The research on the quality of the lives of four-year-olds was conducted in association with the Internatinoal Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). The IEA is a non-governmental research organisation with units in about 50 countries.

The designated IEA centre in Ireland is the Educational Research Centre in Drumcondra, Dublin, although the pre-primary project was conducted through the Early Childhood Research Centre, DIT. Lack of research on the experiences of four-year-olds in Ireland means their specific needs in early childhood settings may not be apropriately catered for. The IEA pre-primary project is a crossnational investigation into the years prior to children's entry into compulsory education (age six in Ireland).

It allows global comparisons on early childhood services. It has been designed in three phases and A Window on Early Education in Ireland the first national report of the IEA pre-primary Project, is the result of phase two. Phase three will follow the children observed in the report as they turn seven and document how the various early experiences affect chidlren's development status.