Programme Overview

The Leadership for INClusion in the Early Years programme is designed to support the inclusion of all children in the early years. The course is fully funded by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and is offered for free to people working within Early Learning and Care settings. Graduates of the LINC Programme will be qualified to perform the role of Inclusion Coordinator within their Early Learning and Care Setting and will also be recognised for Lead Educator Status under the DCEDIY Qualification Guidelines.

The development of the programme is part of a government response to local, national and international demands for high quality education and training leading towards graduate pathways in the combined field of early childhood care and education (ECCE). The programme seeks to address the need for continuing professional development (CPD) in relation to the inclusion of all children.

Did you know that the LINC Programme can be included by all students under option 5 of their Core Funding Quality Action Plan

Need to Know

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Flexible Learning

The programme is based on a flexible model of delivery addressing the learning requirements and needs of our students. Each module will consist of 3 recorded lessons each week which students can listen to at any time, a weekly online tutorial, and one live webinar. In addition to this, there will also
be an opportunity for students to attend two in person classroom sessions with their Tutor for the Portfolio Module, one in the Autumn Semester and the other in the Spring Semester. Students should have access to a reliable internet connection and desktop/laptop computer in order to complete the programme

LINC 2024/2025 will commence in September 2024 and conclude in May 2025.

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Multi-Award Winning Programme

The LINC Programme has been the recipient of awards for excellence in education five times, having been shortlisted for 16 awards in total.

In 2017, it was awarded an Education Award in the Best Online Learning Experience Category.
In 2018, it received the prestigious Jennifer Burke Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning.
In 2019, it was awarded an Education Award for Student Communication and Engagement.
In 2020, it was once again voted the Best Online Learning Experience at the Education Awards.
In 2022, it received a Highly Commended Award from Aontas for its work in the area of social inclusion.
In 2023, it has once again been shortlisted in the Best Online Learning Experience at the Education Awards.
In 2024, it has been shortlisted in the Best Marketing and Communications Team, Best Online Learning Experience and Best Research Project at the Education Awards.

Programme Structure

The LINC Programme which is a Level 6 Special Purpose Award comprises of 6 modules delivered over 2 semesters (Autumn and Spring) and amounting to 60 credits (ECTS). The programme is based on a flexible model of delivery addressing the learning requirements and needs of our students. Each module will consist of 3 recorded lessons each week which students can listen to at any time, a weekly online tutorial, and one live webinar per module. In addition to this, there will also be an opportunity for students to attend two in person classroom sessions with their Tutor for the Portfolio Module, one in the Autumn Semester and the other in the Spring Semester.

Students will engage in a mentoring call with their Tutor. The purpose of the mentoring call is to support the student in applying the concepts and theories from LINC to their practice through exploring inclusive culture, inclusive practice and inclusive pedagogy.

Assessments include: written assignments and multiple-choice quizzes. Assessments will focus on linking practical knowledge of working in your setting to the LINC module content.

The programme is embedded in Aistear – the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, and Siolta – the National Quality Framework.

Module Title (credits)	Semester	Module Outline
Inclusion in Early Years Settings: Concepts and Strategies (12 ECTS)	Autumn	View Here
Child Development (6 ECTS)	Autumn	View Here
Promoting Collaborative Practice for Inclusion in Early Childhood Care and Education (12 ECTS)	Autumn/Spring	View Here
Curriculum for Inclusion (6 ECTS)	Spring	View Here
Leadership for Inclusion (12 ECTS)	Spring	View Here
Portfolio Module (12 ECTS)	Autumn/Spring	View Here

How is the LINC Programme delivered?

“A considerable amount of new information married with reminders of core early years’ principles and practices. Presented in a very manageable way. Excellent support from tutors. Obviously planned and designed for busy professionals. Very beneficial from a practical perspective.”

LINC Participant 2022/23

The programme is based on a flexible model of delivery, addressing the learning requirements and
needs of our students. Each module will consist of 3 recorded lessons each week which you can listen to at any time, a weekly online tutorial, and one live webinar per module. In addition to this, In addition to this, there will also be an opportunity for students to attend two in person classroom sessions with their Tutor for the Portfolio Module, one in the Autumn Semester and the other in the Spring Semester. An online orientation session will be provided to introduce students to the LINC Programme.

Students will participate in synchronous/asynchronous online activities and discussions, which fosters autonomous and collaborative learning:

Asynchronous online learning – this is designed to enable students to log onto the e-learning platform at any time that suits them, taking account of their work, family and other commitments. This learning will include online lectures and learning activities which students should complete each week at a time that suits them.
There will also be synchronous online learning involving participation in online chats which will require students and tutors to be online at the same time. This element of learning enables students to engage in discussions, ask questions and seek clarification in real time.

For module and content dates see our academic calendar for 2024/2025 here.

Further Training and Education

Early Childhood Ireland, Mary Immaculate College (MIC) and Maynooth University (MU) are actively committed to research in the area of early years education and special education. MIC and MU-Froebel Dept. are in a position to facilitate students to progress on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) through entry into higher education early childhood care and education (ECCE) programmes at Levels 7 and 8 on the NFQ.

In order to assist graduates progress to further education, a document detailing the credit structure of the LINC Programme has been published. This document explores the differences between Further Education & Training (FET) Credits and European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits, and explains the nature of the workload completed by LINC Graduates. Download the document here.