You have heard about Síolta through your Early Years training and from working in the sector, but do you fully understand what Síolta is and how it impacts your practice? Read on to learn more about how everything you do is connected to Síolta.

 

Síolta is the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education in Ireland. The Síolta manual is a comprehensive document which outlines the Principals, Standards, Components of Quality and Signposts for Reflection. As managers or educators, trying to make sense of this document can be overwhelming. Paula Walshe, an experienced lecturer and PhD student, recently published a book titled "Síolta in Practice". Paula saw a knowledge gap in the sector on professionals understanding of Síolta and the application of Síolta in practice. From her experience as an educator, manager and lecturer, she found that Síolta was often overlooked, and a greater focus was being put on Aistear. In this book, Paula makes sense of Síolta and provides practical examples of how Síolta relates to everything already being done in practice.

 

Síolta is not a standalone framework. It is interwoven with Irish legislation, Early Years regulations, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Aistear and many more policies and initiatives. The good news is that Síolta is not another thing for you to do. It is something that you already do in your daily practice. By bringing awareness to Síolta, providing practical examples of what Síolta looks like in practice and linking it to policies and legislation, Paula's book aims to empower staff to raise the quality standards across the sector. The book is targeted at Managers, Educators of all levels and those working in or studying in the Early Years. 

There are sixteen Síolta standards which Paula has linked together, along with the relevant policies and legislation and set out examples of how they can be applied in practice. The standards are explained in an easy to relate to way, and readers are encouraged to reflect deeply on their application of Síolta in practice. Paula positively frames Síolta, reminding you that Síolta is already an active part of your role. The book helps you to pull together what you already know and, through reflective practices, bring an awareness of your actions so you can consciously apply Síolta to your practices. This will positively impact how your service reaches, maintains, and aims to exceed the required quality standards, which will ultimately benefit the children in your care. Research highlights the value of high-quality Early Years Education for children's well-being and their learning and development during childhood, which extends to positively impacting their achievements into their teenage years and adulthood. 
 
Paula is a PhD student at Dundalk Institute of Technology undertaking research on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Maths) in ECEC.  Her PhD is co-funded by DkIT and the HEA Technological Universities Transformation Fund.

 

Paula is passionate about Síolta and its positive implications for improving the quality of the Early Years Sector in Ireland. Join Paula's webinar to learn more about what Síolta is, why it is relevant to your role and how it is connected to everything you do in your daily practice. 

 

Paula's book " Síolta in Practice" can be purchased from www.borupress.ie.