Aistear 2026 Updated Framework: Key Changes and How to Implement Them

  The Aistear 2026 updated framework has been in effect in Irish early years settings since September 2025. Developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, known as the NCCA, this is the first update to Ireland’s early childhood curriculum framework since its original publication in 2009. For early years educators, creche managers and childminding providers across Ireland, understanding what has changed, what has been retained, and how to implement the updates in daily practice is now a professional and practical priority. This guide explains what the updated Aistear framework includes, the key changes from the original, what has stayed the same, and practical steps for implementing the updates in your setting for every age group from babies to children approaching school age.

What Is Aistear and Why Was It Updated?

Aistear, the Irish word for journey, is Ireland’s national early childhood curriculum framework for children from birth to six years. It was first published by the NCCA in 2009 and was designed to describe the types of learning and development that are important for young children and to provide educators with practical guidance on how to nurture that learning through play, relationships and meaningful experiences. The 2024 update, which came into effect in September 2025, was undertaken because the early learning and care sector in Ireland has changed significantly since 2009. The proportion of children attending early years services has increased dramatically. The workforce has become more qualified. Understanding of how young children learn has developed through new research. Irish society itself has become more diverse. And the policy landscape, including the introduction of Core Funding, the expansion of ECCE, and the publication of First 5, has created new expectations for the quality of early years provision. The update was developed through an extensive process that included a review of national and international research, a public consultation in 2022 and 2023, and, in an innovative step, a consultation with babies, toddlers and young children themselves to include their voices in shaping the framework that would be used to support their learning.

What Has Stayed the Same

It is important to be clear that this is not a major redesign of Aistear. The core structure, vision and principles of the original framework have been retained. The four themes that Irish early years educators know well remain central to the updated framework:  

• Wellbeing: fostering children’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing
• Identity and Belonging: nurturing children’s sense of who they are, where they belong, and what makes them unique
• Communicating: supporting children’s use of language, symbols, the arts and other forms of communication
• Exploring and Thinking: encouraging children to observe, question, experiment and develop their understanding of the world

  The 12 Principles of Aistear also remain unchanged, including the child’s uniqueness, equality and diversity, children as citizens, relationships, the role of the adult, holistic learning and development, active learning, play and hands-on experiences, and the learning environment.

The Key Changes in the Updated Aistear Framework

While the core structure is retained, the updated Aistear introduces several important changes that every early years setting in Ireland needs to be aware of and reflect in its practice:  

1. Stronger Emphasis on Children’s Rights

The updated Aistear places a significantly greater emphasis on children as rights-holders in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Ireland ratified in 1992. Children’s agency, voice and right to participate in decisions about their own learning are more explicitly foregrounded throughout the framework. In practice, this means settings should be creating more consistent opportunities for children to have a genuine say in what they learn, how they spend their time, and how their environment is arranged.

2. Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging

The updated framework gives much more prominence to diversity, inclusion and each child’s right to have their individual, cultural and linguistic identity valued. This reflects the significant changes in the demographic profile of children attending Irish early years services since 2009. Settings should ensure that their environments, resources, books, images and activities reflect the diversity of the families they serve and of Irish society more broadly.

3. Sustainability and the Natural World

Sustainability is a new emphasis in the updated Aistear that was not present in the original. Young children are recognised as citizens of a world that requires stewardship, and the framework encourages settings to give children regular, meaningful opportunities to connect with the natural environment, to develop an appreciation of living things, and to begin developing habits and values around caring for the world. Outdoor learning and nature-based experiences are more prominently highlighted.

4. Irish Language Integration

Words, phrases and proverbs as Gaeilge are embedded throughout the updated Aistear in a deliberate effort to promote the use of Irish language in everyday interactions between educators and children. This does not require settings to become Irish-medium services. It means incorporating Irish words naturally into daily routines, songs, greetings and activities. The NCCA has developed resources through the Aistear Toolkit to support educators with this.

5. Greater Emphasis on STEM, Literacy and Numeracy

The updated framework gives stronger emphasis to early science, technology, engineering and mathematics through the Exploring and Thinking theme, alongside greater attention to early literacy and numeracy. This aligns with Ireland’s STEM education policy statement and recognises that the foundations of mathematical thinking and scientific curiosity are laid from the earliest years. Activities that involve sorting, measuring, building, questioning and experimenting are explicitly valued.

6. The Guidance for Good Practice

Accompanying the updated Aistear framework is a new document called the Guidance for Good Practice. This replaces the original Guidelines for Good Practice published in 2009. The Guidance expands on the key concepts and big ideas introduced in the updated framework and provides practical examples of what high-quality practice looks like under each principle and theme. Every early years educator in Ireland should read the Guidance for Good Practice alongside the framework itself.

How to Implement the Updated Aistear in Your Setting

Implementing the updated Aistear does not require you to discard everything you have been doing. If you have been working with the original Aistear framework, you are already working within the right structure. What the update calls for is a deepening and broadening of that practice in the six areas described above. Here are practical steps for implementation across different age groups:  

For babies (birth to 18 months)

• Create calm, secure environments that support attachment and wellbeing as the foundation for all learning
• Use natural language, Irish words and phrases consistently during care routines such as nappy changing, feeding and dressing
• Provide natural materials such as wood, fabric, water and plants to support sensory exploration in line with the sustainability emphasis
• Ensure the physical environment includes images and books that reflect diverse family structures and cultural backgrounds

For toddlers (18 months to 3 years)

• Create regular, predictable outdoor learning opportunities where toddlers can connect with nature, explore different surfaces and observe seasonal changes
• Introduce simple STEM concepts through sand, water, blocks and natural objects, naming what children are doing in both English and Irish
• Follow children’s interests to give them agency in how they spend their time and what they explore
• Use learning stories and observations to document and share children’s learning with families

For preschool children (3 to 6 years)

• Plan activities that explicitly address all four Aistear themes and document how your planning links to the themes and learning goals
• Create regular opportunities for children to express their views on their environment, their activities and their friendships
• Integrate sustainability projects such as growing plants, composting, recycling, or caring for an outdoor space into your programme
• Use the Aistear Siolta Practice Guide to connect your planning to the Siolta quality standards and to reflect on the quality of your interactions with children

  The NCCA has developed a freely available Aistear Toolkit on ncca.ie to support educators with resources, video examples and planning templates for the updated framework. Your local City or County Childcare Committee can also provide training and mentoring support for implementation.

How the Updated Aistear Links to Tusla Inspections

Tusla inspectors assess the Health, Welfare and Development of Children theme of every inspection with reference to the national frameworks, including Aistear. Following the September 2025 implementation date, inspectors will expect to see evidence that services are aware of and working within the updated Aistear framework, particularly in relation to programme planning, children’s participation, and the learning environment. You do not need to have a perfect implementation of every update from day one. What inspectors look for is awareness of the framework, a commitment to child-centred practice, and a programme of activities that reflects the themes, principles and learning goals of Aistear in a way that is appropriate to the age groups in your care.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Updated Aistear Framework