Page 117 - Ana Mlekuž in Igor Ž. Žagar, ur. • Raziskovanje v vzgoji in izobraževanju: Digitalizacija vzgoje in izobraževanja – priložnosti in pasti. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut, 2023. Digitalna knjižnica, Dissertationes 46
P. 117
enhancing knowledge and skills in autism spectrum disorders ...
3.1 Background information
In this section, we present the level of system and policy integration in
ECEC in the selected countries, the initial education requirements for the
core staff (preschool teachers) included in ECEC, and more specifically, the
knowledge about special and inclusive education that the core staff gained
in their initial training.
3.1.1 Participating countries´ levels of system and policy
integration in ECEC
Our study includes countries from across the whole quality continuum
(covering the five possible levels), with one country per category/level (see
Table 5). Our analysis encompasses a range of settings, including a uni-
tary setting (Slovenia), a unitary setting with a pre-primary class (Swe-
den), and two countries with a combination of separate and unitary set-
tings (Spain, Italy – unitary setting not yet fully implemented). Cyprus
has a separate setting but the groups are divided by the responsible au-
thority rather than by age. In almost all the selected countries, ECEC sys-
tems have a staff category of assistants with qualifications ranging from
ISCED 3 to ISCED 5. However, higher qualifications are required for core
practitioners - most core practitioners must obtain a BA degree in pre-
school education (ISCED 6). In Italy, individuals working with older chil-
dren must have an ISCED 7 education. Slovenia, Cyprus, and Italy require
core staff to have completed ISCED level 6, while in Spain this is only re-
quired for staff working with older children, and in Sweden, there are no
legal requirements (instead this is regulated at the setting level - one staff
member in the setting is required to have ISCED 6 in preschool educa-
tion). Three countries (Slovenia, Sweden, and Spain) have established ed-
ucational guidelines for the entire preschool phase, while in the EU, it is
more common for educational guidelines to be implemented in settings
that serve children above three years old rather than those below three
years old (as seen in Cyprus and Italy).
117
3.1 Background information
In this section, we present the level of system and policy integration in
ECEC in the selected countries, the initial education requirements for the
core staff (preschool teachers) included in ECEC, and more specifically, the
knowledge about special and inclusive education that the core staff gained
in their initial training.
3.1.1 Participating countries´ levels of system and policy
integration in ECEC
Our study includes countries from across the whole quality continuum
(covering the five possible levels), with one country per category/level (see
Table 5). Our analysis encompasses a range of settings, including a uni-
tary setting (Slovenia), a unitary setting with a pre-primary class (Swe-
den), and two countries with a combination of separate and unitary set-
tings (Spain, Italy – unitary setting not yet fully implemented). Cyprus
has a separate setting but the groups are divided by the responsible au-
thority rather than by age. In almost all the selected countries, ECEC sys-
tems have a staff category of assistants with qualifications ranging from
ISCED 3 to ISCED 5. However, higher qualifications are required for core
practitioners - most core practitioners must obtain a BA degree in pre-
school education (ISCED 6). In Italy, individuals working with older chil-
dren must have an ISCED 7 education. Slovenia, Cyprus, and Italy require
core staff to have completed ISCED level 6, while in Spain this is only re-
quired for staff working with older children, and in Sweden, there are no
legal requirements (instead this is regulated at the setting level - one staff
member in the setting is required to have ISCED 6 in preschool educa-
tion). Three countries (Slovenia, Sweden, and Spain) have established ed-
ucational guidelines for the entire preschool phase, while in the EU, it is
more common for educational guidelines to be implemented in settings
that serve children above three years old rather than those below three
years old (as seen in Cyprus and Italy).
117
