Making visible ’Parent, Baby and Toddler Groups’ within the Irish Context: Assessing needs to influence policy Mary Quirke IPPA [email protected]

EECERA Prague 2007EECERA Prague 2007

Making visible ’Parent, Baby Making visible ’Parent, Baby and Toddler Groups’ within and Toddler Groups’ within the Irish Context: Assessing the Irish Context: Assessing

needs to influence policyneeds to influence policy

Mary Quirke IPPAMary Quirke IPPA

[email protected]@ippa.ie


Parent, Baby & Toddler Parent, Baby & Toddler Groups within an Irish Groups within an Irish

contextcontext Types of Parent, Baby and Toddler Types of Parent, Baby and Toddler GroupsGroups

Status and visibility in Irish Early Status and visibility in Irish Early Education PolicyEducation Policy

FundingFunding


Rationale for StudyRationale for Study Values within the organisation of Values within the organisation of

IPPA, The Early Childhood IPPA, The Early Childhood OrganisationOrganisation

IPPA have always recognised the role IPPA have always recognised the role of Parent, Baby & Toddler Groups in of Parent, Baby & Toddler Groups in the community and their benefits to the community and their benefits to both parents and childrenboth parents and children


Rationale for StudyRationale for Study

IPPA have endeavoured to support IPPA have endeavoured to support themthem

Level of support has varied, Level of support has varied, dependent on both external and dependent on both external and internal influencesinternal influences


Research QuestionResearch Question

How can IPPA develop a range How can IPPA develop a range of appropriate supports that of appropriate supports that meet the needs of Parent, meet the needs of Parent, Baby and Toddler Groups and Baby and Toddler Groups and use this as a tool to influence use this as a tool to influence local and national policylocal and national policy


Literature ReviewLiterature ReviewVygotsky – socio-cultural theoryVygotsky – socio-cultural theory

‘ ‘ The child, according to Vygotsky The child, according to Vygotsky explores and learns most effectively explores and learns most effectively in the company of others. The new in the company of others. The new schemes being presented by the schemes being presented by the outside world – peers and adults – outside world – peers and adults – are taken by the child.’are taken by the child.’

Gould, K. & Nixon, D. (1999:p.122)Gould, K. & Nixon, D. (1999:p.122)


Literature ReviewLiterature ReviewRogoff (1991) Rogoff (1991)

‘ ‘Vygotsky assumes that social Vygotsky assumes that social guidance aids children in learning to guidance aids children in learning to communicate and plan and remember communicate and plan and remember deliberately. This guidance provides deliberately. This guidance provides children with the opportunity to children with the opportunity to participate beyond their own abilities participate beyond their own abilities and to internalise activities practiced and to internalise activities practiced socially, thus independently managing socially, thus independently managing problem solving.’problem solving.’


Literature ReviewLiterature ReviewTrevarthen (1979)Trevarthen (1979)

‘ ‘Young children are social beings, Young children are social beings, developing through interpersonal developing through interpersonal exchanges with others.'exchanges with others.'


Literature ReviewLiterature Review Looked at models in other countries Looked at models in other countries

and how they supported their P, B & and how they supported their P, B & T groupsT groups

N. Ireland, England and ScotlandN. Ireland, England and Scotland

This informed me how IPPA might This informed me how IPPA might progressprogress


Which Approach – Action Which Approach – Action ResearchResearch

‘ ‘Action research is a form of enquiry Action research is a form of enquiry that enables practitioners everywhere that enables practitioners everywhere to investigate and evaluate their work. to investigate and evaluate their work. They ask ‘What am I doing? What do I They ask ‘What am I doing? What do I need to improve? How do I improve need to improve? How do I improve it?’it?’

McNiff, J., Whitehead, J. (2006:p.9)McNiff, J., Whitehead, J. (2006:p.9)


Lewin’s Cycle as cited Lewin’s Cycle as cited by Smith (1996: 2001)by Smith (1996: 2001)


Data CollectionData CollectionSampleSample Parent, Baby & Parent, Baby &

Toddler Groups Toddler Groups (50)(50)

Research was Research was carried out carried out between June between June 2006 and April 2006 and April 20072007

MethodsMethods QuestionnaireQuestionnaire Primary Primary

ResearchResearch One to one One to one

interviewsinterviews On-site On-site

observationobservation


Cycle OneCycle OneTaskTask MethodMethod OutcomeOutcomeCarried out Carried out a broad a broad survey of P, survey of P, B &T groups B &T groups to gather to gather base line base line datadata

QuestionnairQuestionnairee

Profile of groups Profile of groups re: no. of re: no. of children, hours, children, hours, fees, fees, organisation organisation structure, structure, premises, premises, funding, getting funding, getting establishedestablished


Emerging ThemesEmerging ThemesInformationInformation

‘ ‘We really don’t know how to properly We really don’t know how to properly establish our group.’establish our group.’

‘ ‘Do we need to open a bank account?’Do we need to open a bank account?’

‘ ‘ We did not know that we should have We did not know that we should have policies and procedures.’policies and procedures.’


