24 May, 2023
Consultation with babies, toddlers and young children
Phase 1 of NCCA’s work to update Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework included a consultation with babies, toddlers and young children. This consultation was both innovative and ground-breaking in its design and in terms of respecting the rights of all children to have their voices heard and responded to in matters affecting them. Time spent with children in their early years settings enabled the researchers to observe and notice their reactions and responses to elements of the curriculum in action. In this way, the consultation focused on determining what was working well with Aistear and what might need to be changed or updated.
Key messages emerged from the data about the views and opinions of babies, toddlers and young children regarding their experiences of Aistear. The consultation reaffirmed the importance of respecting all children as citizens with rights and responsibilities, and the role of the educator in facilitating and responding to the voices of babies, toddlers and young children in the different ways they communicate with us. These voices communicated the importance of relationships and interactions with their families, friends and the wider community. Listening to and responding to young children is at the heart of Aistear.
This consultation affirmed the competency of babies, toddlers and young children in knowing what is important to and for them, and the continued need for the NCCA to make explicit in the curriculum framework the inclusion and meaningful participation for all babies, toddlers and young children, respecting and celebrating diversity of family, culture and language.