Síolta

Síolta is the National Quality Framework for the Early Years in Ireland. The framework is designed to provide guidance and support for all those concerned with the well being, learning and development of our youngest children.

It outlines 16 standards early childhood settings should meet when providing a quality service. Any service for children from birth to six years (including but not limited to child-minders, pre-school services, full day care and junior and senior infant classes in Junior National Schools) can use Síolta to improve their service for children and parents. Síolta defines quality practice so early years professionals can use it to compare and assess their practice, and make improvements. 

Since the publication of Síolta in 2006, many early childhood settings and individual practitioners have engaged informally with the Framework, using it to give them ideas, reflect on their practice and change their approach to better meet the needs of the young children in their care. This informal engagement has been supported by the dissemination of Síolta documentation and a large number of Síolta information workshops across the country. To search for upcoming workshops in your area see www.siolta.ie

As Síolta is primarily concerned with improving the quality of early childhood experiences for all children, since 2008 services have had the option of going through a formal quality assurance process. For more information on the structured implementation of Síolta see the ‘formal quality assurance process’ below

Síolta is the Irish word for seeds and was chosen for what is says about the potential of childhood and of the Síolta framework to grow and succeed.