Director of Early Learning Initiative

josephine.bleach@ncirl.ie

Key Responsibilities at NCI

• Director of the Early Learning Initiative

Education

• PhD in Education. University of Dublin, Trinity College. 2004-2008
• Higher Diploma in Professional Education Studies (School Planning) (First Class Honours). National University of Ireland, Galway. 2002-2003.
• Master of Studies (Honours). University of Dublin, Trinity College. 1999-2003.
• Diploma of Management in Education (First Class Honours). University of Dublin, Trinity College. 1999-2000.
• B. Education Degree. Carysfort College of Education (N.U.I.) 1977-1980.

Academic Experience

• Professional Development, Change Management and Quality Support Programmes for Early Years Services and Primary Schools
• Guest Lecturer in Third Level Institutions on the following topics:
  • Collaboration (UCD, St. Patrick's College of Education);
  • Challenging Behaviour (St. Patrick's College of Education);
  • Parental Involvement in their Children's Education (Trinity College)
  • School Development Planning (Trinity College)
  • Early Intervention and Prevention (NCI)

Industrial Experience

• Facilitator with the School Development Planning Support Initiative, Department of Education and Skills (1999-2008)
• Class teacher, Home School Community Liaison Coordinator and Early Start teacher in Our Lady Immaculate Senior National School, Darndale, Dublin 17 (1980-2000)

Research Interests

• Community Action Research; parenting; early learning; literacy; numeracy; professional development; community development; policy development and implementation.

Recent Funding

• Area Based Childhood Programme: Funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Atlantic Philanthropies; Managed by Pobal and Centre for Effective Services (CES)
• Corporate Partners: McCann FitzGerald; Smurfit Kappa Group Foundation; ICG; Dublin Port; State Street Foundation; Deloitte; Citco; McGarrell Reilly Group; HSBC; Ireland Funds; Arthur Cox; BlackRock; Dermot Desmond; Fyffes; Irish Ferries; Samskip; Total Produce; Ulster Bank; Eversheds and The Panel.
• National Early Years Access Initiative, funded by Atlantic Philanthropies, the Mount Street Club Trustees, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Department of Education and Skills and Pobal

Professional Body Membership

• The Teaching Council

Research Publications

Published International Journal Articles

• Bleach, Josephine (2024) "Early Childhood Home Visiting- a Critical lifeline for families in Dublin’s Inner City". Working Notes. ISSN 0791-587X
• Bleach, Josephine (2021) "Parents’ voices through the COVID-19 pandemic". Education Matters Year Book 2021. pp. 135-138. ISSN 978-0-9956987-5-8.
• Bleach, Josephine (2017) "Community Action Research for Long-term Sustainable Change". Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA) 2016 Conference Proceedings. ISSN 2373-1680.
• Bleach, Josephine (2016) "Learning networks - enabling change through community action research". Educational Action Research, 24 (1). pp. 21-33. ISSN 1747-5074.
• Kent, Gráinne, Bleach, Josephine and Fagan, Beth (2016) "The Role of the Parent Child Home Programme in Supporting Better Outcomes in Education and Learning". Children's Research Digest, 3 (1). pp. 29-35. ISSN 2009-7298.
• McNally, Sinéad, Kent, Gráinne, Fagan, Beth and Bleach, Josephine (2016) "Knowledge Exchange in Early Childhood Research and Practice: Findings from the Early Learning Initiative and the National College of Ireland". An Leanbh Óg: The OMEP Ireland Journal of Early Childhood Studies, 10. pp. 153-161. ISSN 2009-5910.
• Bleach, Josephine (2015) "Improving Numeracy Outcomes for Children through Community Action Research". Educational Action Research 23 (1). pp. 22-35. ISSN 1747-5074.
• Bleach, Josephine (2014) "Developing professionalism through reflective practice and ongoing professional development". European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 22 (2). pp. 185-197. ISSN 1350-293X.
• Bleach, Josephine (2013) "Improving educational aspirations and outcomes through community action research". Educational Action Research, 21 (2). pp. 253-266. ISSN 1747-5074.
• Bleach, Josephine (2013) "Using action research to support quality early years practice". European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 21 (3). pp. 370-379. ISSN 1752-1807.

