Monitoring service quality in early childhood education and care (ECEC)

Monitoring service quality is, together with staff quality, the most common area of monitoring reported across the countries and jurisdictions that participated in this study. External monitoring practices include inspections, which are used by all jurisdictions, and parental surveys, which are used by half of all jurisdictions. Self-evaluations are implemented by three-quarters of the jurisdictions. The instruments and focus of monitoring service quality differ by practice, although observations and surveys are often used. Inspections mainly focus on regulation compliance. Inspections and self-evaluations focus strongly on communication and collaboration within settings, and with parents and families. The frequency of monitoring service quality usually depends on previous monitoring results. Countries mainly monitor to inform policy making and improve the level of quality. Jurisdictions do not always find it easy to ensure that monitoring practices support ECEC settings in stimulating child development, designing and implementing a unified monitoring system in decentralised countries, and ensuring appropriate training to those who conduct monitoring.