ELC_Self_Evaluation_Template_2024_2025 (1)

What is a Early Learning & Childcare Self-Evaluation Document?

An Early Learning & Childcare (ELC) Self-Evaluation Document is a tool for ELC services to assess their quality and identify areas for improvement by reflecting on practices, collecting feedback, and analyzing evidence. Using a quality improvement framework with specific quality indicators (QIs), settings ask: “How are we doing?”, “How do we know?”, and “What are we going to do now?” to understand strengths and pinpoint necessary actions for enhancing care and learning for children.

Purpose and Function:

• Identify Strengths and Areas for Improvement:

The document helps services recognize what’s working well and where development is needed in their operations, policies, and practices.

• Promote Continuous Improvement:

Self-evaluation is a continuous, ongoing process of monitoring and development, not a one-off event.

• Gather Evidence:

It involves gathering evidence from various sources, including observations, data, and feedback from parents, staff, and the children themselves.

• Inform Quality Improvement Plans:

The findings from the self-evaluation are used to develop action plans for making concrete changes and improving quality over time.

• Support Inspection and Review:

These documents often align with national quality frameworks used by regulatory bodies, such as Education Scotland and the Care Inspectorate, which use them to support their own inspections.

Key Components and Process:

1. Reflection:

Staff reflect on their current practices, policies, and the overall effectiveness of the service.

1. Evidence Collection:

Feedback is collected from a range of stakeholders, including parents, families, staff, and importantly, the children.

1. Analysis:

The collected evidence is analyzed against specific quality indicators and themes.

1. Three Key Questions:

The core of the process is answering:

1. • How are we doing? (Assessing current performance)

1. • How do we know? (Using evidence to justify the assessment)

1. • What are we going to do now? (Planning for future improvements)

1. Action Planning:

Based on the evaluation, specific goals and actionable steps are identified to improve services and outcomes for children.

Self Evaluation – Fairview 24.25 final

What is a Self-Evaluation report?

Self Evaluation – Fairview 24.25 final

Quality_Improvement_Plan_template_2025_2026 (c)

Welcome to Our Social Story: Why We Don’t Throw Things Indoors

This story helps children and young people understand why throwing things inside can be unsafe and upsetting for others. It uses simple language and clear examples to explain how we can make safe choices, protect our environment, and show respect to those around us.

social-story-throwing (1)

Welcome to Our Gentle Hands Social Story

This story is designed to help children and young people understand the importance of using gentle hands. It explains how our hands can be used to show kindness, help others, and keep everyone safe. Through simple language and clear examples, the story encourages positive behaviour and helps build respectful, caring relationships.

social-story-gentle-hands-no-hitting

Pain Location Visual Aid

Use this visual to help identify and communicate where pain is being experienced in the body.
It’s designed to support clearer conversations between individuals and staff, making it easier to express discomfort and seek appropriate support.

• Point to the area where pain is felt
• Use simple gestures or words alongside the visual
• Staff can use it to guide discussions and ensure understanding

This tool promotes inclusive, person-centred communication—especially helpful for those who may find verbal expression challenging.

Pain Communication – (1)

Dentist story

Dentist Board