Minister Foley allocates over €320,000 to strengthen prevention and early intervention services for children and young people

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€329,625 in Dormant Accounts funding awarded to 13 community and voluntary projects under the 2025 What Works Enhancing Quality Fund

The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley T.D., has announced €329,625 in Dormant Accounts funding for 13 community and voluntary organisations across Ireland. The funding, allocated under the 2025 What Works Enhancing Quality Fund, will support organisations to strengthen prevention and early intervention services for children, young people and families.

The investment supports initiatives in areas such as mental health, parenting support, bereavement services, social inclusion, domestic violence prevention, early childhood development and trauma-informed practice. The 13 successful projects were selected from 119 eligible applications following an independent assessment process.

Announcing the allocations, Minister Foley said:

“This funding is a direct investment in Ireland’s children and young people. Through the What Works initiative, we are targeting Dormant Account funding towards the services that can have the greatest impact, ensuring organisations delivering high-quality, evidence-informed supports have what they need to make a real and lasting difference for children, young people and families across the country.”

The Minister of State, Jerry Buttimer T.D, for the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, the department that oversees the Dormant Account Fund, noted:

“The Dormant Accounts Fund has continually aided the most vulnerable in society. I am particularly pleased to see funding for this measure that will benefit young people across the country”

The 13 successful projects are:

  • Barnardos – Children’s Bereavement Service Evaluation (Nationwide)
  • Childhood Matters – Advancing Professional Development in Infant Mental Health (Nationwide)
  • Children in Hospital Ireland – Quality Framework for Supporting Children in Hospital and their Families (Nationwide)
  • Early Learning Initiative, National College of Ireland – Enhancing Quality in Home Visiting Services (Nationwide)
  • Foróige – Evaluation of Creative Community Alternatives on Children and Young People at risk of entering care or those in foster care (Nationwide)
  • Irish Foster Care Association – Meeting the Sensorimotor Supports for At-Risk Babies and Toddlers (Nationwide)
  • South Presentation Centre CLG – Disrupting Immigrant Children’s Trajectory to Child Protection (Cork)
  • Rotunda Hospital – Developmental Follow-Up Programme for High-Risk Infants (Dublin)
  • Emotion Skills Ireland – Emotion Focused Skills Training Pilot in Schools (Dublin)
  • School Completion Programme – Roma Cultural Mediation Project (Dublin)
  • Saoirse Domestic Violence Services – Enhancing Healthy Relationships (Dublin)
  • Daughters of Charity Child and Family Service – Circle of Security Training (Dublin)
  • Children’s Grief Centre – Staff Training in Bereavement Support (Limerick)

Full project descriptions are set out in the Notes to Editors section below.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

– What Works Initiative: Launched in 2019, the What Works initiative is funded by the Dormant Accounts Fund to strengthen evidence-based prevention and early intervention services for children and young people. It focuses on data, research, professional development, and quality improvement across community and voluntary services.

– Enhancing Quality Fund 2025: Supports continuous improvement and innovation in prevention and early intervention, helping organisations embed evidence-based practice and improve outcomes for children, young people, and families nationwide.

Further information can be found: https://whatworks.gov.ie/

Project Descriptions

Organisation Project Title

Theme

Description

 Funding Allocated Location
       
Barnardos Ireland Barnardos Children’s Bereavement Service (BCBS) – A theory-based and feasibility evaluation

 

Prevention and Early Intervention, Mental health Bereavement / Loss, Parenting Co-production, Trauma-informed practice, Capacity development Evaluation

 

This project will

(1)     develop a theory-based understanding of BCBS and

(2)     conduct a feasibility study of outcomes measures and evaluation processes.

 

The first goal of this project is to develop a systematic model of therapeutic bereavement support which can be offered within a family support context. Over the longer run, this will contribute to ongoing programme planning and evidence-based implementation, as well as enabling clear communication to external partners and stakeholders, including service users, professionals/partner organisations, researchers and policy makers.

 

 €18,515 Nationwide
Childhood Matters Advancing Professional Development in Infant Mental Health (IMH)

 

Children in Care, Infant Mental Health (IMH)

 

Build on established infrastructure and expertise within Childhood Matters and expand the IMH Masterclass training for routine delivery by the service.  Support updating training materials and facilitate training events for professionals and researchers working in IMH.

 €27,950 Nationwide
Children in Hospital Ireland Creating a Quality Framework for Supporting Children in Hospital (CIH) and their Families

 

Children’s Health, Family Support, Volunteer Support in Health Services

 

Develop national data on the experience of children in hospital and embed a culture of quality and improvement in CIH and provide solid evidence on how volunteer services impact children and families in hospital by

 

1.         Carrying out a needs analysis to review the data current data, standards and regulations

 

2.         design and test new approaches, such as improved feedback systems and a ’champions model’ where families and volunteers help lead change.

 

3.         Staff and volunteers will be trained to use new systems for collecting and analysing information.

 €30,000 Nationwide
Early Learning Initiative (ELI)

National College of Ireland

 Empowering Excellence: Adapting to National Initiatives for High-Quality Home Visiting Services for Vulnerable Communities in Ireland

 

Early Childhood Home Visiting, Data Frameworks, Parenting, Early Learning, Quality Practice, Action Learning

 

To enhance the health and well-being of children, parents and families through effective home visiting,

 

1.         Review and update existing data protocols, frameworks, training, and manuals to incorporate emerging practices at national and local level into our home visiting programmes

 

2.         Continue to liaise with key stakeholders, particularly National Home Visiting Programme, HVA and ABC to ensure alignment of data definitions, frameworks and practices with emerging national models

 

3.         Address training and support requirements to increase home visiting teams’ use of data to inform practice, engagement with children, families and other stakeholders and alignment with national models.

 

 €30,000 Nationwide
Foróige Evaluating the Impact of Creative Community Alternatives (CCA) on Children and Young People who are at risk of entering care or those in foster care.

 

Research for future intervention planning

 

The research will inform future planning of interventions and programmes that will continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and young people in the care system.

