Public open tender EAC/14/2009: Study on competence requirements of staff in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)

Deadline : 20 August 2009

The 1992 Council Recommendation on child care recommended that Member States should take, and progressively encourage, initiatives to enable women and men to reconcile their occupational, family and upbringing responsibilities arising from the care of children. The 2002 Barcelona European Council agreed on quantitative targets for the provision of childcare by 2010: at least 90% of children between 3 and 6 years of age, and at least 33% of children of less than three years of age should have access to childcare services. The Communication 'Efficiency and Equity in European Education Systems' in 2006 urged Member States to invest more in pre-primary education as an effective means to establish a basis for further learning, to prevent school drop-out and to promote equity of access, treatment and outcomes. The 2008 Communication 'Improving Competences for the 21st Century' buildt on these policy developments, and stated that "early, intensive multi-systemic approaches to ECEC can offer impressive long-term results, especially for the disadvantaged".

Early childhood education and care is identified as a priority also in the Communication of the Commission at the end of 2008 ‘An updated strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training' for the period up to 2020'. It proposes that priority should be given to "the promotion of generalised equitable access to pre-primary education, and the reinforcement of quality provision and of teacher support".

A key aspect of quality is the extent to which the education and training of ECEC staff equips them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to support child development including cognitive and socio-emotional development also those from disadvantaged backgrounds and – increasingly - to work closely with families and the wider community. In this context the overall purpose of this study is to map and analyse the knowledge, skills and attitudes that ECEC staff require in order to provide high quality education and care for children under the compulsory school age. It should provide policy-relevant information, advice and case studies on the competences required by ECEC staff working with children under the compulsory school age across the European Union as whole (EU 27, EFTA-EEA countries, and the candidate countries) and the links between these competences and high quality ECEC services.

	Notice of publication
	Invitation to tender Pdf format
	Specifications Pdf format
	Annex 1 Terms of reference Pdf format
	Annex 2 Draft service contract & model for pre-financing guarantee Draft service contract (pdf format) Model for pre-financing guarantee (doc format)
	Annex 3 Information concerning the tenderer Word format Pdf format
	Annex 4 Certification with respect to the exclusion criteria Word format Pdf format
	Annex 5 Price and estimated budget breakdown Word format Pdf format
	Acknowledgement of receipt Word format
	Frequently asked questions Pdf format