From 2007 to 2010, the Early Learning Initiative (ELI) at the National College of Ireland (NCI) supported 24 early years practitioners from 11 community childcare centres located in Dublin’s Docklands to undertake training in Pen Green’s methodology to develop partnerships with parents to support their child’s learning
- Parental Involvement in Children’s Learning (PICL). This report describes an evaluation of the implementation of the PICL framework in a sample of five of these childcare centres. Specifically the evaluation sought to identify and analyse:
• What does parental involvement mean in childcare settings where staff have undergone PICL training?
• How have these childcare centres implemented the PICL training?
• To what extent has awareness been raised amongst childcare practitioners about parental involvement in children’s learning?
• How do parents who use the centres regard parental involvement in the childcare centres?
• Which elements of the PICL training worked best, and for which groups?
• What are the barriers and facilitators to parental involvement in the early years settings; and
• Are any future training and resources required to encourage parental involvement in the childcare centres?

This report also discusses the sustainability of the use of the Pen Green approach in the Docklands childcare centres and the future role of the ELI in supporting continuous professional development (CPD) and parental involvement.