Book Chapters

• Oke, Meera and Bleach, Josephine (2024) "Teacher’s Burn-out and Poor Work-Life Conditions in ECE: The Role of (Participatory) Action Research in Addressing These Challenges to Bring about Positive Changes". In: 2024 ARNA Conference. ARNA (Action Research Network of the Americas).
• Bleach, Josephine and Byrne, Marion (2023) "Early Childhood Home Visiting – a collaborative person-centred community approach". In: CARN Bulletin 26. CARN (Collaborative Action Research Network), Manchester, England, pp. 36-40. ISBN 978-1-910029-97-8
• Bleach, Josephine and Byrne, Marion (2023) "Early Childhood Home Visiting – a collaborative person-centred community approach". In: Collaborative Action Research Network (CARN) Conference 2023. CARN, Manchester, England.
• Bleach, Josephine and Byrne, Marion (2023) "Early Childhood Home Visiting- a Collaborative Person-Centered Community Approach". In: Prevention and Early Intervention Summit. PEIN, Limerick, Ireland.
• Bleach, Josephine and Brocklesby, Susan (2023) "Early Childhood Home Visiting in Ireland: An essential prevention and early intervention services for children, parents, and families". In: Ireland's Education Yearbook 2023. Education Matters, pp. 70-73. ISBN 978-0-9956987-7-2
• Darmody, Kate, Booth, Julie, Bleach, Josephine, Pathak, Pramod and Stynes, Paul (2023) "Work in Progress: A Virtual Educational Robotics Coding Club Framework to Improve K-6 Students Emotional Engagement in STEM". In: 2023 IEEE World Engineering Education Conference (EDUNINE). IEEE, Bogotá, Colombia, pp. 1-4.
• Darmody, Kate, Booth, Julie, O'Toole, Fergal, Alcala, Alexandra, Bleach, Josephine, Stynes, Paul and Pathak, Pramod (2022) "A STEM family eLearning framework to increase family engagement in disadvantaged communities". In: IADIS 16th International Conference on e-Learning. IADIS.
• Bleach, Josephine (2022) "Real-World Ethical Experiential Practice Based Action Learning for the ‘New Normal’". In: International Handbook on the Teaching of Public Administration. Edward Elgar, pp. 139-147. ISBN 9781800375680.
• Bleach, Josephine (2020) "Mentoring and Coaching and Their Relationship to Management and Leadership in Early Education". In: Mentoring and Coaching in Early Childhood Education. Bloomsbury Publishing, London. ISBN 9781350100725.
• Bleach, Josephine (2019) Key Messages on Partnership with Parents: Supporting Parents as the Primary Educators of their Children. In: Ireland's Yearbook of Education 2018-2019. Early Childhood Chapter. Phyllis Mitchell, pp. 15-18. ISBN 9780995698727.
• Bleach, Josephine (2018) Working with and listening to families. In: Pedagogies for Children's Perspectives. Routledge, Abingdon. ISBN 9781138577473.
• Bleach, Josephine (2017) "Community Action Research in Ireland: Improving Educational Outcomes Through Collaboration in the Dublin Docklands". In: The Palgrave International Handbook of Action Research. Palgrave Macmillan, New York, pp. 177-188. ISBN 9781137441089.
• Bleach, Josephine (2016) "Sharing the Learning from Community Action Research". In: Values and Virtues in Higher Education Research: Critical Perspectives. Routledge, New York, pp. 126-140. ISBN 9781138916821.
• Bleach, Josephine (2015) "Improving Early Numeracy Outcomes". In: Education Matters Yearbook 2015-2016: Shaping Ireland's Education Landscape. Education Matters, Dublin.
• Bleach, Josephine (2014) "Supporting Parents". In: A Critical Companion to Early Childhood. SAGE Publications Ltd, pp. 228-239. ISBN 9781446259269.
• Bleach, Josephine (2013) Community action research: Providing evidence of value and virtue. In: Value and Virtue in Practice-Based Research. September Books, Poole, pp. 17-32. ISBN 9781902047041.

Books

• Bleach, Margaret, J. (2010) "Parental Involvement in Primary Education in Ireland". Liffey Press, Dublin. ISBN 9781905785797.

