Making visible ’Parent, Baby and Toddler Groups’ within the Irish Context: Assessing needs to influence policy Mary Quir

1. Making visible ’Parent, Baby and Toddler Groups’ within the Irish Context: Assessing needs to influence policy Mary Quirke IPPA mquirke@ippa.ie EECERA Prague 2007

2. Parent, Baby & Toddler Groups within an Irish context • Types of Parent, Baby and Toddler Groups • Status and visibility in Irish Early Education Policy • Funding EECERA Prague 2007

3. Rationale for Study • Values within the organisation of IPPA, The Early Childhood Organisation • IPPA have always recognised the role of Parent, Baby & Toddler Groups in the community and their benefits to both parents and children EECERA Prague 2007

4. Rationale for Study • IPPA have endeavoured to support them • Level of support has varied, dependent on both external and internal influences EECERA Prague 2007

5. Research Question How can IPPA develop a range of appropriate supports that meet the needs of Parent, Baby and Toddler Groups and use this as a tool to influence local and national policy EECERA Prague 2007

6. Literature Review Vygotsky – socio-cultural theory ‘ The child, according to Vygotsky explores and learns most effectively in the company of others. The new schemes being presented by the outside world – peers and adults – are taken by the child.’ Gould, K. & Nixon, D. (1999:p.122) EECERA Prague 2007

7. Literature Review Rogoff (1991) ‘Vygotsky assumes that social guidance aids children in learning to communicate and plan and remember deliberately. This guidance provides children with the opportunity to participate beyond their own abilities and to internalise activities practiced socially, thus independently managing problem solving.’ EECERA Prague 2007

8. Literature Review Trevarthen (1979) ‘Young children are social beings, developing through interpersonal exchanges with others.' EECERA Prague 2007

9. Literature Review • Looked at models in other countries and how they supported their P, B & T groups • N. Ireland, England and Scotland • This informed me how IPPA might progress EECERA Prague 2007

10. Which Approach – Action Research ‘Action research is a form of enquiry that enables practitioners everywhere to investigate and evaluate their work. They ask ‘What am I doing? What do I need to improve? How do I improve it?’ McNiff, J., Whitehead, J. (2006:p.9) EECERA Prague 2007

11. Lewin’s Cycle as cited by Smith (1996: 2001) EECERA Prague 2007

12. Sample Parent, Baby & Toddler Groups (50) Research was carried out between June 2006 and April 2007 Methods Questionnaire Primary Research One to one interviews On-site observation Data Collection EECERA Prague 2007

13. Cycle One EECERA Prague 2007

14. Emerging Themes Information ‘We really don’t know how to properly establish our group.’ ‘Do we need to open a bank account?’ ‘ We did not know that we should have policies and procedures.’ EECERA Prague 2007

15. Emerging Themes Funding ‘We normally have to fund raise to cover our budget for the year’ ‘We never have enough money and are always relying on parents to donate us toys that their own children have grown out of.’ EECERA Prague 2007

16. First Action Step • Developed an information leaflet – ‘Easy Guide to Establishing a Parent, Baby & Toddler Group’ EECERA Prague 2007

17. Evaluation/Reflection on Action Step One • More information and detail required on establishing and developing a group • We needed to ascertain more specific needs and requirements of the groups EECERA Prague 2007

18. New government initiative • National Childcare Investment Programme 2007 (N.C.I.P) • Role of Parent, Baby and Toddler Groups now being recognised • Funding now allocated to support Parent, Baby and Toddler Groups EECERA Prague 2007

19. Cycle 2 EECERA Prague 2007

20. Second Action Step • Information on the funding now available under the new government initiative was issued to all Parent, Baby & Toddler Groups • Grant applications also issued EECERA Prague 2007

21. Evaluation/Reflection on Action Step 2 • Contacted a random selection of groups ‘We were able to get some new equipment for our group that we would never have considered buying before.’ ‘It’s great to know that we will still have some money left and won’t have to go begging for funds in September.’ EECERA Prague 2007

22. Cycle 3 EECERA Prague 2007

23. Emerging Themes Information ‘How do we encourage more parental involvement ‘ ‘ How do we organise our mornings and make sure everyone knows who is doing what?’ EECERA Prague 2007

24. Emerging Themes • Training • ‘I would love some interesting ideas on play for the under 2’s’ • ‘What about the babies – I would l love to do something exciting with them’ • ‘I don’t know how to keep my toddler • occupied while I try to get involved with activities for the baby’ EECERA Prague 2007

25. Emerging Themes Premises ‘Our premises are old and dingy. We had an oil leak on our carpet and we are nowmeeting in each others houses’ ‘ Our premises are dark and stuffy and you have to go down some steps to get into them.’ EECERA Prague 2007

26. Action Step 3 • Book on how to establish and develop a P, B &T Group • Development of training workshops on Play for under 2’s and Play for under 1’s EECERA Prague 2007

27. Implications for Policy and Practice • Going forward • Need for on-going support • Funding needs to be integral part at policy level • Training –tailored specifically EECERA Prague 2007

28. Implications for Policy and Practice • P, B & T groups are recognised as an important part of the childcare infrastructure in Ireland • Value is placed on P,B & Toddler groups as agents of socialisation in the community EECERA Prague 2007

29. Thank You Mary Quirke mquirke@ippa.ie EECERA Prague 2007