The draft 0-6 strategy, which was launched for consultation on Friday, sets out its vision as enabling every child to reach their full potential. It outlines four priority areas: the quality of provision, the role of parents and carers, equity of access, and integrated services.
Early Years: Zero to Six lists as objectives improving early intervention, closing the gap between children from disadvantaged and better off backgrounds, and expanding the reach of Sure Start and the Programme for Two-year-olds. The strategy also aims to professionalise the early years workforce, and identify and disseminate good practice.
Under the strategy, child development milestones from birth to six years would be highlighted, and there would be a 'sharper focus' on numeracy and language skills.
But nursery and primary school headteachers have heavily criticised the draft strategy, saying that 'it fails to address most of the key issues surrounding early years provision', including at what age children should begin formal education.
Aidan Dolan, director of education at the National Association of Headteachers NI, said it was incredible that there was so little detail in the proposals, as the strategy has been under development for seven years. 'It is unacceptable to headteachers, as it will be to parents, that early education could be tampered with in such an incoherent way,' he said.
NICMA, the Childminding Association, said it was 'disappointed' at what it called the 'glaring omission' of childcare in the strategy. NICMA director Bridget Nodder said, 'There has been no attempt whatsoever to address the lack of good quality, affordable childcare in many parts of Northern Ireland.'
However, the strategy was welcomed by the organisation Early Years. Chief executive Siobhan Fitzpatrick said, 'We are delighted at the publication of the 0-6 strategy. We realise there is more work to be done. We look forward to working with the Department of Education to facilitate consultation and build upon the detail.'
