Dr Colette Murray Awarded €142,000+ Government Tender to Review Work for Department of Children, Disability and Equality
Dr Colette Murray, Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences, Law and Education at TU Dublin, has been awarded a government tender worth over €142,000 to lead a comprehensive review of existing guidelines and resources for the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
Dr Murray, whose teaching and research focus on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI), Social Justice, and the Traveller community, will bring her extensive expertise to the project. The initiative will involve revising and updating the National Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Charter and Guidelines, reviewing the DEI Training of Trainers programme, and developing new resources and mentoring supports for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) educators and providers.
Commenting on the award, Dr Murray said,
I am delighted to have the opportunity to support the Department of Children, Disability and Equality in reviewing this important work. This project aligns closely with my research on equality, inclusion and social justice, and I look forward to contributing to policies and practice that make a tangible difference in people’s lives. This work is timely as we face challenges in our society and globally, I am looking forward to work on the revision and updating of the DEI Charter and Guidelines in ECEC and the DEI training programme.
As part of the tender, Dr Murray has appointed a part-time research specialist at TU Dublin to assist in the review process and in developing recommendations for the Department.
The next stages of the project will include:
- Revision of the National DEI Charter and Guidelines
- Review of the Training of Trainers programme
- Development of a mentoring programme
- Delivery of updated training to County and City Childcare Committee trainers
This collaboration highlights the important role of academic research in informing national policy, and underscores TU Dublin’s commitment to advancing inclusion, equality, and evidence-based practice within the early childhood education and care and school age childcare sectors.