abroad, the requirements of the identity validation process differ, so it’s important to understand what applies to you as the validator before you start. To make things easier, we’ve created a Tip Sheet with everything you need to know for validating your applicant’s identity.
The Tip Sheet has two different pathways explaining the Identity Validation process:
- For applicants living in Ireland
- For applicants living outside of Ireland
Each pathway is designed to guide validators through every step of the identity validation process, ensuring clarity and compliance. To make this even easier, you can download and print our Tip Sheet, which you can display in your service for quick reference whenever needed.
Download our Tip Sheet here.
Important: Police clearance certificates are still required in addition to Garda Vetting — one does not replace the other.
Timing: Plan Ahead
Due to ECRIS additional checks, any applicant who has previously lived or living in another EU Member State (other than Ireland) or the UK will experience longer Garda Vetting application processing times. Please keep in mind the following current processing timelines:
Standard applications (Irish addresses only):
- 18–20 working days (previously shorter)
Note: Around 20% may take longer, especially if an applicant’s details are entered incorrectly
Applications with EU address history:
- Add up to 10 extra working days
Total: approx. 28–30 working days
Applications with UK address history:
- Add up to 20 extra working days
Total: approx. 38–40 working days
Best practice: Begin the vetting process as soon as placement is being considered.
Students Aged 16 but Under 18 Years of Age
International students aged between 16 and 18 will be subject to the same application processing timelines outlined above. Garda Vetting for students aged 16–17 is referred to as Under 18s vetting and to begin, validators will need to obtain the following documents:
- The parent/guardian must complete this form
- The parent/guardian must sign and date their consent
- Must be completed in full and be legible
- Parent/guardian must provide their own email address and phone number (not the student’s) on the Vetting Invitation NVB1 Form
- Consent box ticked (digital tick not accepted)
- Signed and dated by the applicant using a handwritten signature (digital signatures not accepted)
- Proof of Identity and Written Reference from the Accepted Document Table
- Students must provide either of the following as proof of identity:
- Passport
- Birth certificate
- Students need to provide a written statement by their school principal confirming attendance
- Letter must be on school letterhead paper
The Most Common Issue that causes Delays
The most common cause of delays in the vetting process is a lack of follow-up with applicants. It is your responsibility as an Early Years and School Age Care setting to follow up with your applicants to ensure that they have:
- Received the link sent by the NVB to complete their application
- Completed and submitted the link correctly sent by the NVB
If the applicant cannot access or has not received the link from the NVB, the vetting process cannot begin.
Common reasons for applicant’s not receiving links from the NVB include:
- Incorrect email address (e.g., spelling mistakes)
- Incorrect date of birth entered
To prevent this, it is vital that all information entered online matches the hard-copy documents (NVB1 form and the Identity Document Validation Form) identically.
Avoiding delays is essential, but is particularly important for international student applications, as placement timelines are often time sensitive. Given current processing times, delays must be avoided, so please ensure you follow up with applicants to confirm their applications are completed promptly
Key Takeaways
- Garda Vetting and Police Clearance are both mandatory
- Police clearance is required from each country of residence (6+ months)
- Plan ahead: Keep in mind current application processing times
- Follow up with your applicants to ensure link has been received and completed
- No placement may begin until garda vetting is complete
Helpful Information
Practical Tools and Resources to Guide Affiliates:
Early Years provision based on children’s needs in England
Early Years and School Age Care Staffing Issues Need Urgent Action
Share this post
More to explore
International Students – Everything you need to know
Key Requirements for International Students
International students play an increasingly important role in Early Years and School Age Care settings. Ensuring that robust Garda Vetting processes are followed is essential to safeguarding children, supporting services, and protecting students themselves.
Why Garda Vetting Matters
Garda Vetting is a key safeguarding measure and a legal requirement for anyone who will have access to children or vulnerable persons. For international students, vetting requirements are more detailed due to time spent living outside Ireland.
International students aged 16 years and over, cannot begin placement until all vetting requirements have been fully completed and cleared.
Garda Vetting Requirements for International Students
Identity validation is a critical step to ensure compliance and the safeguarding of children. As international students are abroad, the requirements of the identity validation process differ, so it’s important to understand what applies to you as the validator before you start. To make things easier, we’ve created a Tip Sheet with everything you need to know for validating your applicant’s identity.
The Tip Sheet has two different pathways explaining the Identity Validation process:
- For applicants living in Ireland
- For applicants living outside of Ireland
Each pathway is designed to guide validators through every step of the identity validation process, ensuring clarity and compliance. To make this even easier, you can download and print our Tip Sheet, which you can display in your service for quick reference whenever needed.
Download our Tip Sheet here.
Important: Police clearance certificates are still required in addition to Garda Vetting — one does not replace the other.
Timing: Plan Ahead
Due to ECRIS additional checks, any applicant who has previously lived or living in another EU Member State (other than Ireland) or the UK will experience longer Garda Vetting application processing times. Please keep in mind the following current processing timelines:
Standard applications (Irish addresses only):
- 18–20 working days (previously shorter)
Note: Around 20% may take longer, especially if an applicant’s details are entered incorrectly
Applications with EU address history:
- Add up to 10 extra working days
Total: approx. 28–30 working days
Applications with UK address history:
- Add up to 20 extra working days
Total: approx. 38–40 working days
Best practice: Begin the vetting process as soon as placement is being considered.
Students Aged 16 but Under 18 Years of Age
International students aged between 16 and 18 will be subject to the same application processing timelines outlined above. Garda Vetting for students aged 16–17 is referred to as Under 18s vetting and to begin, validators will need to obtain the following documents:
- The parent/guardian must complete this form
- The parent/guardian must sign and date their consent
- Must be completed in full and be legible
- Parent/guardian must provide their own email address and phone number (not the student’s) on the Vetting Invitation NVB1 Form
- Consent box ticked (digital tick not accepted)
- Signed and dated by the applicant using a handwritten signature (digital signatures not accepted)
- Proof of Identity and Written Reference from the Accepted Document Table
- Students must provide either of the following as proof of identity:
- Passport
- Birth certificate
- Students need to provide a written statement by their school principal confirming attendance
- Letter must be on school letterhead paper
The Most Common Issue that causes Delays
The most common cause of delays in the vetting process is a lack of follow-up with applicants. It is your responsibility as an Early Years and School Age Care setting to follow up with your applicants to ensure that they have:
- Received the link sent by the NVB to complete their application
- Completed and submitted the link correctly sent by the NVB
If the applicant cannot access or has not received the link from the NVB, the vetting process cannot begin.
Common reasons for applicant’s not receiving links from the NVB include:
- Incorrect email address (e.g., spelling mistakes)
- Incorrect date of birth entered
To prevent this, it is vital that all information entered online matches the hard-copy documents (NVB1 form and the Identity Document Validation Form) identically.
Avoiding delays is essential, but is particularly important for international student applications, as placement timelines are often time sensitive. Given current processing times, delays must be avoided, so please ensure you follow up with applicants to confirm their applications are completed promptly
Key Takeaways
- Garda Vetting and Police Clearance are both mandatory
- Police clearance is required from each country of residence (6+ months)
- Plan ahead: Keep in mind current application processing times
- Follow up with your applicants to ensure link has been received and completed
- No placement may begin until garda vetting is complete
Helpful Information
Practical Tools and Resources to Guide Affiliates:
Early Years provision based on children’s needs in England
