Early Childhood Ireland's Podcast
Early Childhood is the leading national children’s advocacy and membership organisation. We work in partnership with Early Years, School Age Care and Childminding settings to ensure that every child is thriving and learning. We advocate for an effective and inclusive system which values, supports and invests in childhood, children and services.
Our Vision is that every child is thriving and learning in quality Early Years and School Age Care in centre-based and Childminding settings.
Our Mission is to champion quality for children in Early Years, School Age Care and Childminding settings, through our work with our members and on the system.
Early Childhood Ireland's Podcast
Early Childhood Ireland's Childminding Research, with Frances Byrne and Liz Kerrins
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A core aspect of the work of Early Childhood Ireland over the past number of years has been Childminding. We led the Erasmus programme, Qual FDC in 2023, a European based project which focused on quality in family day care (as Childminding is often referred to). In 2024 we conducted a literature review, with Stranmillis College in Belfast, into the existing research on Childminding and regular listeners may have heard a previous episode discussing that piece of work, linked below. In 2025, we conducted two more research projects, funded by the DCDE, into aspects of childminding and that is what we are going to hear about today. To tell us about the policy context methodologies and findings we were joined by Frances Byrne, Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland and by Liz Kerrins, Research Director, at Early Childhood Ireland.
Podcast episode: Childminding: Exploring the research literature, with Dr Suzanne McCartney and Liz Kerrins
Scéalta blog: Childminding in Denmark