 

The project works with those at level 3 and 4 of the Hardiker model, who are experiencing complex problems. The projects aim to assist the young person develop appropriate resilience and social skills so that they can achieve their full potential and participate positively in society

 

The project also provides support to parents/foster parents and siblings of the young people involved.  Interventions are designed to promote positive coping capacities and self-care, and include experiential, developmental, and resilience-building programmes.

 

 

 €30,000 Nationwide
Irish Foster

Care Association

 Meeting the Sensorimotor Needs of At-Risk Babies and Toddlers

 

Parenting and Care of Babies and Toddlers in the Care System

 

Training front-line practitioners working with at-risk babies and toddlers and the Foster Carers who look after them and to run early intervention groupwork with babies and toddlers their care and their foster carers.  Deliver group work to promote sensorimotor development, enhance infant-carer relationships and promote bodily and emotional regulation.

 €30,000 Nationwide
South Presentation Centre CLG Disrupting Immigrant Children’s Trajectory to Child Protection (DICT-CP)

 

Parent-Child mental health, Social Inclusion, Parenting

 

A pilot study to gather data on the acceptability and effectiveness of prescribed play intervention, dialogue workshops and qualitative data to

 

1.         Enhance relationships between professionals and the immigrant families that they work with.

 

2.         strengthen the parent-child relationship by providing intervention supports for parents to tolerate their child’s stress.

 

The overall project objective is to disrupt the trajectory of children from an immigrant background to child welfare and protection and thus discontinue the trauma that child removal causes, through an early intervention that focuses on both the parent and child’s mental health and wellbeing, and offers a community-based, relational approach that enhances parent-child connectedness.

 

 €29,560 Cork
Rotunda

Hospital

 Expanding developmental follow-up to high-risk infants: an Occupational Therapy led, web-based surveillance programme

 

Early intervention, Child Development, Innovation

 

To expand service delivery to provide web-based developmental surveillance and screening (fine-motor, cognition, social-emotional and sensory processing) to new-borns and high-risk infants to enable prevention and early intervention as well as providing anticipatory guidance.

The purpose of the project is to optimise survival, physical health and safety for new-borns and high-risk infants.

 €25,000 Dublin
Emotion Skills Ireland Adapting Emotion Focused Skills Training to the Irish Schools Context: A Pilot Study of a Trauma informed Whole School Approach to Mental Health Promotion

 

Mental Health, Early Intervention, Education, Parenting

 

Piloting Emotions Focused Skills Training (EFST) to teachers and parents -that will give them with evidence based emotional support skills and create sustainable mental health infrastructure within schools to promote, prevent and provide early intervention for children and youth with psychological distress.

 €30,000 Dublin
School Completion Programme Roma Cultural Mediation project

 

Education and Social Marginalisation

 

The SCP will make Cultural Mediation available to three schools in the Dublin 1&7 areas.

 

The goal of the project is to promote inclusivity, cultural understanding, and equal access to education. It supports positive relationships between Roma families, students, and school staff, leading to improved attendance, engagement, and learning outcomes.

 

 

 €28,600 Dublin
Saoirse Domestic Violence Services Enhancing Healthy Relationships Workshops through Youth Participation, Media Creation and Independent Evaluation

 

Domestic Violence Prevention, Child and Youth Participation, Early Intervention, Mental Health, Healthy Relationship Development

 

Enhancing existing services provided by Saoirse Domestic Violence Services, this project will design new media content to make relationship education more relatable and impactful, rooted in prevention and early intervention.   This will be informed by involving young people directly in focus groups and pilot workshops from various cohorts i.e. migrant groups/LGBTQi+ etc. to ensure language and content is inclusive and relevant while also withstanding future trends.

 

 

 €15,000 Dublin
Daughters of Charity

Child and Family Service

 Circle of Security Training

 

Parenting Support, Psychoeducational Support for Parents, Early Intervention, Emotional Support, Therapeutic Individual and Group Interventions, Child and Parent Attachment.

 

To alter the family system, so certain cycles of behaviours such as domestic violence, addiction and anti-social behaviours can be broken or reduced, this project will train 25 staff to deliver a Circle of Security Parenting Programme to parents and caregivers while they are on a waiting list for individual supports.

 

This provides an early intervention, needs based support in a peer led environment. The Circle of Security programme supports secure child-caregiver attachment which in return can improve quality of life and reduce traumatic experiences that children and young people can be exposed to or experience.

 

 

 €30,000 Dublin
The Children’s Grief Centre Staff training and development for Support Workers working directly with bereaved child and their families.

 

Early Intervention, Mental Health, Bereavement Support

 

To support children and young people between the ages of 4-18 years who have been affected by loss as a result of death, parental separation or divorce by training staff in Trauma-Informed Care and Response, Therapeutic and Creative Play techniques for anxious children, sensory play to aid emotional regulation, strategies for engaging with teenagers and training for managing complicated and traumatic grief.

 €5,000  

 

 

 

Limerick

Minister Foley announces that 40,000 young children in Ireland have benefited from 2025 Little Library Initiative

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Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley has released new figures today revealing that almost 40,000 young children have benefited from the Little Library initiative this year.

Each year, every one of the 50,000 children leaving pre-school and starting primary school are invited to visit their local library to pick up a free book bag and take the opportunity to join the library as part of the My Little Library Initiative.

So far almost 40,000 young children have collected their bag and taken the opportunity to join the library if they weren’t already a member. While many of them are already members of their local library, nearly 20,000 children across Ireland will join the library this year because of the My Little Library funded by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.

The books and resources in the book bag, which is available in both English and ‘as Gaeilge’, support parents and their children in the transition to primary school.

Minister Foley said:

“I am really proud to support the My Little Library initiative for children and their families and welcome the high levels of participation all around the country.

“The gift of reading to and with children on a regular basis cannot be overestimated. It not only supports connection between parents and their children but also promotes early language and literacy development which is crucial for children’s success in their education journey.

“There is still a small number of Little Library book bags in libraires around the country for any five- and six-year-olds who have still to collect their bag. I encourage all remaining families to avail of this initiative and to join the library in the process.”

Ireland has 330 public libraries, which are managed by the local authority in the area in which they are located. The focus of the My Little Library Initiative is to build strong links between young children, their families and their local library.

Books in the My Little Library Initiative are available in Irish and English. A glossary of the language in the Irish books is included.

