The Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Childcare defines Early Childhood Education as follows: ... Day care facilities and services for pre-school children and school-going children out of school hours. It includes services offering care, education and socialisation opportunities for children to the benefit of children, parents, employers and the wider community. Thus services such as preschools, naí¬onraí, day-care services, crèches, playgroups, childminding and after-school groups are included, but schools (primary, secondary and special) and residential centres for children are not. (Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group Report, 1999, p. 116)

Graduates of the Early Childhood Education degree work as practitioners and as managers in an early years setting such as crèches, day nurseries, pre-schools, after-school services, special education services, early start classrooms and family centres. Graduates also work in the area of project development and in management positions in the Health Service Executive, country childcare committees and in public and voluntary organisations.