Press release Minister O’Gorman launches National Action Plan for Childminding (2021 – 2028)

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The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, T.D., has today launched the National Action Plan for Childminding. The National Action Plan aims to improve access to high quality and affordable early learning and care and school-age childcare through childminding, and sets out a phased approach to bringing childminders within the scope of State-funded supports and regulation over the period 2021-2028.

Childminding offers many benefits to children and parents, but until now has received little formal recognition by the State. Despite its many advantages and its continued popularity among parents, it has remained largely unfunded, unsupported and unregulated.

The extension of regulation to childminders, which is expected to happen within the first 2-3 years of the National Action Plan, will allow parents who use childminders to access subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme. In this way the Action Plan will support parental choice in type of provider of early learning and care and school-age childcare. Childminders will be supported to take part in the National Childcare Scheme at the earliest possible opportunity, provided they have completed initial training requirements and meet other core regulatory requirements (for example: Garda vetting, first aid) and go on to complete further training over a period of years.

A cornerstone of the National Action Plan is recognition of the differences between childminding and centre-based provision of early learning and care and school-age childcare. Given the home and family setting in which childminders operate, the National Action Plan will include development of new regulations and training that are specific to childminding, amendment of legislation to allow childminders to register with Tusla, and review of the funding and financial supports available for childminders.

Speaking at the launch, Minister O’Gorman said:

“I am delighted to be launching this important and long-awaited reform. Until now there has been very little State support for childminding or public recognition of the important role that childminders play. This National Action Plan, which stresses the distinctive features of childminding, will open up a range of supports to childminders and will bring many benefits to children, to their parents, and to childminders themselves.”

The National Action Plan sets out a phased approach to reform:

  • Phase 1, which will be a preparatory phase lasting 2-3 years, will involve: review of regulations, development of bespoke training and supports, detailed costings, and further consultation
  • Phase 2, which will be a transition phase lasting 3-5 years, will see new regulations coming into force, access opened to the National Childcare Scheme, transitional training requirements, and expansion of supports
  • Phase 3 will involve full implementation, with the end of transitional arrangements, and childminders regulated and able to access multiple supports

Introduction of the National Action Plan was a commitment in First 5, the Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families and the Programme for Government. Work began in 2016 on developing the proposals that lie behind the National Action Plan, with the establishment of a Working Group on Reforms and Supports for the Childminding Sector. The Working Group’s recommendations, which were published in 2018, formed the basis for a Draft Childminding Action Plan, which was published by the department in 2019 for the purposes of public consultation. The findings of the public consultation process informed the development of the National Action Plan published today.

The National Action Plan mainly addresses self-employed childminders who work in their own homes. The Action Plan is not primarily concerned with childminders or nannies who work in the child’s home, and who are employees of the child’s parents, nor is the Action Plan primarily concerned with au pairs. The Action Plan does, however, include an action to develop information and training resources in relation to the use of nannies and Au pairs. The Action Plan will not extend regulation to those who solely care for children who are related to them.

Click into the link https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/3384c-minister-ogorman-launches-national-action-plan-for-childminding-2021-2028/

Press Release 14/04/21 Minister O’Gorman launches the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making

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Minister O’Gorman launches the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making

  • The Participation Framework will support Departments, Agencies and Organisations to improve their participation practice with children and young people.
  • Capacity Building Grant also announced to support implementation.

The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, T.D., today launched the ‘National Framework for Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making’. The Minister also announced details of an associated Capacity Building Grant to support implementation of the Framework.

The Participation Framework supports departments, agencies and organisations to improve their practice in listening to children and young people and giving them a voice in decision-making. It is underpinned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Developed by Hub na nÓg in association with Professor Laura Lundy, Queen’s University, the Participation Framework provides guidance and checklists for decision-makers on the steps to take in giving children and young people a meaningful voice in decision-making. The Framework has been developed in collaboration with policy makers at national and local level, teachers from early years to post-primary, gardaí, social workers, healthcare workers, arts professionals and others.

To support implementation of the Participation Framework, Minister O’Gorman also announced a new Capacity Building Grant for organisations seeking to improve their practice in involving children and young people in decision-making.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister said:

“It is imperative that children and young people feel safe, supported and respected to use their voices across all aspects of their lives. I’m confident that this Framework with guide anyone working with children and young people to ensure that they can engage meaningfully in the policy process.”

The link to the framework :https://hubnanog.ie/participation-framework/

 

NPC Free workshops- Supporting your child`s positive mental health in the early years

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The National Parents Council are running Free parent workshops titled “Supporting your child’s positive mental health in the early years”.
This programme is developed to empower and give parents information on how they can support their children’s positive mental health through everyday interactions with their child.
NPC will be running webinars on this transition on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd of April 2021. If you would be interested in attending (virtually) one of these webinars please register your details here.

Please note these sessions will be interactive allowing parents to participate and hence places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

If you would like any further information, please contact Clare Downey cdowney@npc.ie

National Parents Council Primary

Minister O’Gorman message to providers and parents returning to ELC & SAC on 12th April

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A video message from Minister O’Gorman, in which he highlights some key messages for providers, practitioners and parents in ELC and SAC settings.

The Minister hopes you find the messages useful and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you, once again, for all of your hard work in maintaining a service for children and families at this time.

Click on the link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNJFnK6XbQ8

 

Press release 9th April Minister O’Gorman announces new funding schemes worth €800,000 as part of What Works Initiative.

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The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman T.D., today announced two new funding schemes, worth €800,000 and aimed at supporting staff and expanding the use of technology in community and voluntary organisations working with children, young people and their families.