A collection of resources and information is also provided in each bag. This includes a library social story card, First 5 Guidance for Parents of Children Moving from Pre-School to Primary School, Dyslexia and the Younger Child by Dyslexia Ireland and Bookshare Ireland by Vision Ireland.

ENDS

Notes to editors

This initiative is an action of the Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024-2033 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/3f341-towards-a-new-literacy-numeracy-and-digital-literacy/

And

The Library is the Place: Information, Recreation, Inspiration – National Public Library Strategy 2023-2027. https://www.gov.ie/en/news/e6d8e-the-library-is-the-place-new-five-year-strategy-for-public-libraries-unveiled/

The initiation is also part of First 5, which is a ten-year Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families published in 2018. This Strategy works to enhance early childhood and make a significant contribution to the lives of young children, their families and society over the short, medium and longer term. More information can be found on the First 5 website at: www.first5.gov.ie/

National Síolta Aistear Initiative (NSAI): Continuing Aistear’s Journey

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A day of professional conversation and reflection.

Monday 1st December 2025 (9.00-16:00pm)

Dublin City University (DCU)

Introduction

Welcome to the National Síolta Aistear Initiative (NSAI): Continuing Aistear’s Journey conference. This event is being hosted by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE), in partnership with the Department of Education and Youth (DEY), and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA).

Conference Overview

As part of the dissemination activities for the updated Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, a national conference was held on May 24th, 2025, in the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. This conference was oversubscribed, and the attendance of educators was prioritised.

This dedicated conference has been organised to present the same content that was covered at the national conference, specifically for support organisations, both inspectorates and academics who were unable to attend. While the keynote address will not be repeated the remainder of the programme will be shared. It will provide a forum for participants to collaboratively explore the updates, new concepts and key messages within the updated Aistear, while also supporting professional development and promoting consistency of messaging in the implementation of the updated Framework.

Conference Agenda

9 -10:00am Registration

Tea, Coffee and Networking
10-10:15am

 

 Welcome & Introduction (DCDE)

(Groups 1 & 2 – T1)
10.15 – 10.50am

 

 (Groups 1 & 2 – T1)

Dr. Geraldine French

Building Relationships: The Power of Slow Relational Pedagogy with Babies and Toddlers: The workshop addresses what is slow relational pedagogy in the context of building relationships and enhancing the learning and development of babies and toddlers responsively, respectfully and sensitively. There is a focus on why slow relational pedagogy is important. Finally, we examine the specific features of engaging in a slow relational pedagogy in professional practice in ECEC settings for working with this age range. These understandings are required for very young children’s flourishing.

 
   

Group 1 moves to T2, and Group 2 moves to T3  

Each group stays in the same room from 10.50 to 12.40 and returns to the same room after lunch.

 
10.55-11.30am Group 1 (T2)

Dr Mary Daly (T2)

Listening to and: Listening for the Voices of Babies, Toddlers and Young Children in the Transitions Process.

This presentation will focus on the importance of supporting positive transitions in the everyday lives of babies, toddlers and young children. It will highlight the importance of supporting and enriching all transitions for babies, toddlers and young children and show how the updated framework, together with the Guidance for Good Practice, supports these. The presentation will provide information on how to listen to the voices of babies, toddlers and young children in the transition process to support and enrich these experiences. The role of the key person and of slow relational pedagogy will also be looked at. The presentation will also highlight that supporting transitions is a shared responsibility between families, childminders, early years educators, settings and schools.

 

 Group 2 (T3)

Shirley Heaney (T3)

Fostering Learning Environments that promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for all Babies, Toddlers and Young Children:

This session will explore how the Principles and Themes of Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework embed a strengths-based approach to creating inclusive learning environments that promote well-being and empower babies, toddlers and young children to develop a strong sense of identity and belonging.

Stretch and movement break (stay in the same room)

11.35-12.10pm Group 1 (T2)

Máire Uí Mhurchú (T2)

Acquiring Gaeilge through Movement, Song and Dance: This workshop will demonstrate how Gaeilge can be naturally and playfully incorporated into a setting’s daily or weekly routine —especially through activities that children love, such as singing and movement. You do not need to be proficient in Gaeilge to engage with these activities. There will be an interactive element to this presentation with practical guidance on how to access and use a range of online resources to support your practice.

 Group 2 (T3)

Grainne McKenna (T3)

The Inherent Influence of the Agentic Educator- the Role, Reach and Rewards: This session will focus on ‘Agentic Educators’ as an early learning and development principle in Aistear, exploring what this means for professional identity and what it might look like in practice. We will consider the significant influence of the agentic educator on children’s learning and development, as well as the important contributions and connections we make to children’s families and communities.

 

 

 

Stretch and movement break (guests stay in the same room but speakers move)

 

 

12.15-12.50pm Grainne McKenna (T2)

The Inherent Influence of the Agentic Educator- the Role, Reach and Rewards: This session will focus on ‘Agentic Educators’ as an early learning and development principle in Aistear, exploring what this means for professional identity and what it might look like in practice. We will consider the significant influence of the agentic educator on children’s learning and development, as well as the important contributions and connections we make to children’s families and communities.

 Dr Mary Daly (T3)

Listening to and: Listening for the Voices of Babies, Toddlers and Young Children in the Transitions Process. This presentation will focus on the importance of supporting positive transitions in the everyday lives of babies, toddlers and young children. It will highlight the importance of supporting and enriching all transitions for babies, toddlers and young children and show how the updated framework, together with the Guidance for Good Practice, supports these. The presentation will provide information on how to listen to the voices of babies, toddlers and young children in the transition process to support and enrich these experiences. The role of the key person and of slow relational pedagogy will also be looked at. The presentation will also highlight that supporting transitions is a shared responsibility between families, childminders, early years educators, settings and schools.
12.50-14.00pm Lunch – move to canteen

 

  

 

 

 

 

14.00-14.35pm Shirley Heaney (T2)

Fostering Learning Environments that promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for all Babies, Toddlers and Young Children: This session will explore how the Principles and Themes of Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework embed a strengths-based approach to creating inclusive learning environments that promote well-being and empower babies, toddlers and young children to develop a strong sense of identity and belonging.