Conference Papers and Items

• Bleach, Josephine and Shinnick, Mark (2021) "ELI’s Partnership Approach". In: TU Dublin Community – Higher Education Partnership Seminar, 24 June 2021, Technological University Dublin.
• Bleach, Josephine (2020) "A Home School Community Approach to Supporting Parents as the Primary Educators of their Children". In: DES Inspectorate Conference, 26 February 2020.
• Bleach, Josephine (2019) "Imagining, Strategizing, Sharing and Scaling the Future through Community Action Research". In: CARN-ALARA Conference 2019, 17-19 October 2019, Hotel President, Split, Croatia.
• Bleach, Josephine (2019) "Changing Lives through Community Action Research". In: JUC Public Administration Annual Conference 2019, 16-18 September 2019, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK. 
• Bleach, Josephine (2019) "Voice in Action Research". In: Network of Educational Action Researchers Ireland (NEARI) Meet 2019, 26 January 2019, Marino Institute of Education, Dublin, Ireland.
• Bleach, Josephine (2018) "10 years of voicing and valuing: daring and doing community action research". In: CARN Conference 2018, 25-27 October 2018, Friends Meeting House, Manchester, UK. 
• O'Leary, Tess, Hurley, Oisin, Kirwan, Suzanne, Kent, Gráinne and Bleach, Josephine (2018) "Exploring early childhood language exposure in Irish homes". In: Early Childhood Irelands Research and Practice Seminar 2018, 13th-14th April 2018, Croke Park, Dublin.
• Bleach, Josephine (2017) "Community Action Research: Joys and Challenges". In: 7th annual International Action Research Colloquium, 29-30 June 2017, University College Dublin.
• Bleach, Josephine (2016) "Nurturing Community Action Research". In: 4th Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA) Conference, 16th-18th June 2016, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.
• Bleach, Josephine (2015) "Review of DEIS: Poverty and Social Inclusion in Education: A community-based approach to addressing educational disadvantage". In: INTO Educational Disadvantage Conference, 2nd December 2015, St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin. 
• Kent, Gráinne, Bleach, Josephine and Fagan, Beth (2015) "The Role of the Parent Child Home Programme in Supporting Better Outcomes in Education and Learning". In: Annual Children's Research Network in Ireland and Northern Ireland Conference, 10th December 2015, Dublin.
• Kent, Gráinne, Bleach, Josephine and Fagan, Beth (2015) "Supporting Parents through the Parent Child Home Programme". In: UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre Conference, 11th June 2015, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway.
• McNally, Sinéad, Kent, Gráinne, Fagan, Beth and Bleach, Josephine (2015) "Knowledge Exchange in Early Childhood Research and Practice: Findings from the Early Learning Initiative and the National College of Ireland". In: OMEP Ireland AGM and Annual Research Conference, 25 April 2015, University College Cork, Cork.
• Kent, Gráinne, Bleach, Josephine and Fagan, Beth (2015) "Parent Child Home Programme". In: Early Childhood Ireland Research Conference, 18th April 2015, Croke Park, Dublin.
• Bleach, Josephine, Kinsella, William and Lalor, Terri (2015) "Assessing Children's Early Mathematics Skills and Concepts". In: British Early Childhood Education Research Association Conference (BECERA), 17th-18th February 2015, mac Birmingham, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, UK. 
• Bleach, Josephine, Moore, Michelle and Ward, Moira (2014) "Mathematics for children aged 3 years and under". In: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)'s Maths Conference, 24th November 2014, Dublin Castle Conference Centre, Dublin, Ireland.
• Bleach, Josephine, Shinnick, Mark and Rourke, Aisling (2014) "Mathematics for children aged 3-4 years". In: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)'s Maths Conference, 24th November 2014, Dublin Castle Conference Centre, Dublin, Ireland. 
• Bleach, Josephine (2013) "From 18 months to 18 years - Supporting access to third level education". In: Higher Education Authority 2013 Conference: How Equal? Conference on Access to Higher Education in Ireland, 7 November 2013, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin 8.
• Bleach, Josephine (2012) "Community Action Research – improving practice and learning through collaboration". In: CARN/IPDC Conference 2012, 23-25 November 2012, Ashford International Hotel, Kent, England.
• Bleach, Josephine (2012) "National Early Years Access Initiative : Dublin Docklands Early Numeracy Project". In: European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) 22nd Annual Conference, 29-31 August 2012, Oporto, Portugal.
• Bleach, Josephine (2012) "Community Action Research: Providing Evidence of Value and Virtue". In: Second International Conference on Value and Virtue in Practice-Based Research Theme: Articulating our Values and Virtues, 11-12 July 2012, York St John University, UK.
• Bleach, Josephine (2012) "Using community action research to improve early mathematical outcomes". In: British Early Childhood Education Research Association Conference (BECERA), 15-16 February 2012, Birmingham. 
• Bleach, Josephine (2011) "Implementing Aistear through a Síolta lens". In: Our Children - Our Future Conference, PLE-Pedagogy, Learning and Education Research Conference, 20-21 October 2011, IT Sligo.
• Bleach, Josephine (2011) "Developing ECCE practitioners' sense of professionalism through reflective practice and on-going professional development". In: European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) 21st Annual Conference, 14 - 17 September 2011, Geneva - Lausanne. 
• Bleach, Josephine and Crowe, Brigina (2011) "Discover University – Transitional Skill Development". In: ‘Supporting Students in Transition’, CSSI 13th Biannual Conference, 15-16 June 2011, National College of Ireland, Dublin.
• Bleach, Josephine (2011) "Implementing Values through Community Action Research". In: Value and Virtue in Practice-Based Research, An International Conference, 1-2 June 2011, York St John University, UK.
• Bleach, Josephine and Crowe, Brigina (2011) "Discover University – PBL Inter-disciplinary Project". In: ‘Problem Based Learning (PBL) Today and Tomorrow’, Facilitate International Conference, 26-27 May 2011, Trinity College Dublin.
• Bleach, Josephine (2011) "Using action research to support and develop quality practice". In: British Early Childhood Education Research Association Conference (BECERA), 23-24 February 2011, Birmingham.