Introduction

This literature review is being undertaken as part of a research project to develop Universal Design Guidelines for Early Learning and Care settings in Ireland and the associated built environment Universal Design self-audit tool. 

This project is coordinated by the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority (CEUD-NDA) on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. Katherine Zappone, T.D. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) is funding the development of these Guidelines, to support the implementation of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM). 

The Universal Design Guidelines for ELC settings have been developed following a comprehensive national and international literature review, ten onsite visits to ELC settings across the country, the development of a self-audit tool and two workshops involving early learning and care practitioners and relevant stakeholders such as Tusla, built environment professionals (i.e. architects, landscape architects, planners, engineers) and officials from Government departments and local authorities, among others. 

The potential of this publication is significant. It will support the ELC sector in creating universally designed spaces for all stakeholders (including children, staff and parents). It will also be useful for built environment design professionals in private and public sectors working on the design of new build and retro-fitting of ELC settings.

This literature review will examine evidence-based research regarding best practice in ELC and Universal Design (including best practice in Inclusive Design, Design for All and Accessible Design). It will synthesise the findings and provide key recommendations to underpin the proposed guidelines and self-audit tool.

1.1 Key Definitions

In the context of this research an Early Learning and Care Setting (ELC) is defined as: 

An Early Learning and Care Setting (ELC) is a setting providing early learning and care to children aged from birth to six years. This may include sessional settings (where children attend for up to 3.5 hours), part-time settings (where children attend for up to 5 hours) or full-day settings (where children attend for over 5 hours). Some settings also provide school-age care to children over six years of age. 

An ELC can take many forms in various locations such as: a standalone setting within the community, either privately owned or run by a not-for-profit organisation; part of a larger community/family resource centre; co-located with a primary or post-primary school; or, attached to, or part of a private dwelling. This includes childminding services undertaken by a registered childminder within their own home. 

Universal Design (UD) is defined as:
Universal Design (UD) is the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, size or ability. This includes public places in the built environment such as buildings, streets or spaces that the public have access to: products and services provided in those places; and, systems that are available including Information Communications Technology (ICT). Disability Act 2005 (http://www.universaldesign.ie/) 

1.2 Research Rationale, Objectives and Scope for Overall Project 

Early Learning and Care settings provide one of the most important environments that infants, toddlers and young children will experience in their early years. These settings must provide inclusive environments that cater to a diversity of children with varying abilities and needs. They must also provide a supportive working environment for the ELC staff working in these settings. Finally, they must also support family members who use the buildings every day, and considering the important role played by all members of a child’s family, the settings must take into the account the wide spectrum of ages, sizes, or abilities these families represent.

In this context, the overall objectives of this project are to develop Universal Design Guidelines for Early Learning and Care settings and a self-audit tool that will:

• support the ELC sector in creating inclusive ELC settings, buildings and spaces for all stakeholders, particularly children with a disability;
• enable better designs of newly-built ELC settings, buildings and spaces and give clear and detailed information on the retro-fit of existing ELC settings, buildings and spaces; and 
• enable ELC practitioners to carry out self-audits of their settings, buildings and spaces so they can identify steps that can be taken to ensure all stakeholders can participate in these settings.
   

1.3 Research Scope for Overall Project

These guidelines and self-audit tool relate to all Tusla-registered Early Learning and Care settings in Ireland (see definition of Early Learning and Care (ELC) settings in Section 1.1). It does not include stand-alone school-age childcare settings, nor primary schools. There are, however, design approaches and features in a primary school that are relevant to an ELC and these will be used to inform the overall UD approach. Moreover, many ELC settings also provide school-age services for older children. 

While the private residences of childminders (see definition I Section 1.1), form part of the spectrum of ELC settings, this research focuses primarily on settings outside the home, in centre based environments. These may be attached to a dwelling, but their function is primarily ELC related rather than residential. Research and guidelines regarding UD residential dwellings is already provided through the ‘Universal Design Guidelines for Homes in Ireland’ (CEUD, 2015). 

Taking account of the above scope, and the definitions set out in the previous section, this research examines the built environment of the ELC setting across the following spatial scales:

• The location, approach and entrance to the ELC setting buildings (including key site design features).
• Internal built environment including horizontal and vertical circulation, key internal spaces, and elements and systems (i.e. materials and
  finishes, fit-out elements, internal environment, and technology, etc).
• External play areas which form part of the ELC setting.

1.4 Literature Review Methodology

This report focuses on two key areas related to UD approach for ELC, which include firstly the key pedagogical and care issues for early learning and care settings that inform the overall UD approach, and secondly the key built environment issues that underpin a UD environment that is accessible, understandable and easy to use by children, staff and family members. 

For both focus areas, the following methodology was adopted: 

• A two-strand approach literature review that included an empirical strand and an expert strand. 
• Literature search criteria based on key search terms and exclusion criteria. 
• A synthesis of the literature organised and synthesised as findings into categories in two different chapters: Chapter three focuses firstly on the key pedagogical and care issues, while Chapter four focuses on key built environment issues. In the first case these categories are based on the selected Síolta standards, while in the second the key built environment issues are categorised according to key spatial scales. 

Further detail about the respective literature methodologies is provided at the
beginning of each chapter.

1.5 Report Structure

Chapter One outlines the overall context and scope for this literature review, the rest of this report is organised into four chapters as follows. 

Chapter Two presents key background information regarding UD and some of the major implications for ELC settings. It also identifies the specific needs of a number of representative ELC setting users to ensure the environment supports a diverse range of people. 

Chapter Three investigates the main early childhood and pedagogical issues that must be considered as part of any UD ELC setting approach to enable it to be a safe, stimulating place for children to feel nurtured and have scope for exploration and learning. 

Chapter Four examines the built environment at the key spatial scales to identify the key UD approaches, design features and elements. 

Chapter Five provides a short conclusion that brings the previous chapters together. This chapter also contains a list of literature references and various appendices which provide further detail about the research process underpinning this report.