Emerging ThemesEmerging ThemesFunding Funding ‘‘We normally have to fund raise to We normally have to fund raise to

cover our budget for the year’ cover our budget for the year’

‘‘ We never have enough money and are We never have enough money and are always relying on parents to donate us always relying on parents to donate us toys that their own children have toys that their own children have grown out of.’grown out of.’


First Action StepFirst Action Step

Developed an information leaflet Developed an information leaflet ––

‘‘Easy Guide to Establishing a Easy Guide to Establishing a Parent, Baby & Toddler Group’Parent, Baby & Toddler Group’


Evaluation/Reflection on Evaluation/Reflection on Action Step OneAction Step One

More information and detail required More information and detail required on establishing and developing a on establishing and developing a groupgroup

We needed to ascertain more We needed to ascertain more specific needs and requirements of specific needs and requirements of the groupsthe groups


New government New government initiativeinitiative

National Childcare Investment National Childcare Investment Programme 2007 (N.C.I.P)Programme 2007 (N.C.I.P)

Role of Parent, Baby and Toddler Role of Parent, Baby and Toddler Groups now being recognisedGroups now being recognised

Funding now allocated to support Funding now allocated to support Parent, Baby and Toddler GroupsParent, Baby and Toddler Groups


Cycle 2Cycle 2TaskTask MethodMethod OutcomeOutcomeResearch Research new new government government initiative on initiative on funding for funding for Parent, Parent, BabyBaby & & Toddler Toddler GroupsGroups

Primary Primary researchresearch

Members Members need to be need to be informed of informed of new funding new funding and how to and how to applyapply


Second Action StepSecond Action Step

Information on the funding now Information on the funding now available under the new government available under the new government initiative was issued to all Parent, initiative was issued to all Parent, Baby & Toddler GroupsBaby & Toddler Groups

Grant applications also issuedGrant applications also issued


Evaluation/Reflection on Evaluation/Reflection on Action Step 2Action Step 2

Contacted a random selection of groupsContacted a random selection of groups ‘ ‘We were able to get some new We were able to get some new

equipment for our group that we would equipment for our group that we would never have considered buying before.’never have considered buying before.’

‘ ‘It’s great to know that we will still have It’s great to know that we will still have some money left and won’t have to go some money left and won’t have to go begging for funds in September.’begging for funds in September.’


Cycle 3Cycle 3TaskTask MethodMethod OutcomeOutcomeCarried out Carried out in depth in depth interviewsinterviews

One to one One to one interviewsinterviews

Detailed Detailed information on information on specific needs. specific needs.

Visited a Visited a newly newly established established Parent, Parent, Baby & Baby & Toddler Toddler Groups Groups

On site On site observationobservation

Deficit on Deficit on knowledge on how knowledge on how to establish, to establish, develop and move develop and move forward with a forward with a Parent, Baby & Parent, Baby & Toddler Group Toddler Group


Emerging ThemesEmerging ThemesInformationInformation ‘ ‘How do weHow do we encourage more parental encourage more parental

involvement ‘involvement ‘

‘ ‘ How do we organise our mornings How do we organise our mornings and make sure everyone knows who and make sure everyone knows who is doing what?’is doing what?’


Training Training ‘ ‘I I would love some interesting ideas would love some interesting ideas

on play for the under 2’s’on play for the under 2’s’

‘ ‘What about the babies – I would l love What about the babies – I would l love to do something exciting with them’to do something exciting with them’

‘ ‘I don’t know how to keep my toddler I don’t know how to keep my toddler

occupied while I try to get involved occupied while I try to get involved with activities for the baby’with activities for the baby’

Emerging ThemesEmerging Themes


Emerging ThemesEmerging ThemesPremises Premises ‘ ‘Our premises are old and dingy. We Our premises are old and dingy. We

had an oil leak on our carpet and we had an oil leak on our carpet and we are noware now meeting in each others meeting in each others houses’houses’

‘ ‘ Our premises are dark and stuffy and Our premises are dark and stuffy and you have to go down some steps to you have to go down some steps to get into them.’ get into them.’


Action Step 3Action Step 3

Book on how to establish and Book on how to establish and develop a P, B &T Groupdevelop a P, B &T Group

Development of training workshops Development of training workshops on Play for under 2’s and Play for on Play for under 2’s and Play for under 1’sunder 1’s


Implications for Policy Implications for Policy and Practiceand Practice

Going forward Going forward Need for on-going support Need for on-going support Funding needs to be integral Funding needs to be integral

part at policy levelpart at policy level Training –tailored specificallyTraining –tailored specifically


Implications for Policy Implications for Policy and Practiceand Practice

P, B & T groups are recognised as an P, B & T groups are recognised as an important part of the childcare important part of the childcare infrastructure in Irelandinfrastructure in Ireland

Value is placed on P,B & Toddler Value is placed on P,B & Toddler groups as agents of socialisation in groups as agents of socialisation in the communitythe community


Thank YouThank YouMary QuirkeMary [email protected]@ippa.ie

Documents

Making visible ’Parent, Baby and Toddler Groups’ within the Irish Context: Assessing needs to influence policy Mary Quirke IPPA [email protected]