Review requests are currently being accepted in relation to the COVID-19 Standard Operating Payment (COSP). Further details on the review process, including review eligibility criteria, can be found here.
All requests must be submitted via HIVE and details of how to do this can be found here. All review requests must be submitted by 5pm on Tuesday 9th February.
Barnardos Publication – Supporting children facing adversity during Covid 19.
Click on the below Link for the Publication
Click on the below link for more information:
First5 Preschool at Home ideas
This Pre-school at Home Hub provides a range of activities to support and encourage children’s interests and aims to keep them playing and learning at home.
Included here are a range of typical activities that happen at pre-school which have been adapted for children to do at home, at a time that suits them and their family.
Remember, when children are playing they are learning. When children are included in everyday household activities they are learning.
Early Learning and Care settings have been asked to connect with families to support the children in their setting during current restrictions. They may expand on the activities linked here based on the interests of their child, if families wish to engage.
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman T.D., has today launched the second Supporting Children campaign aimed at encouraging everyone to be mindful of vulnerable children and young people in these challenging times.
The campaign provides easy-to-access information on services available to children and families throughout the period of Covid-19 restrictions. Advertisements will be rolled out across radio and social media, with the Supporting Children website providing an information hub and practical supports to anyone who may need them.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla have a robust infrastructure of services providing assistance to children, young people and families throughout Ireland, involving over six thousand funded organisations and services, including child protection, youth work, and youth, community, and family services. This existing system of structures and supports was mobilised during the COVID-19 crisis to ensure that vulnerable children and their families could still access the services they needed.
Following the move to Level 5 restrictions in December, Tusla has put in place supports for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, including additional funding for 24-hour helplines.
Tusla continue with their essential work in child protection. Anyone with a concern about a child’s safety or welfare should contact their local duty social work office using details on the Tusla website.
Launching the campaign, Minister O’Gorman said:
“This has been a difficult time for so many people around Ireland, and we need to make every effort to make supports are easily accessible to anyone who might need them. The ‘Supporting Children’ website provides practical supports, as well as targeted information for vulnerable children and young people.
“It shows the breadth of services and supports for children provided by the State and Community and Voluntary sectors and outlines the actions and innovations taken by services in responding to the challenges of COVID-19. The website also includes links and contact details to organisations such as Parentline, Childline, and Barnardos as well as how to find local Family Resource Centres and Children and Young People’s Services Committees .
“As we know, we are all in this together, therefore, it is crucial at this time that as a society we reinforce the message and mandate to support children. The Supporting Children campaign shows what and who is in place to support the welfare and wellbeing of our children.”
Kate Duggan, National Director of Services and Integration, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency added:
“Now, more than ever, it is vitally important that we all work together to keep children and young people safe from harm. If anyone is concerned about a child, we would urge them to make contact with Tusla as soon as possible by contacting the local duty social work office, or where urgent, call An Garda Síochána.
“There are also many other services available to support those who need it, from Tusla’s family support services and education support services, to the many community and voluntary organisations all over Ireland. These services continue, and it is important that people know that support is available and where to find it.”
Tanya Ward, Chair of the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, National Advisory Council welcomed the campaign, saying:
“Covid-19 restrictions have put enormous pressure on families across the country. The most recent lockdown measures are extremely challenging for children and young people with the closure of their schools, a pause on their community activities and more time away from their peers. Sadly, for some children, home is not a safe space and these children are at risk of being further isolated.
“Now, it is time for us all to keep our eyes and ears open to keep children safe. It is great to see the Department, with the support of youth and community services, redouble efforts to reach out to vulnerable families. This new portal brings together all the services available to children, young people and their families in one place. It is also a great resource for those of us working with children or anyone worried about a family they care about. Hopefully it will bring support that bit closer to families who really need it during these times.
Press Release Minister O`Gorman
Carlow CCC would like to advise you that we provide a Jobs Board service for all early years and school age childcare services in our county.
If you are recruiting, we can share your advertisement on our Facebook page and our Website News section.
Please contact the office on 059 9140244 or send your recruitment advertisement to nicola@carlowccc.ie
Follow the link below
Applications will be open from January 29th – February 19th 2021. Applications cannot be submitted outside this application window. All applications must be submitted on the HIVE.
There is €8.3 million in funding available under this grant to support childcare services to become compliant with Fire Safety Regulations and Standards.
Applications are open for amounts between €1000 and €10,000 to contribute to the costs of works or the purchase of equipment required by a service to receive a Fire Safety Certificate. This certificate is a mandatory requirement of the statutory regulation process undertaken by Tusla, the independent regulator of the sector.
To be eligible for funding, works must be identified as being required in a fire safety assessment report which has been completed since June 2019 by a competent person. The fire safety assessment must be provided with the application for funding.
The eligible competent persons are as follows:
If you do not have a Fire Safety Certificate and intend to apply for a grant under the 2021 Capital Programme, please ensure that you have obtained a fire safety assessment before the closing date of the application window or your application will not be eligible.
The fire safety assessment may be dated at any time after 1 June 2019 – although, if material works have been carried out in your service since the fire safety assessment was obtained, you will have to provide an updated assessment.
For further information on the programme rules and how to apply for this grant please read the Applicant Guidelines and the Technical Guidelines.
The following payments will be made to providers this week:
Services that have a declined Force Majeure application and/or services who have been contacted by Pobal to submit a Force Majeure application/additional information, and have not yet submitted it, will have had their contracts placed on hold and will not receive a payment this week.
Please note all recoupment/repayment have been temporarily paused until further notice.
Further information in relation to payments for the period 1 February to 5 March is available here.
Early Years Team
The Early Years Hive and the National Childcare Scheme website will be unavailable on Thursday, 28th January for a maximum of 4 hours between 5pm and 9pm due to scheduled maintenance.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your cooperation.
