Developing Quality Improvement Frameworks

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Developing Quality Improvement Frameworks

• Professor Chris Pascal (drchrispascal_at_crec.co.uk)

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Presentation in two parts

• Part 1. Exploring a coherent quality narrative
  for Childrens Services which support childrens
  wellbeing
• Part 2. Features of effective quality improvement
  programmes (QIPs)

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Part 1. Exploring a coherent quality narrative
for Childrens Services which support childrens
well being
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Political and Moral Imperatives Securing
Childrens Well Being

• Despite some progress Gov faces continuing high
  levels of
• Child Poverty
• Inequality Social Exclusion
• Welfare Dependency
• Educational Underachievement
• Poor Health and Well Being
• After 10 years of action there remains persistent
  chronic poverty and inequality which Gov has
  continuing ambitions to eradicate. Childrens
  well being is not yet secured.

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Political Commitment

• There is no room for complacency We need to
  bear down now on improving quality across the
  board to make sure all children have the
  opportunity to develop to their full potential.
• Every Child Matters challenged us all to
  integrate services around the needs of the child.
  Now is the time to focus on improving outcomes
  and driving out poor quality. We owe it to all
  our children and families to get it right.
• Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP
• Minister for Children, Young People and Families
• May 2007

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The vision for change

• Significant continued investment to change patchy
  and uncoordinated services into a coordinated,
  universal system as a key part of modern Welfare
  State. Action to
• increase number of early learning and childcare
  places to secure universal coverage
• provide entitlement to free early learning for
  all 3 and 4 year olds (and 2 year olds in
  disadvantaged areas)
• create Childrens Centres in every community
• embed statutory Early Years Foundation Stage
  (EYFS) Framework in all settings and implement
  Early Years Outcomes Duty to monitor impact

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Legislative framework

• Key legislation implemented to embed new services
  and responsibilities for children and families as
  part of statutory system and ensure the
  eradication of child poverty as a statutory
  responsibility of Government rather than an
  aspiration
• Children Act 2004
• Childcare Act 2006
• Children, Skills and Learning Bill 2008

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Ambitions for Children The Children Plan 2007

• The Plan has raised expectations and set out the
  vision for the further development of world
  class Childrens Services in England
• Key ambition to
• Make this country the best place in the world
  for children and young people to grow up.
• Ed Balls, Secretary of State

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Importance of quality

• Research shows children who experience high
  quality early learning
• achieve better outcomes in school and beyond
• develop better social, emotional and cognitive
  abilities necessary for life long learning
• Poor quality provision adds no value in the long
  term and can damage childrens development
• High quality provision can change life chances
• Key to better outcomes is high quality services
  for all children Satisfactory wont do!

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What is quality?

• Many factors contribute to high quality but
  certain
• elements have greatest impact on outcomes. Key
• identified areas for action include
• Workforce Graduate leader, NVQ 3 for most staff
  and all workforce accessing CPD
• Practice Clear learning goals, parental
  involvement, sustained shared thinking, warm
  relationships, individualised programmes
• Content and Environment Staff child ratios,
  challenging, play based EYFS programmes, safe and
  stimulating environments

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Part 2 Features of effective quality improvement
programmes (QIPs)
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The Early Years Quality Improvement Support
Programme (EYQISP)

• Published in November 2008 and supports LAs
  quality improvement work.
• Sets out a common understanding of what quality
  is, why it is important and how it might be
  improved
• Drives a coherent approach to quality improvement
  throughout the system from early years to schools
• Links with principles of the EYFS framework,
  Every Child Matters and the OfSTED Self
  Evaluation Form (SEF)
• Supports the development of the early years
  workforce

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New guidance on quality improvement

• New guidance (2008) and new funding focuses on
  the
• quality agenda and requires LAs to sharpen action
  on
• Raising and sustaining quality across the sector,
• especially in the PVI sector. This work has three
• key priorities
• The development of a world class workforce
• The implementation of a high quality curriculum
  and environment
• The extension of effective practice and pedagogy

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EYQISP principles

• EYQISP provides tools for LA Early Years Support
  staff
• and Early Years Consultants (EYCs) based on 4
  principles
• the role of effective leadership in improving
  quality
• a continuous cycle of self evaluation,
  improvement and reflection which empowers
  practitioners to see selves as learners in the
  reduction of inequality
• a system of support and challenge which is
  transparent and agreed
• strong partnerships between LAs, settings and
  communities

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Categorising settings

• Guidance suggests that all LA supported settings
  should be categorised for targeted QI support
• Categorisation process should be transparent and
  based on partnership working and trusting
  relationships
• Acknowledges settings at different stages on
  their journey of continuous improvement
• Aims to match levels of LA support for QI
  according to settings need
• Targeted support is offered in inverse proportion
  to success

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Categorising settings

• The guidance suggests three categories or quality
• levels which determines LA support
• High Quality (Green rating) who receive
  regular/universal support
• Medium Quality (Amber rating) who receive
  targeted support
• Low Quality (Red rating) who receive intensive
  support

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5 non-negotiable elements for quality review
and improvement in settings

• LA Support staff should be working with settings
  to review and develop their capacity in
• strengthening leadership for learning
• developing practitioner learning
• facilitating partnerships for learning and
  development
• securing high quality environments for learning
  and development
• supporting progress, learning and development

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Quality Improvement Cycles

• There is an expectation that all LA supported
  settings
• should be participating in a QIP with a 5 step QI
  cycle
• Self Evaluation Audit collecting the evidence
• Identifying and agreeing improvement priorities
• Focused Improvement Plan (FIP) agreed priorities
  with time and resources
• Actions PDMs, staff support, monitoring and
  evaluation
• Review Evaluating progress

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Living well? Quality matters!