 Máire Uí Mhurchú (T3)

Acquiring Gaeilge through Movement, Song and Dance: This workshop will demonstrate how Gaeilge can be naturally and playfully incorporated into a setting’s daily or weekly routine—especially through activities that children love, such as singing and movement. You do not need to be proficient in Gaeilge to engage with these activities. There will be an interactive element to this presentation with practical guidance on how to access and use a range of online resources to support your practice.

 

Group 1 and 2 return to T1

 

14.40-15.20pm (Groups 1 & 2)

Dr. Sharon Skehill

Ómós Áite: Noticing the Learning in Outdoor Spaces and Places: This presentation brings the updated Aistear to life through practical examples of free play, guided play and educator-led playful experiences in the outdoors. It illustrates how the Principles and Themes of Aistear are realised in daily routines, in different learning environments, and the role of the educator in creating spaces and provocations that nurture learning and wellbeing for babies, toddlers and young children – as well as for those who work in practice.
15.20-16.00 pm Close- Lorraine Farrell

Concluding Remarks & Event Close

Speaker Biographies

Picture1

Dr. Geraldine French

Geraldine French is an Associate Professor, Head of School of Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education, Programme Chair of the Master of Education in Early Childhood Education and Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA) in the Institute of Education, Dublin City University. In the context of early childhood education and care Geraldine has published on quality professional practice, supporting early language, literacy and numeracy and nurturing babies’ learning and development. Her most recent research included leading the literature reviews to update Aistear and the development of the revised national literacy, numeracy and digital literacy strategy (from an early childhood perspective).

Picture2

Shirley Heaney

Shirley Heaney is Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Care and Education in the Department of Reflective Pedagogy and Early Childhood Studies at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick (MIC), where she lectures in a wide range of topics including inclusive practice, curriculum and pedagogy and professional development. Previously, Shirley worked with the Leadership for Inclusion in the Early Years (LINC) Programme since its inception in 2016 in a variety of roles, including programme development, delivery, quality review and evaluation, and was the National Coordinator of the LINC Programme from 2021 to 2024. She is a dedicated advocate for supporting the rights of children, families and educators to access and participate in inclusive early years environments. She has extensive experience in the area of inclusive practice in early childhood and has published in this area. Shirley’s research interests include inclusive practice, child well-being, universal design and professional development.

Picture3

Grainne McKenna

Grainne McKenna is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education and Care at Dublin City University (DCU) Institute of Education. Her current research focuses on equity and social justice in education, particularly the significant impact of nurture and teacher-child relationships on children’s educational access, participation, and learning experiences. Grainne was the Co-Principal Investigator of the literature review to update and enhance Aistear, Ireland’s Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (NCCA, 2022).

Picture4

Dr. Sharon Skehill

Dr. Sharon Skehill has worked with NCCA for the past 3 years as an Education Officer updating Aistear. She is also an Early Years Educator and Researcher at her full daycare outdoor service in Galway. She has been working with babies, toddlers and young children for over 20 years and is a passionate advocate for early childhood education and care. She has a PhD in Education from University of Limerick / Mary Immaculate College and is currently studying a MSc in Children’s Rights in Queens University Belfast. Sharon has published on many topics relating to early childhood including leadership, curriculum, nature pedagogy, inclusion, and children’s rights.

Picture6

Dr. Mary Daly

Dr. Mary Daly has worked in the area of early childhood care and education in Ireland for the past 25 years. In 1999 Mary completed a BA in Early Childhood Studies from University College Cork followed by PhD in 2002. She worked in a number of different capacities before joining the NCCA in 2006. In her role as Education Officer she has been involved in a number of different projects including the development of Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (2009), the Aistear Toolkit, the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide, and the Mo Scéal Reporting templates which support children’s transition from preschool to primary school. Mary was part of the early childhood team who worked on the updated Aistear (GoI, 2024). Mary is also currently Vice-President of OMEP Ireland which is dedicated to promoting the well-being of all children from birth – eight years and advocating for their right to high quality early childhood education and care.

Picture7

Máire Uí Mhurchú

Máire UÍ Mhurchú was príomh stiúrthóir (owner/principal) of Naíonra Neasáin, Harmonstown, for 28 years, where she oversaw a total immersion preschool service with 44 ECCE places across two daily sessions. She served as vice-chair of Na Naíonraí Gaelacha and on the board of Forbairt Naíonraí Teo, contributing to seminars, conferences, teacher training workshops, and publications. Máire also delivered workshops for the NCCA as Gaeilge. Since 2017, she has lectured on the “Luath-Oideachas trí Ghaeilge” module, ECE degree, at Marino Institute of Education and was part of the NCCA working group for the updated Aistear (in both English and Irish). She scripted and presented 23 educational videos for TG4 Foghlaim, inspired by the TG4 documentary Naíonra. A qualified dance teacher, Máire has performed internationally and recently led workshops in dance and singing as Gaeilge, in France. She currently serves on the board of Oireachtas na Gaeilge.

Minister Foley launches a new eLearning Course for involving young people in decision making

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Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley TD has launched a new, free online eLearning course for involving young people in decision making.

The self-paced course provides checklists, videos and quizzes to ensure that the voices of children and young people are meaningfully included in decisions that affect their lives.

Anyone who works directly for or with children, or who frequently interacts with children as part of their daily role, is encouraged to take the course to build their knowledge and confidence on the topic of child and youth participation in decision-making.

The eLearning Course has been developed by Hub na nÓg, the national centre of excellence and coordination in children and young people’s participation in decision making, which is funded by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.

Minister Foley said: “I am a firm believer in giving children the opportunity to have a say in decisions that will impact their lives. It always leads to better decision making and better outcomes. For example, it was a condition of funding that teenagers had to be consulted for the Department of Children’s initiative to provide new recreational hang-out spaces for them. This new e-learning course provides professionals with the practical expertise needed to ensure that all decisions locally, regionally and nationally are informed by those they impact most.”

Hub na nÓg developed the course to support anyone whose role involves working for or interacting with children and young people. The eLearning course is relevant for a diverse range of professionals, including:

● Public Service: Government departments, State agencies, and Local Authority staff.

