As I have said in other occasions, Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is the most important time in the life of children and directly impacts on how a child approaches future learning and social-emotional challenges.
The European Commission, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), came up with recommendations to improve access to quality of the ECEC systems, and standards which recognise the right of the child to inclusive education at all levels, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, beliefs and skin colour.
Malta’s Sustainable Development Vision for 2050 which calls for “lifelong learning opportunities from early childhood education and care to adult learning, to ensure that all children, young people and adults have the opportunity to obtain the necessary skills and attitudes to be active citizens and to succeed at work and in society.”, is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4).
The Ministry for Education will be updating the standards applicable to Child Day Care Facilities so as to be in line with ongoing ECEC research and practice for children aged 0-3 years; develop and strengthen a more socially just and active labour market in the Maltese islands, by sustaining availability and accessibility of quality ECEC services; and ensure that these standards, are consistent with the overall framework for Early Years pedagogy (0 to 7 years) within the National Curriculum Framework.
The observance of these standards will ensure the overall wellbeing of all children and are to apply equally to childcare ECEC services operating both in the public and private sectors. These standards will also inform parents about what to expect from a regulated childcare centre.
The Ministry for Education has trained officials for monitoring and assuring quality and outcomes of ECEC service provision. The officials monitor and regulate these services through an external review visit. This process helps providers to reflect, focus and manage the centre’s internal review exercise, and guides them to meet the expected standards.
In the eventuality that service providers opt to offer a night ECEC service, unless otherwise specified, the same standards and quality indicators, apply. The introduction of such a service, is aimed to further increase and sustain an equitable and active labour market in the Maltese islands. The night ECEC service aims to cater for families, where either both parents in the case of families with two parents or the parent in the case of single parent families, are in regulated employment which overlaps with night service provision hours and who have no other suitable arrangements for the care of their children. Such a service must nurture a calm and restful environment that meets the needs of all children. Centres providing this service are to ensure that the natural everyday rhythms of children, such as sleeping, eating, and playing, are respected.
Notwithstanding all these services, one has to stress that in the best interest and wellbeing of the child, the time spent with parents should always be maximised. Infants and toddlers aged 0-3 years should not spend more than 45 hours a week in any week.
The Standards being proposed, cover two broad Quality Areas - The Quality of the Learning Environment; and The Quality of Learning and Care.
In the case of Quality of the Learning Environment, there are standards and indicators for (a) centre manager and members of staff to meet the respective eligibility criteria and possess the required personal attributes and competences for their specific roles and responsibilities; (b) to make sure that all employees working with children are to have the official Protection of Minors Act (POMA) clearance; (c) giving the appropriate child-to-childcare educator ratios are maintained, and the maximum number of children allowed as per required status for operation, is not exceeded; (d) The premises and equipment, used at these centres, are safe, secure, clean, and regularly maintained; and ( e) The health, wellbeing and safety of children, including children’s right to be protected from any abuse, are promoted and ensured at all times.
When it comes to Quality of Learning and Care, the standards and indicators focus on: (a) The effective leadership skills, knowledge and abilities of the centre manager to support the provision of education and care that meet regulated standards; (b) that all children are welcomed and included in a child-friendly and play-based environment that nurtures their learning and development; (c) having a curriculum which helps children to progress in their learning and achieve the desired learning outcomes at their own pace; (d) having an environment and resources to support children’s play, learning and development; ( e) making sure that childcare educators nurture meaningful relationships and engage in high quality, enjoyable and stimulating interactions to enhance children’s wellbeing, learning and development; and (f) having a centre which welcomes parents and fosters collaborative partnership to support children’s wellbeing, learning and development.
I am confident that once these standards are adopted, we will have improved the learning tools for our child development and consequently the well-being of tomorrow’s adults.
Dr Justyne Caruana is Minister for Education