Note: This is a Legacy Copy of this Publication. Legislation Handbook for Early Childhood Settings (3rd Edition)

This handbook is an update on the 2008 publication Legislation Handbook for Childcare Providers. It is intended to act as a guide to the many areas of legislation that impact upon early childhood education and care providers in Ireland, such as full daycare and sessional pre-school services and drop-in centres. Much of the legislation included in this handbook will also be applicable to registered childminders and school age services. Comprehensive knowledge of relevant, up-to-date legislation and regulations is crucial for ethical, safe, productive and effective work practices in early childhood settings. Regardless of the size of a setting, legislation and regulation play a key role in shaping its overall management, as well as determining how the daily activities within that setting are administered. Legislative and regulatory systems have a dual function: they ensure that services meet minimal outlined standards, and they encourage improvement in the quality of provision beyond minimal standards to promote children’s development and learning. Compliance with legislation involves an awareness of, familiarity with and proactive approach to various areas of relevant regulations and legislation. It will also involve a regular review of policies and procedures and staff training where appropriate. This handbook is divided into sections, each looking at an area of relevant legislation, with a quick reference guide at the start of the section listing the key areas. The section then outlines the main items of legislation along with a short description of the purpose, an indication of who the legislation applies to and a listing of useful contacts or sources of further information.

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Legislation & Policies