● Education: Teachers, principals, and administrative staff in primary and secondary schools.

● Health and Social Care: Healthcare workers, social workers, and allied health professionals.

● Early Years: Early childcare workers and pre-school practitioners.

● Law Enforcement: Members of An Garda Síochána and those in the youth justice setting.

● Non-Governmental and Private Sector: Organisations and businesses that provide services, sports, or activities to children and young people.

The eLearning course was developed as a key action under the Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-making ACTION PLAN 2024-2028. It is designed to build the capacity of adults across all sectors to meet their obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child grants children the right to express their views freely and have those views given due weight in all matters affecting them. This right is central to child participation in decision-making, ensuring children are heard in decisions ranging from family life to government policies, with their input acted upon appropriately.

The e-Learning module is available now at: https://learning.hubnanog.ie

Notes

Course content and features: The four-module course offers an interactive learning experience with videos, good practice examples, and quizzes. Participants will be guided through an understanding of:

  1. The benefits and definitions of child and youth participation.
  2. The application of the UNCRC and Irish policies in practice.
  3. How to apply the National Framework to involve young people in decision-making.
  4. Practical use of the Framework’s checklists to assess and improve participation practices.

2025/2026 Leadership for INClusion in the Early Years (LINC) Programme

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The 2025/2026 LINC Programme will be delivered through a blended learning model, which includes six in-person Saturday classes, one for each module. These in-person sessions support student engagement, collaboration, and the development of inclusive practice. For the upcoming academic year, in-person classes will take place in Athlone, Cork City, Sligo Town, Maynooth, Kilkenny City and Limerick City.

The LINC Programme is open to applicants who work with babies, toddlers, preschool-aged children, and school-aged children, where the setting holds an ECCE contract, and where the applicant holds a minimum qualification of QQI Level 5 in Early Childhood Education and care or equivalent.

The LINC Programme offers important benefits for settings. Graduates of LINC are recognised for Lead Educator Status under the Department of Children, Disability and Equality Qualification Guidelines. In addition, settings that appoint a LINC graduate as their Inclusion Coordinator (INCO) are eligible to receive an additional €2 per week in capitation per ECCE-eligible child, once the INCO has graduated and signed the agreement to undertake the role. The LINC Programme is fully funded by the DCDE and free to participate.

More information about the programme is available here:
LINC Programme Overview: https://lincprogramme.ie/programme-overview/
LINC Programme Brochure: https://read.bookcreator.com/gXruCPV4jRV4xgajnDtEL1R19Kg1/oVqWeJ7lQw6c5aoUJcm2JA

Apply Now: https://lincprogramme.ie/apply-now/

Applications for the 2025/2026 programme close on Monday, 24 November 2025, at 2pm, and the programme will commence in January 2026. Managers can submit an application on behalf of an applicant, but must ensure that the applicant’s details are entered in the application form.

 

Minister Foley Launches National Strategy for Women and Girls 5 Year Whole-of-Government Plan to level the playing field

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Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley has today launched the new 5-year National Strategy for Women and Girls.

Equality between women and men is a fundamental principle of public policy in Ireland. Advances made in recent years have dismantled barriers to women’s full participation and addressed many inequalities women face.

This whole-of-Government plan aims to level the playing field for women and girls of all ages and backgrounds by eliminating all forms of discrimination against them.

This will increase their opportunities, expand their freedoms and, ultimately, improve their wellbeing.

The Strategy has seven key goals to create a gender equal society.

  • Women can pursue their ambition and achieve their potential in any field.
  • Women can live free of violence and harassment.
  • Women have their fair share of economic and financial power.
  • Women are enabled to enjoy wellbeing throughout their lives.
  • Women are supported when they give care and when they need care.
  • Women can live free of harmful gender norms and stereotypes.
  • The needs of women are taken into account in the design of policies and laws.

Minister Foley said:

“Equality between women and men has been a core principle of public policy and law here for a long time. Successive governments have worked to remove barriers to women’s full participation in our country.

Ireland today is a very different place for women and girls– in so many ways a better, fairer place than it was in our mothers’ and certainly in our grandmothers’ times. But there is much, much more we need to do. Across all measures of gender equality, we still have some distance to go to reach our goal.

Through this whole-of-government strategy, we will boost women’s access to employment, encourage more girls to study STEM and business subjects and improve childcare and family leave.

We will also support women’s cultural, social, and sporting participation at all life stages; and combat harmful stereotypes. These actions will give women and girls practical help to overcome inequalities in their daily lives.”

Employers with over 50 employees are legally required to report gender pay gap information on their websites, as required by the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021. The new portal will bring this data together in a central location to improve understanding of the gender pay gap and how it can be reduced.

Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality, Carlien Scheele, also attended the launch today.

Ms. Scheele said:

“As the EU’s Agency for gender equality, we are proud to offer our seal of approval for this strategy, because it truly embraces the values of the EU. I applaud the distinct personalisation approach, with the all-important use of the ‘first person’ in addressing the lived experiences of women and girls. Putting the individual at the heart of the strategy is powerful. And it makes the concept of gender equality a reality – not an abstract concept that doesn’t touch our lives. I hope that by 2030, Ireland is not only ahead of the curve on its progress in gender equality but leading by example for the rest of Europe.”

The Strategy sets out detailed objectives for achieving its seven goals. Detailed actions to be carried out will be set out in two Action Plans, the first of which is due to be adopted in January 2026. The Strategy will be implemented by all Government Departments and State Agencies, in partnership with civil society organisations.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030

The National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 is a Whole-of-Government framework for action to advance gender equality across all areas of public policy.

The Strategy was developed in consultation with civil society stakeholders and was informed by the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality and the Report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality. It also reflects the recommendations to Ireland of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, and it is aligned with the EU Roadmap for Women’s Rights.

Implementation of the Strategy will be guided by two Action Plans, the first of which will be adopted by Government in early 2026 and will cover the period 2026-2028.

European Institute for Gender Equality

Today’s launch was also addressed by Carlien Scheele, Director of European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in Vilnius, Lithuania.

EIGE is the EU’s knowledge centre on Gender Equality. By providing reliable and policy-oriented data and information, it supports the EU and its Member States to strengthen the promotion of gender equality.

