Mayo CCC Welcome 23,520 for Mayo Parent & Toddler Groups and Voluntary Notified Childminders

Mayo CCC welcome €23,520 for Mayo Parent & Toddler Groups and Voluntary Notified Childminders

Mayo County Childcare Committee ( Mayo CCC) welcomes the recent announcement to provide €23,520 to a number of voluntary notified child minders and Parent & Toddler groups in Mayo.

Mayo CCC Coordinator Jim Power stated "we are delighted that this investment has come into Mayo. This funding will allow a number of child minders in the county improve the quality of their service by investing in equipment and safety materials. This funding will also help support the development of the many Parent & Toddler groups in the county. We believe the value of Parent & Toddler groups is often under estimated. In many cases the local Parent and Toddler group can provide the only social outlet to a parent of a recently born child. The positive impact of a Parent & Toddler group on the parent and in turn the child can be crucial to the overall well being of the parent and child. The value of this can at times be just immeasurable. Also the Parent & Toddler group can provide a gateway for new parents into a community and allow them the opportunity to meet local parents. Once these relationships are established they provide a vital first connection for new parents and their family to become part of a community and to make this community their home. Mayo CCC wishes to take this opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous contribution notified childminders and Parent & Toddler groups make to their communities and to the local childcare sector. They are an integral element of the local childcare sector and Mayo CCC very much welcome this opportunity to provide them with this financial support"

The acquisition of this funding is a result of groups applying under the Department of Children & Youth Affairs ( DCYA) 'Childminding Development Grant' and the 'Parent & Toddler Initiative'.

The Childminders Development Grant is designed to assist Childminders, already providing a childminding service in their own homes, to enhance safety/quality in the service through the purchase of small capital items, equipment, toys or minor adaptation costs. It may also give financial assistance to new or prospective Childminders with their initial set up costs. Under this programme Childminders who are voluntary notified to Mayo CCC can apply for a small capital grant (maximum €1,000). This grant is only open to voluntary notified child minders

If you are interested in becoming a voluntary notified childminder you can contact Mayo CCC at 094 9047010 or get details from our web site www.mayochildcare.ie or you can contact the HSE Childminding advisory Officer at 094 9034776

The Parent & Toddler Initiative aims to provide some financial support to Parent and Toddler groups who are providing informal support to parents, grandparents and childminders, as well as to young children. These groups are an important source of social contact especially for new parents and families new to an area.

Under this programme Parent & Toddler groups can use the funding they receive to purchase toys, equipment and books. The group can organise training for parents, e.g. paediatric first aid, committee skills, parenting courses , children’s activities, e.g. arts and crafts, music. Also very limited funding will be available towards insurance, rent, training or minor refurbishment

Applications for both these programmes are now closed for 2013, however, it is hoped that a similar programme will be available during 2014. For further details on this please do not hesitate to contact Mayo CCC at 0949047010 or log onto our website at www.mayochildcare.ie