6C21518 Sociology and Social Policy in Early Learning and Care Assessment Brief 2026

6C21518  Assessment Brief

Essay Title: The Role of Social Agents and Social Policy in Early Learning and Care (ELC)

Detailed Introduction and Background Information (20 marks) 400 words

An introduction to your project (This essay will explore/discuss/analyse how sociology….impacts ELC. I will begin by discussing the various social agents and the impact they have on children. I will then critically analyse what it means to work with these social agents and how it affects my practice. After this, I will…) or

(The essay unfolds in four parts. The first section examines how parents, media, and religion act as socialising forces affecting child development. The second section offers a critical analysis of the benefits and challenges of collaborating with these social agents in ELC practice. Third, a review of Irish policy developments in ELC highlights the evolving frameworks guiding professional practice, particularly focusing on how policies impact children’s experiences. Finally, the essay integrates three seminal developmental theories—Bowlby’s Attachment Theory, Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, and Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory—to underpin the analysis, before offering conclusions, recommendations, and a reflective account of personal learning and professional growth.)

• Context for this project. (Where you work/worked. Children with needs? Social backgrounds? Diversity?)

E.g. This discussion is contextualised within my current role in an urban ELC setting characterised by significant cultural diversity and a broad spectrum of socio-economic backgrounds. Many children in this environment also present with additional learning needs, necessitating a nuanced understanding of social influences to support inclusive practice.

• Rationale of choice (Why did you choose to discuss these three social agents).

Socialisation (20 marks) 400 words

• Social Agents (Things that affect the child from a social point of view EG parents, pre-schools media, religion, culture, social class. Pick 3)
• Influences on the child (How do they impact the developing child? EG how does parental availability influence the child?)E.G.

Parents – Description of social agent and how they impact children

Media – Description of social agent and how they impact children

Religion – Description of social agent and how they impact children

Critical Analysis (20 marks) 400 words

• Findings critically analysed (Benefits and challenges to working with the above social agents. Give pros and cons for YOUR setting/situation and tell me why)

Parents – Benefits and Challenges on working with social agent and why/

Media – Benefits and Challenges on working with social agent and why/

Religion – Benefits and Challenges on working with social agent and why/

• Evidence of research and reading. Using your references e.g. (NCCA, 2009)

Policy Developments (15 marks) 400 words

• Discussion of policy developments. Give me a brief historical summary of the ELC policy developments. Tell me where we started and where we are now.
• Impact of policy on development of the child. Simply tell me how each policy has influenced preschool children.

Conclusions and Recommendations (20 marks) 400 words

• Integrated description/overall evaluation in all domains of development. Within your essay, you should discuss any 3 of 5 theories we discussed.
  • Attachment theory – Bowlby
  • Ecologiocal theory – Bronfenbrenner
  • Social Cultural Learning – Vygotsky
  • Behaviourist theory – Skinner
• Overall conclusion and recommendations. (Summarise your essay and tell me what was the most important aspect of each section. No new information is to be in here. Only a summary of stuff you have already written. Finally give 2 recommendations. This could be on the policies or development theories we discussed.)
• Discussion of personal learning. (Simply tell me what the information in this essay has done for you and your practice. Has it impacted how you work? Do you think differently about the children now that you know more about development theories?)

Clear and concise referencing and bibliography (5 marks)

o Harvard System of Referencing used

o Clear in-text referencing

o Appropriate Bibliography included