At EIGE’s helm since February 2020, Carlien Scheele oversees the Institute’s strategic programmes of activities and budgets. She aims to cement EIGE’s position as the EU’s knowledge centre on gender equality and deepen collaboration within and beyond Europe.

Before taking up her post at EIGE, Carlien Scheele worked as a Senior Gender Equality Adviser/Senior Human Resources Adviser in the Council of Europe, seconded from the Dutch government.

Previously, she worked as the Director for Gender and LGBT Equality for the Dutch government, where she coordinated the national gender and LGBT equality policies.

Gender Pay Gap Portal

Minister Foley also announced the opening of the Gender Pay Gap Portal today.

The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 introduced the legislative basis for annual gender pay gap reporting in Ireland.

The Regulations under the Act require organisations with over 250 employees to report on their gender pay gap across a range of metrics and publish a statement setting out, in the employers’ opinion, the reasons for the gender pay gap in their company and what measures are being taken, or proposed to be taken, to eliminate or reduce that pay gap. Organisations with over 150 employees were required to report from 2024, while those with over 50 employees are required to report this year.

The Gender Pay Gap Portal launched on a voluntary basis on 18 November 2025, to select employers who have received an invitation link from partner organisations Ibec and the 30% Club. A link is also available on the Department’s webpage for employers in scope of the legislation who wish to report on their gender pay gaps on a voluntary basis.

Gender Pay Gap reports that are submitted on a voluntary basis will be published and will become accessible for the public to see, compare and review in the coming months. They will remain on the Portal when it becomes mandatory for all employers in scope of the legislation in 2026.

The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 will be amended to make it a legislative requirement for all employers in scope of the legislation to submit their reports to the Gender Pay Gap portal for the 2026 reporting cycle. It is important to note that relevant employers are required to publish their Gender Pay Gap Information to their website in 2025, or to make it available to the public in some other manner where they do not have a website.

Launch Event

The launch of the National Strategy for Women and Girls took place in Dublin on 18 November 2025. It was attended by representatives of government and civil society organisations working in areas related to gender equality. In addition to Minister Foley and the EIGE Director, the event was addressed by:

  • Hope and Sheenagh, delegates from the National Youth Assembly on Gender Equality.
  • Lynne Cantwell, former Irish rugby international and current Head of Women’s Strategy in the IRFU. Ms. Cantwell holds the record as the most capped Irish Women’s player with 86 caps to her name.
  • Joanne O’Riordan, activist for people with disabilities, a motivational speaker and a sports columnist with The Irish Times. Ms O’Riordan was named Young Person of the Year 2012 and appears in the 2013 documentary, No Limbs No Limits.
  • Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise Murphy, 2025 BT Young Scientist winners. Their project called ‘Aid Care Treat’, is a medical assistance app designed to support emergency healthcare response.
  • The Lighthouse Project Choir from Ballymun in Dublin also performed at the launch event.

Minister Foley launches new Growing Up in Ireland report on child well-being

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Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley, has today launched a new Growing Up Ireland report on child well-being.

Growing Up in Ireland is the national study of over 28,500 children and young people which is designed to gain insight into their lives.

The study is now telling the continuing stories of three generations of children in Ireland: those born in 1998, 2008 and 2024.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality, and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) jointly run the study, which follows the same children over time to see the impact of key transition points in their lives – such as moving from childhood to adolescence, and from adolescence to adulthood.

The study has also provided valuable insights into these children’s physical health, mental health and education.

Minister Foley has today launched a new publication which has distilled the key learnings on child well-being from over 300 papers based on Growing Up in Ireland.

Some of the key findings from the “What we know from Growing Up In Ireland” study (see link below) by researchers in University College Dublin include:

  • Bullying and family adversity (such as lower socio-economic status, parental illness and stress) are significant risks to a child’s emotional development and well-being
  • Strong relationships with parents and peers, safe local facilities, and structured sports are key protective factors for a child’s emotional development and well-being
  • Adolescent girls in the study reported higher levels of anxiety and emotional difficulties, while adolescent boys demonstrate higher levels of anti-social behaviour
  • Screen time for children has increased markedly during the study and is associated with lower levels of wellbeing and physical activity.
  • Boys generally scored higher in maths at 9 and 13 years, but girls scored higher in literacy levels at 15 years and achieved higher overall Leaving Certificate results.
  • Boys were consistently more physically active, while girls engaged in lower levels of physical activity, as did children with chronic illness, disabilities, developmental delays, higher Body Mass Index and those from more disadvantaged backgrounds.

Minister Foley said:

“The Growing Up in Ireland study continues to provide unique insights into three generations of Irish children. It is tracking their unique and personal experience of childhood, adolescence and adulthood in contemporary Ireland. This latest research by UCD into the key learnings from the Growing Up in Ireland data will serve as a useful resource for my Department and other Government departments in devising policies to support and encourage the wellbeing of all children and young people in our country.”

Minister Foley is today attending the 17th Growing Up in Ireland annual research conference in the Gibson Hotel in Dublin.

As part of the day’s schedule, the teams working on Growing Up in Ireland in both the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE), and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) will brief delegates on the latest updates in the study. This includes the recently completed first wave of interviews with the families of babies born in 2024. These interviews have been carried out when the babies are 9 months old.

Interviews have also recently commenced with young people who were born in 2008 to examine how they are doing now at the age of 17 or 18.

Minister Foley added:

“I’m delighted that my Department, in conjunction with the CSO, has completed the first interviews in relation to babies born in 2024. This is the start of the story of a third generation of children in the Growing Up in Ireland study. Today’s annual conference is a valuable opportunity to hear first-hand from researchers about the new insights that are just emerging from all areas of life experience.”

Delegates will also hear from representatives from Comhairle na nÓg who will share their perspective on the issues of importance to young people in 2025.

The showcase on national research is complemented this year by a keynote lecture from Professor James Hall of the University of Southampton who will share some of his experience in the UK context in a talk entitled, “Mind the gap: Towards a better understanding of how structural inequalities are related to Early Childhood Education and implications for longitudinal research.”

