UD Guidelines for Early Learning and Care Settings

Research Pillar: Healthy and Inclusive Places

Project Name: Universal Design Guidelines for Early Learning and Care Settings

Funding Body: Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the NDA

Project Partners: Early Childhood Ireland (project lead), TrinityHaus, Mary Immaculate College (MIC), Nathan Somers Design

Project Timeframe: 2017 - 2019

Key Output(s):

• Universal Design Guidelines document : See here.
• Audit tool : See here.
• Literature Review : See here.

Project Description:

This project was coordinated by the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority (CEUD-NDA) on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. Katherine Zappone, T.D. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) funded the development of these Guidelines, to support the implementation of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM).

Early Learning and Care (ELC) settings provide one of the most important environments that infants, toddlers, and young children experience in their early lives. These settings must provide inclusive environments that cater to a diversity of children with varying abilities and a range of care and learning needs. They must also provide a supportive working environment for the staff working in these settings. Finally, they must support the families who use the buildings every day. Considering the important role played by all members of a child's family, the settings must take into account the wide spectrum of ages, sizes, abilities, or disabilities these families will represent.

This project looked at internal air quality therefore addressing some issues ‘Healthy environments’ and also covered issues around heating and energy conservation and thus linked with ‘Sustainable and climate responsive communities’. Through the research and engagement process adopted, the project also supported the 4th TrinityHaus pillar - Co-creation, collaboration and stakeholder engagement

Internationally, it supports various UN Sustainable Development Goals as indicated below:

Publications:

• Corbett M, Grey T, Heeney T, O’Sullivan L, Ring E. Universal Design Guidelines for Early Learning and Care Settings Design for All, An Leanbh Óg - Journal of Early Childhood Studies, 2020.
• Corbett M, Grey T, Heeney T, O’Sullivan L (2019). Universal Design Guidelines for Early Learning and Care Settings - Design for all. Ireland's Yearbook of Education 2019-2020, Early Childhood. (See here)

Contact details – for more information contact Tom Grey, tom.grey@tcd.ie