1. Encouraging Quality In Early Childhood Education and Care

2. Are The Proposed Analytical Questions Most Relevant To Answer The Overarching Policy Question Of The Project?
The five questions are useful
A special focus on:
- parental involvement
- flexible integration of child care and early childhood education curriculum and services
- defining competencies of the two ministries involved (education and labour and social solidarity), municipalities and directors of school clusters

3. FOCUS POLICIES
Projects and instruments to improve the quality of Early Childhood Education and Care
Investment in the quality and expansion of care services
New competencies for municipalities and responsibility to support ECEC services
External evaluation of kindergartens and schools
Reorganization of higher education courses, according to Bolonha
Continuous training of pre-school teachers is mandatory (25 hours per school year) and contributes to career progress.
Articulation of National pre-school education guidelines / National curriculum of basic education
Strategies for improving teaching practice - support guides for implementing curriculum guidelines
Participation of parents and stakeholders

4. Country specific policy profile
Policy Tool Box
The four dimensions presented are useful
Importance of presenting how countries put in place policies that raise quality in ECEC
Examples of “best practices”
Country specific policy profile
Identification and Selection of specific features
International comparisons
Definition of a policy agenda for implementation
Facilitating consensus and preview results

5. Policy forum(s) Support the implementation of the policy agenda:
Informing the general public
Involving national experts
Facilitating the engagement of stakeholders
Sharing international experiences

6. Some Questions
What are the strategies to ensure an integrate and flexible approach of child care and early childhood education curriculum and services?
What strategies can be used to share responsibilities of central government, municipalities and directors of school clusters?
Please describe means or strategies to ensure universal free access for ECEC.
Please describe the national evaluation programme to measure child outcomes at the end of ECEC.
Does your country have national curriculum guidelines for early childhood care? Is transition from 0-3 to 3-6 considered? Please map what is available in your country.
Please share case studies as “best practices” for parental involvement in ECEC.

7. Encouraging Quality In Early Childhood Education and Care