Link to report:

What we know from Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) 2008-2024: Key Well-being Factors for Children and Young People

NOTES

2025 Conference details, including the programme: https://www.growingup.gov.ie/information-for-researchers/gui-conferences/

About the Growing Up in Ireland Study:

Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) is the national longitudinal study of children and young people, a joint project of the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, and the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The GUI study was designed to gain insight into the lives and development of children in Ireland and the impacts of early childhood experiences on their lives. The goal is to gain insight into the lives of children in Ireland, in terms of children’s health, education, and cognitive and socio-emotional development, set within social, economic, and cultural contexts.

The GUI study is designed to longitudinally chart and explore the factors that contribute to, or undermine, the well-being of children in contemporary Ireland. The study data and findings allow Government to develop responsive, child-focused policies and improve the delivery of services for children and their families in Ireland.

‘What we know from GUI’ report:

Prepared by Dr Kaat Philippe, Dr Seaneen Sloan and Dr Ross D. Neville in University College Dublin, the Department has also commissioned a report that provides a comprehensive overview of the risk and protective factors for the wellbeing of children and young people (up to 22 years old). The report collates information available in published research (up to 5th June 2024) that utilised Growing Up in Ireland data. This report aimed to identify the key factors which impede or support child wellbeing, the extent to which these are socially patterned and the resulting policy opportunities. The report will serve as a useful resource for policymakers in the area and showcases the value of the data generated by Growing Up in Ireland.

About the GUI cohorts of children and where we are now:

Cohort ’24 – the newest generation, were born in 2024, and who have just finished their first family interviews with the CSO at age 9 months. Over 9,000 families participated. Planning is already underway for their age 3 visit in 2027.

Cohort ’08 – now the ‘middle’ cohort, and born in 2008, this group were first visited at 9 months with over 11,000 in the initial wave. Follow-up waves were completed when the child was aged 3 years, 5 years, 7/8 years (postal), 9 and at 13 years. Interviews have just started now that they are turning 17/18 years.

Cohort ‘98 – is the oldest cohort and started in 2007 with 8,500 children then aged 9 years (having been born in 1998). This cohort was revisited at age 13 years, 17/18 years, 20 years and age 25. The next visit to this cohort will be at age 30.

There was also a special survey on Covid 19 for the two older cohorts in 2020.

Wider context and background to GUI:

GUI is the National Longitudinal Study of Children in Ireland (NLSCI), as approved by Government in March 2002, and established in 2006 as Growing up in Ireland (GUI).

GUI, funded by the Government of Ireland, is carried out within the framework of the Statistics Act, 1993. It aims to examine the factors which support or undermine the well-being of children in families, in order to inform effective and responsive policy making and service development.

GUI was originally undertaken by the Economic Social and Research Institute (ESRI) under contract by the Department from 2006 to 2022. Since January 2023, Growing Up in Ireland is being carried out jointly by DCDE and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) under a collaborative model for GUI developed by DCDE and the CSO, to build on and make best use of the expertise and remit of each organisation. The model involves DCDE and the CSO working in partnership to deliver GUI, each taking responsibility for leading on separate but interrelated phases of the work. In this collaboration, the CSO is responsible for the GUI Survey and DCDE leads on the GUI Study.

  • The GUI Survey refers to the elements of GUI being undertaken by the CSO under the authority of the Statistics Act, 1993. This encompasses all stages of the survey life cycle as defined by the Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM), namely: Identify Needs, Design, Build, Collect, Process, Analyse and Disseminate. The CSO ensures that the survey process is informed by the fullest possible engagement with key stakeholders, in particular, with DCDE.
  • The GUI Study refers to those elements of GUI being undertaken by the DCDE. These encompass: engaging with policy and scientific stakeholders; consulting with children/young people; identification of research needs, data priorities and policy objectives; consulting on instrumentation development and design; enhancing awareness of GUI; building capacity in GUI data use; promoting the use of GUI data for research and policy development; and generating research analyses of the data in the GUI study. DCDE engages with the CSO throughout these processes.

Experts who previously worked on Growing Up in Ireland at the ESRI have moved to the CSO and to DCDE, so that the study continues to benefit from their expertise.

Aims and objectives

The primary aim of the Growing Up in Ireland study is to inform Government policy in relation to children, young people and families.

The founding objectives for the study are:

  • to describe the lives of children in Ireland in the relevant age categories, to establish what is typical and normal as well as what is atypical and problematic
  • to chart the development of children over time, to examine the progress and well-being of children at critical periods from birth to adulthood
  • to identify the key factors that, independently of others, most help or hinder children’s development
  • to establish the effects of early childhood experiences on later life
  • to map dimensions of variation in children’s lives
  • to identify the persistent adverse effects that lead to social disadvantage and exclusion, educational difficulties, ill health, and deprivation
  • to obtain children’s views and opinions on their lives
  • to provide a bank of data on the whole child
  • to provide evidence for the creation of effective and responsive policies and services for children and families.
Minister Foley GUI
Min Foley_Lauren Egan_Aoife Kehoe_Isabel McGovern
Min Foley_Rutland Street Primary School

Ministers welcome impact for disabled people with opening of two new residential centres in Galway

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Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, together with Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Hildegarde Naughton, are in Galway today to visit a variety of disability-related services and projects.

The day will begin with the opening of Corrib Lodge, Resilience Healthcare’s newest children’s residential service in Galway.

This new centre will provide a Home from Home, high support, residential service for children and young people with an autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities and physical & sensory needs.

The services provided by the Centre include residential care provision for a maximum of 6 children or young people between the ages of six and eighteen years of age, with comprehensive transitioning and preparation for adulthood commencing at seventeen years of age.

Later, both Ministers will attend the official opening of Ability West’s newest state-of-the-art Day and Residential Services at Garraí na Sailí, Letteragh Road, Galway.

The new services include a 3,500 sq. ft. Day Service Centre for up to 25 people and a fully accessible residential bungalow purpose-built for four individuals requiring enhanced support and medical care. There are also three standalone apartments, offering supported independent living for people with intellectual disabilities.

Ministers Foley and Naughton will also visit a variety of other disability organisations in Galway city. This includes BOSCI Cara which provides warm and welcoming day services for disabled people at Brooklawn House. They also will have lunch at Café Link, a social enterprise in Shantalla providing inclusive employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities as well as catering skills training and day services. Café Link currently employ sixteen staff with an intellectual disability with a further fourteen trainees at their culinary skills training centre.

