Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

A key part of this research project was to embark on a process of engagement with a wide range of stakeholders and the authors would like to acknowledge and thank the many people from a wide range of organisations who welcomed us into their settings as part of the case studies and/or attended the workshops.

We greatly appreciate that everyone who participated gave their time so generously, participated so enthusiastically and were so willing to share their knowledge and expertise with us in a way that has greatly informed and enhanced this research. We would particularly like to thank the children, families and staff for taking part and for providing us with their views and perspectives on the design of their settings - their insights are especially important.

The authors would also like to thank each of the members of the Project Steering Committee for their commitment to this work and for their valuable guidance.

Advisory Committee

Sincere thanks to Advisory Committee who included:

- Maresa Duignan, Department of Education and Skills
- Angela Rolfe, Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland
- Aoife Conduit, Department of Education and Skills
- Delia Goodman, Better Start
- Michelle Corcoran, TUSLA
- Viola Craig, Childcare Committees Ireland
- Ann Bourke, Social Care Division, HSE
- Cathy Goss, National Council for Special Education
- Naoimh O’Dwyer, Early Years Provider Representative
- Muriel Bright, Parent Representative
- Kathryn O’Riordan, Department of Children and Youth Affairs
- William Ebbitt, Primary Care Division, HSE
- Mag Coogan, Early Years Provider Representative

Photographs and Technical Drawings

All photographs are from Tom Grey, TrinityHaus and Early Childhood Ireland. All technical drawings are from Tom Grey, TrinityHaus.

We thank the 10 Early Learning and Care settings that facilitated the Case Study element of the development of the Universal Design Guidelines for Early Learning and Care settings.

We thank all the Early Learning and Care settings, in Ireland and abroad, who let us take photos in or of their settings and those who sent us photos to use. The full list of settings is included in the Universal Design Guidelines for Early Learning and Care Settings.

The San Miniato images used in this publication belong to the archive of Bottega di Geppetto International Research and Documentation Centre on Childhood Gloria Tognetti (www.bottegadigeppetto.it).

Fuji Montessori Kindergarten images provided by Tezuka Architects (www.tezuka-arch.com/).