The Better Start Quality Development Service (QDS) is a national initiative designed to enhance quality and inclusion in Early Learning and Care (ELC) settings for children from birth to six years old.
The evaluation was commissioned in 2020 to assess the impact and effectiveness of the QDS from the perspective of all stakeholders, and its adaptability and sustainability over time. The aim was to offer an overarching evaluation of the initiative, highlighting its strengths, challenges, and potential learning opportunities.
CES and MIE designed a mixed-methods, multi-stakeholder evaluation to meet the agreed objectives. The evaluation included both primary and secondary data analysis and utilised quantitative and qualitative research methods.
The evaluation findings indicate that the Better Start Quality Development Service has a positive impact on the quality of practice in early learning and care settings. Key strengths include its strengths-based mentoring model, which leverages relationships and national frameworks to drive quality improvements and its adaptability and responsiveness to the needs of the sector over time. Early Years Specialists were found to play a crucial role in this process, providing mentoring and modelling of best practices.
The evaluation made a number of recommendations, including monitoring the sustainability of outcomes in the longer term, benchmarking quality to evaluate improvements over time, targeted interventions to enhance leadership within early learning and care settings, and enhancing interagency working relationships.
Announcing the publication of the report, Minster O’Gorman said:
“This evaluation shows that the Better Start Quality Development Service can enhance the quality of practice in early learning and care settings. It is based on a strengths-based mentoring model that leverages relationships, national frameworks, and service delivery attributes to improve quality of practice. Effectiveness is higher when settings are engaged, well-resourced, and receive onsite support. Barriers include staffing pressures in services.”
The Evaluation Report can be accessed here
