Early Learning and Care Settings

Universal Design Guidelines for Early Learning and Care Settings

These guidelines are an important step in making all Early Learning and Care Settings accessible to all children. They set out the key Universal Design considerations and guidance for Early Learning and Care settings in Ireland. The guidelines apply to both new-build and retrofit projects and provide a flexible framework to ensure that settings are accessible, understandable and easy to use for all children, staff, families and visitors.

The work was undertaken by Early Childhood Ireland and TrinityHaus (Trinity College Dublin) on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD) at the National Disability Authority (NDA).

The Universal Design Guidelines for Early Learning and Care Settings (UDG4ELCS) are available for free download.

UDG4ELCS Implementation Project

The Department of Children Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) formerly the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and CEUD have established a Implementation Project Team to follow up the publication of the UDG4ELCS with a multi-year UDG4ELCS implementation project.

The UDG4ELCS implementation project is to promote understanding and adoption of the UDG4ELCS by Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) educators/practitioners, as well as by built environment professionals involved in the design, planning and construction of ELC and SAC settings.

The project contractor has begun to develop the following project deliverables which are expected by early 2025 as part of the multi-year UDG4ELCS implementation project:

• A Communications Strategy that will inform the UDG4ELCS implementation project.
• A Website and content that will raise awareness of the UDG4ELCS.
• Two e-learning modules that will assist with UDG4ELCS capacity building.

Updates on the project as it develops will be posted here.