The two schemes form part of the Department’s What Works Initiative, which looks to maximise the impact of prevention and early intervention to improve outcomes for children and young people, and is funded through Dormant Accounts.

Alongside the two funding schemes, the Minister also launched a new Learning Strategy for the What Works initiative.

The Learning Together Fund is open for applications from today (April 9th), and will support professionals working in children, youth and family services with their learning requirements, peer interaction, project collaborations and knowledge dissemination. There is a total of €200,000 available under this fund and organisations can apply for a maximum of €20,000.

Rethink Ireland have been allocated €600,000 in funding for the ‘Children and Youth Digital Solutions’ Fund, which will open for applications on 15th April 2021 and aims to help projects supporting children and young people’s services to become more efficient, transparent, inclusive and accessible by means of the innovative use of technology.

Launching the funding schemes, Minister O’Gorman said:

“These funding measures will make an important difference to the lives of children, young people and their families. They are designed to provide practical support to services focused on providing high-quality prevention and early intervention services for children, young people and their families, while encouraging the sharing of learning and collaboration. We know that by intervening early in a child’s life, or early in the onset of difficulties, we can improve lives and address the impact of disadvantage.”

CEO of Rethink Ireland, Deirdre Mortell said:

“The Covid-19 pandemic has made our society become even more reliant on technology to learn, work and socialise. Technology has the ability to connect us to community, to learning and to new ideas. Unfortunately, the pandemic has also exposed the digital divide and the challenges some young people face in terms of accessing and using technology. Therefore, it is timely that today Rethink Ireland is launching the Digital Solutions Fund.”

Finally, Minister O’Gorman announced the publication of the What Works Learning Strategy. This strategy is intended to improve the knowledge and skills of professionals working with children, young people and their families to use prevention and early intervention. It sets out how learning is being supported under What Works, and what the initiative will achieve in this area overall.

Minister O’Gorman said, ‘I am pleased that this strategy has been published. It sets out how we can develop more learning opportunities, ultimately to improve outcomes for children and young people, especially those who are vulnerable. I know learning under What Works has had a significant impact already in supporting prevention and early intervention across the children’s sector and wider system through events such as our Festival of Learning , but also that there are further opportunities and needs to address in this important sector.’

More information on these funding measures, and the Learning Strategy, is available on the What works Website.

Covid-19 Support Helpline for ELC and SAC – 1800 940341 available at the weekend.

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Covid-19 Support Helpline for ELC and SAC – 1800 940341 available from 10am – 1pm & 1.30pm – 4pm at the weekend.

First5 Guidance – Updated Information for Parents

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This section provides helpful information and guidance on children in settings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Children have rarely been the person who brought COVID-19 into a household when household spread has happened. Children seem more likely than adults to have no symptoms or to have mild disease. Symptoms in children include cough, fever, runny nose, sore throat, diarrhoea and vomiting. It is important for parents and for those who deliver early learning and care and school-age childcare to accept that no interpersonal activity is without risk of transmission of the virus. However public health advice is that reopening is appropriate.
  • FAQs for Parents- 2nd Feb 2021 [Download Here]
  • ELC and SAC setting advice for Parents, [Download here].
  • If your child does not feel well.If your child has symptoms of viral respiratory disease, even if they are mild, they must not attend a childcare setting. Likewise parents who have respiratory symptoms must not take their child to a setting or pick them up. Parents must not take their child to a childcare setting if a parent or anyone else in your home is suspected of having or known to have Covid-19. If your child becomes ill while attending a childcare setting, you must collect them as quickly as possible, contact your GP straight away and follow HSE advice
  • Parents may be asked to complete a declaration.Parents may be asked to make a verbal or written declaration on returning their child to a setting after an absence to confirm that they have no reason to believe the child has infectious disease and have followed all medical and public health advice they have received with respect to exclusion of the child from childcare services.Requiring assurances/certification from medical practitioners prior to attendance at childcare or prior to return to childcare after an absence is not appropriate as it places an unnecessary demand on the healthcare system and there is no reason to expect it to increase the safety of childcare services.
  • Is it safe for children to return to childcare?
  • hand-washing and ensuring that children learn good hand-washing techniques
  • respiratory hygiene and ensuring that children learn good techniques
  • ensuring good cleaning procedures in settings
  • washing toys regularly
  • spending more time outside with the children
  • grouping children together in smaller groups with the same staff members (‘play-pods’)
  • Parents should follow the drop off policy.
  • What should I do to prepare my child in returning to crèche/preschool/childminder or starting for the first time?
  • What is a Play Pod?
  • Do not bring any toys from home.
  • Masks/Social Distancing.
  • Supporting your child’s transition to primary school
  • Teaching new skills to children
  • Guidance on supporting your child for their return to early learning and care (Barnardos).
  • Working together with your child’s setting (DCEDIY).
  • FAQs for Parents, (DCEDIY)
  • City/County Childcare Committee (CCC)
  • Short animated video on returning to childcare for children, (DCEDIY) [Watch here].

Click here to follow the link to the website : https://first5.gov.ie/guidance

First5 Pre school play at Home ideas over the Easter Holidays

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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.

Click the link below for more information

First5 Pre school play at Home ideas

 

DECDIY-Short video on Dealing with symptoms of Covid-19.

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The DCEDIY launched a series of very short videos (the longest is 31 seconds) to help remind us all of the key messages around Covid-19.

Click in below for Dealing with Covid-19 symptoms  short video

Dealing with Covid-19 symptoms