Self-audit tool: Using the tool

Universal Design (UD) is good design. It is the design and composition of an environment so it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability.

An environment (or any building, product or service in that environment) should be designed to meet the needs of all people who wish to use it. This is not a special requirement for the benefit of only a minority of the population. It is a fundamental condition of good design. If an environment is accessible, usable, convenient and a pleasure to use, everyone benefits. By considering diverse needs and abilities throughout the design process, universal design creates environments that meet peoples’needs.

The Self-Audit tool can be used by anyone concerned with how the Early Learning and Care (ELC) setting built environment (indoors and outdoors) meets the needs of all users. Owners, managers, practitioners or architects can use it to examine and reflect on the environment, indoors and outdoors.

Conducting the audit will help you see how the setting meets UD principles. It will also help you identify ways in which this can be developed further. It can be used to help you see possibilities for adding/ adapting features in an existing setting (retro-fitting) or to identify what to include if you are planning an extension or a new build.

You do not have to complete the entire Self-Audit tool at one time. You can choose an aspect of the environment and work on that alone. When you read each statement decide the extent to which that criteria are present. Consider all users of the setting:

• Parents, especially those with buggies or car seats or who are dropping off or collecting more than one child.
• Grandparents dropping off and collectingchildren.
• Children, parents or staff using wheelchairs, crutches or mobility aids.
• Delivery personnel with grocery or other orders.
• Visitors to the setting, perhaps coming with equipment to carry out a specific activity with children.

Consider all the stages of the day and times of the year. Perhaps take a walk in the car parking area as children arrive/depart ECCE sessions. How adequate is the lighting or shelter for the person arriving early in the morning or locking up in the evening? If parents must wait to be buzzed in, can they do so without getting wet, especially if they are dropping off a baby and toddler for example?

Because it is so important to consider all users, in each section you are prompted to check in with children, staff, parents and other users to ensure that you have captured theirexperiences.

Completing the self-audittool:

The self-audit tool is divided into four areas:

• ELC setting Location, Approach, Site Entry and Site layout
• Entering and Moving about the ELC setting
• ELC setting Internal and External spaces
• ELC Elements and Systems

In each area, decide which response best reflects your built environment.

If a section (for example kitchen) is not applicable to you, you can ignore it. Some items (for example dining rooms) are neither(E) or(R). These items are points to consider.

If your answer is Not met or Partially met, then ask the question: if not why not? If there is something you can do to develop this, decide how you plan for it to happen. You can mark N/A if the criteria are not relevant to the type of service you provide.

There is space for you to record ideas for changes or things you need to find out more about. Refer to the corresponding section of the UD Guidelines for ELC settings to help with this. Maybe there are aspects that you have no control over, but you may find creative ways to make adaptations. Think about the time scale in which this can be achieved.

For ideas on creating and using the learning environment you can use the self-evaluation tools in the Environments pillar in the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide on www.aistearsiolta.ie