National Síolta Aistear Initiative

The National Síolta Aistear Initiative (NSAI) was established in 2016 to support the coordinated roll-out of Síolta and Aistear, the national quality and curriculum frameworks for the early learning and care sector.

This is a collaborative initiative designed to integrate Síolta and Aistear, supporting Early Learning and Care settings to deliver high-quality learning experiences for babies, toddlers, and young children. Educators across Ireland can access professional development, mentoring, and practical resources.

It is led by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality in partnership with national agencies and is implemented through a coordinated nationwide approach.

Early Years Specialists from Better Start - the National Early Years Quality Development Service, work closely with City and County Childcare Committees, which provide local-level supports, to deliver support to service providers.

Early years educators can access:

• On-site mentoring

• Tailored workshops

• And practical tools to explore child-led learning, play, and quality interactions.

At the heart of the initiative is the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide - an online resource that brings both frameworks together in a practical and user-friendly way.

It offers suggestions, examples, and reflection tools to help educators apply the frameworks to their daily practice.

If you have any queries or would like further information on the NSAI please contact nsai@betterstart.ie

Organisations that support the NSAI include:

Department of Children, Disability and Equality, (DCDE),

Department of Education and Youth (DEY),

Better Start National Early Years Quality Development,

National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA),

City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) and

National Voluntary Childcare Organisations (NVCOs)