After lunch, the Ministers will witness the talent and creativity on display at Arts Alive, a non-profit community-based arts programme in Galway’s West End, run by the Brothers of Charity. The day will be rounded off by visits to Galway Autism, a community-based charity providing services & support to autistic people and their families, and Enable Ireland Galway which provides both adult services and services to children with complex needs.

Minister Foley said:

“I am delighted to be in Galway today, witnessing first-hand the wide breadth of vital services being provided to disabled people, funded by my Department. I am honoured to open two new services at Corrib Lodge and Ability West, and to meet personally with all those who will deliver the services and benefit from them.

As Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, I am very much aware of the importance of these services for the families of both children and adults with disabilities and the positive impact it can have on people’s lives. I am also aware that there is high demand for disability services, and that is why I am so pleased that in Budget 2026, a record €3.8billion has been secured for disability services, showing a government commitment to the expansion of services to meet the needs of people with disabilities.”

Minister Naughton added:

“As Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, but also as a local TD, I am proud to see how disability funding is being used to support wonderful new services around Galway to improve the lived experience of people with disabilities. When this government took office last January, we promised a step change in the delivery of supports and services for people with disabilities and their families. The launch of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People last month, as well as record investment in disability services in Budget 2026, show our commitment to this goal. I look forward to continued progress and making real change a reality for disabled people in Galway and across Ireland.”

Notes to editors

Corrib Lodge

Corrib Lodge is situated close to Carnmore and to Galway City. The house itself is in a quiet location, set back from the main road. The house is decorated and furnished to a very high standard, modern style that promotes independence, comfort and relaxation. Corrib Lodge is set in a tranquil area on a mature site.

Corrib Lodge is a spacious bright home consisting of two bedrooms upstairs and one apartment upstairs, two apartments’ downstairs and one standalone apartment out the back of the premises separate to the main house.

The house is set back on a side road and has an enclosed back garden and front garden with gates.

About Resilience Ireland

Resilience Healthcare Limited is a private healthcare company, providing advanced community care and social care services for children and adults with Autism and/or Intellectual Disabilities, Prader Willi Syndrome and people with physical disabilities.

  • Services provided include:

Ø Support for children and adults across residential services, which comprise of full time and shared care services,

Ø A contract with the HSE to deliver day services in line with New Directions.

Ø After school services and outreach for children

Ø Developing supported living services for young adults,

Ø Home nursing and community services for children and adults with complex medical needs through Advanced Community Care Division.

Resilience Healthcare provides services in both Disability and Primary Care in all 9 Community Healthcare Areas and is the Registered Provider for approximately 26 disability residential centres across Ireland.

About Ability West

Ability West provides a wide range of disability support services to people with complex intellectual, physical and multiple disabilities. Ability West was founded 63 years ago, by families who wanted better support for their children with intellectual disabilities and comorbidities. Over 600 children and adults avail of their services and the organisation operates more than 70 centres located across Galway City and County.

Ability West is also patron of four special schools St. Joseph’s Special School, Galway City, Tigh Nan Dooley, Carraroe, St. Oliver’s Special School, Tuam, and St. Teresa’s Special School, Ballinasloe.

Today, Ability West employs more than 630 people across Galway City & County.

Statement by Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley TD

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I am truly saddened to learn of the passing of a young person during an incident at a care facility in north Dublin today.

I extend my sincere sympathies to the young person’s family.

My absolute priority is the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved in the incident and those who care for them.

I am conscious that the circumstances in relation to the incident are being investigated by An Garda Siochána and I encourage full co-operation with their investigation.

Minister Foley allocates additional funding to support children with disabilities access State-funded pre-school

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The Minister for Children, Disability, and Equality, Norma Foley, today announced she will make additional funding available to support children with disabilities access State-funded preschool.

Additional capitation, provided through the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), will increase by 10 percent.

This will directly benefit early learning and care services who support children with disabilities to access and participate in mainstream pre-school settings.

Around 8,000 pre-school children with disabilities are currently supported by the highest level of the Access and Inclusion Model supports.

Providers can use the Access and Inclusion Model funding either to reduce the number of children they are catering for in a pre-school room or to fund an extra staff member.

This is intended to provide the maximum benefit from the AIM funding to children with disabilities to ensure their meaningful participation in pre-school with their peers.

All services in receipt of this capitation will benefit from a 10 percent capitation increase from October 13.

This will match the 10 percent increase in the minimum rates of pay for over 35,000 early years educators and school age practitioners, which have been provided for in a new Employment Regulation Order. This also comes into effect on October 13 and is supported by the Government’s Core Funding Scheme.

Minister Foley said:

“The new proposals for a 10 percent increase in minimum pay for early years educators next week on October 13 represent a significant step toward ensuring fair pay for educators and practitioners working in the sector.

I am pleased to announce that the same 10 percent increase will be provided to providers in receipt of Level 7 capitation under the Access and Inclusion Model.

This is a recognition of essential work being done every day by early years educators to create inclusive, welcoming environments where every child can thrive.

It reflects our ongoing commitment to inclusion and ensures that providers and early years educators are appropriately supported in delivering high quality care for all children through the Access and Inclusion Model.”

Since its introduction in 2016, the Access and Inclusion Model has had a major impact on the lives of children with disabilities and additional needs in pre-schools.

The proportion of services that have a child with a disability or additional needs attending has increased by over 50% during this time. There are currently around 8,000 children benefiting from the Access and Inclusion Model.

In total, 35,000 children have received more than 80,000 targeted supports in over 4,800 services nationally since the Access and Inclusion Model was set up.

The Access and Inclusion Model originally provided supports for pre-school children with disabilities during the free, universal, two-year Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE).

Since September last year, Access and Inclusion Model supports have been available to children outside the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE), both in and out of term. This means they can avail of the supports in their local provider for a total of six hours per day during term time and six hours per day out of term.

An additional €5.4 million has been allocated by the Government to the Access and Inclusion Model under Budget 2026, bringing the total budget allocation to €86.1 million.