WHAT do you look for when choosing a kindergarten, infant school, or early childhood institution (ECI) for your child? Is it just proximity to your home or workplace, word of mouth from people who have used them, what you’ve observed from other students there, or what you see them post on social media?

Truth is, this assessment should be more detailed and invested if you want the best for your little one. And one place that does assessments is the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), and guess what? Their reports are online.

The ECC Assessment Report of Early Childhood Institutions, March 2022 lists institutions in all regions islandwide to help keep parents informed about the standards of education that their children are receiving.

The report was produced based on the performance criteria of the ECC’s 12 national standards. These standards assess critical areas such as staffing, administration, school infrastructure, health, and nutrition. They assesses the overall operational performance of early childhood institutions, including the quality of leadership that is offered and the level of stimulation that a child can receive.

The ECC implores parents to make an informed choice about the school that best supports their children’s cognitive, emotional, and physical development.

According to section 3(1) of the Early Childhood Act (2005), “No person shall operate an early childhood institution unless that institution is registered under this Act.” As of March 31, 2022, there were 2,373 ECIs in operation, the ECC says. Of this amount, 2,312 ECIs (97 per cent) have applied for registration, while 61 ECIs are delinquent.

All ECIs are inspected against the 12 national standards using an inspection instrument to measure the extent to which an ECI complies with the 231 legal performance indicators of the 12 standards. The 12 standards are:

•Standard 1: Staffing – the staff at early childhood institutions has the characteristics, training, knowledge, skills, and attitude to help children achieve their full potential.

•Standard 2: Developmental/ educational programmes – Early childhood institutions have comprehensive programmes designed to meet the language, physical, cognitive, creative, socio-emotional, spiritual, cultural, and school-readiness needs of children.

•Standard 3: Interactions and relationships with children – Early childhood staff has the characteristics, training, knowledge, skills and attitude to promote positive behaviour and reduce difficult and challenging behaviour in children.

•Standard 4: Physical environment – Early childhood institutions have physical environments that meet building, health, and safety requirements, allow adequate space for children, and facilitate the development of children and staff.

•Standard 5: Indoor and outdoor equipment, furnishing, and supplies – Early childhood institutions have indoor and outdoor equipment and furnishings that are safe, child-friendly, and promote optimal development of children.

•Standard 6: Health – Early childhood institutions have physical facilities, policies, programmes, and procedures that promote healthy lifestyles and protect children and staff from illness.

•Standard 7: Nutrition – Early childhood institutions provide children in their care with nutritious meals and model good nutritional practices for children and families.

•Standard 8: Safety – Early childhood institutions provide safe indoor and outdoor environments for children, staff, stakeholders, and visitors to the institution.

•Standard 9: Child rights, child protection, and equality – Early childhood institutions uphold the rights of children, protect them from harm, and ensure that all children have equal access to services.

•Standard 10: Interactions with parents and community members – The management and staff of early childhood institutions have good relationships with parents, caregivers, family members, and the community.

•Standard 11: Administration – Early childhood institutions have a management structure that ensures good administration. There are plans, policies, procedures, and programmes that ensure child, family, and staff well-being.

•Standard 12: Finance – Early childhood institutions have sound financial practices and adhere to standard accounting principles.

The analysis presents a breakdown of each ECI’s inspection score indicating where each is operating in terms of meeting all the legal requirements of the 12 standards (100 per cent). ECIs are not assessed based on academic criteria.

Scores range from 100 per cent; 85-99 per cent (very close to achieving standards); 70-84 per cent (close to achieving standards); 50-69 per cent (needs substantial support for stakeholders to be certified); below 50 per cent (would need significant support from stakeholders to be certified); and delinquent (have not applied for registration and are in violation of the Early Childhood Act).

Given that these schools have not been registered, inspection scores for these institutions cannot be provided and, as such, the ECC does not recommend parents to send their children to delinquent ECIs.

Where does the school you’re considering for your child stand? Check out the report at https://ecc.gov.jm/2019/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Assessment-Report-of-Early-Childhood-Institutions-March-2022.pdf.