Wicklow County Childcare Committee
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Wicklow County Childcare Committee Newsletter Winter 2010 Inside this issue: ECCE Update In the first ECCE period, January to June, 83% of eligible children were enrolled in the Free Pre-school Year scheme. ECCE Update 1 From September it's estimated that 63,000 out of 67,000 (94%) are taking part. By 1 Playbus comparative European standards, it’s a very high level of participation in a very short time. Parent Seminars 2 Of the 63,000 children... New Childcare Facilities 3 83% are in sessional services, 9 ½% in Full Day care Road Safety 4 7 ½% in half day care, 95% attending 5 days a week, 2.5% 4 days and 2.5% 3 days Parenting 4 All Services have now received a letter from OMCYA confirming those children for whom they’re Childminding News 5 receiving the capitation fee. Mentoring Support 6 Payments in 2011 Dormant Accounts 6 38 week services will receive 2 payments: for 11 weeks from January to March, and 11 weeks from April to June 6 Service Reviews 50 week services will receive 3 payments: for 13 weeks from January to March, 12 weeks from April to June and 8 weeks from July to August The County Wicklow Playbus arrives! and more. There’s also a separate room on weeks with a full programme starting in the Bus for group and one to one meetings. 2011. Its capital cost being funded with the The Co Wicklow Playbus is one of only four support of the Dormant Accounts Fund via Playbuses in the country so it’s something of the Office of the Minister for Children and a coup for the County to get one! It’s been Youth Affairs, Playbus is supported through driven by an inter-agency steering the National Play Policy which aims to committee with representatives from County create better play opportunities for children; Wicklow VEC, Wicklow County Childcare it’s also intended to provide services to Committee, FAS, HSE, Wicklow County support the family as a whole, particularly Council, Arklow Springboard, Wicklow Child those parents and children experiencing and Family Project and East Wicklow Youth 'The Playbus with some members of it's social exclusion. Service. steering group, before the Bus had a name ! Co Wicklow Playbus is participative, with Look out for it in a town or village near you ! everyone welcome to contribute to the For further information contact the Playbus The Co Wicklow Playbus arrived in the planning and delivery of its service. Coordinator, Gemma Furlong, on 086-026 rd 6462. County on Wednesday November 3 . It’s a Children can play on the upper deck while bus, but it’s no ordinary bus ! It’s a brightly their parents/guardians can meet each coloured double decker which is just the other, or a representative from one of the ticket for young and old alike. The upstairs agencies who will be on the bus regularly, has been fully fitted out for children with so or complete a training course. many attractions - story time corner, dress up area, music corner, wet area, lentil box, At other times it’ll be a venue for young toys, games and puzzles and much more. people to meet. Downstairs is a learning and meeting space The Playbus made its first visits to for adults and teenagers with a tea/coffee Baltinglass, Carnew and Rathdrum. Further area, an IT facility, an information board visits will be made to other areas in the next publication Tuesday, November 09, 2010 14:58 page 1 MagentaYellowBlackCyan Parenting Seminars As part of the Wicklow County Childcare Committee’s Parenting Seminar Series a number of parenting seminars were st held throughout the county this Autumn. The first seminar took place in Baltinglass on Tuesday 21 September. This free Seminar on the topic of “Children’s Self Esteem” facilitated by Val Mullally was held in the The Parish Centre and and proved very popular with over 35 people attending. The feedback from the session was excellent and a number of th participants then went on to enrol on the Parenting course which started on October 5 . This interactive Parenting course ran over five nights covering topics such as relationships, needs, discipline and play. This was the sixth course Marion Connell has facilitated; they have all proved extremely popular and the feedback has been excellent from each one. It is hoped to organise another Parenting course specifically relating to the teenage years with Marion in Spring 2011 in the Baltinglass area. Wicklow Town parents also had the opportunity to hear Val Mullally—at a Parents Seminar in the Grand Hotel, on th Wedneday, 6 October where Val spoke about “Parenting Teens”. Val spoke about how teenagers’ brains are still developing and how teens think, and gave some tips on how to avoid conflict within the family. Feedback again was positive and parents indicated that they would like more of this type of training. th The third seminar took place in the Ramada Hotel, Bray on Monday, 11 October. This Interactive event was also with Val Mullally on the topic of Childrens Self Esteem. It coincided with the beginning of National Parents’ Week, and proved very popular attracting in excess of 40 participants. The feedback from the evening was positive, with many requests for additional seminars and training in all aspects of parenting. If you are interested in being notified for these seminars or courses email your contact details to [email protected] or ring Judy on (0404) 64455. Parent & Toddler Group Grants Wicklow County Childcare Committee are delighted to announce that the following Parent and Toddler Groups were awarded grant funding through the Parent & Toddler Group Grant initiative in 2010. Donoughmore, Donard & Dunlavin M&T Group Donard Newcastle & Newtownmountkennedy Newcastle Tinahely P&T Group Tinahely Dunlavin Community Playgroup Dunlavin New Beginnings Vallleymount United Nappy P&T Group Bray Valley Parents & Toddlers Avoca Humpty Dumpty Glenealy Jolly Tots Parent & Toddler Group Baltinglass St Patricks Hall P&T Group Kilcoole Aughrim P&T Group Aughrim WCCC would like to wish all its readers a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year! Funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007-2013 publication Tuesday, November 09, 2010 14:58 page 2 MagentaYellowBlackCyan New Childcare facilities in Wicklow Name Owner Location Service Type Treehouse Childcare Aine Conway Sea Road, Kilcoole Full day care Fran’s Little Flowers Frances Burke Beech Road, Arklow ECCE Childminder Home Comforts Dawn Wynne Woodlands Rise, Arklow ECCE Childminder Busy Bees Karen Vickers The Rise, Friars Hill, Wicklow ECCE Childminder Small Talk Pre-school Fiona Duffy Ballyknockan, Glenealy ECCE Childminder Topsy Turvey Pre-school Majella Turner Killiskey, Ashford Sessional Naíonra Chill Mhantáin Ciara Watson Broomhall, Wicklow Sessional Dee’s Montessori Pre-school Deirdre Dunne St Lawrences Park, Wicklow Sessional Cuala Montessori Sandra Kiernan Cuala Grove, Bray Sessional Aughrim Montessori Playgroup Siobhan Shields Community Sports Complex Sessional Tinahely Community Playgroup Kerry McGrath School Road, Tinahely Full day care St Patricks After School Club Shanna Winstanley Church Road After School Cuala Montessori, Bray Dawn Wynne, Childminder, Arklow Treehouse Childcare, Kilccole Tinahely Community Playgroup Jack & Jill's (VEC), Arklow, has moved into new purpose-built premises at Fernhill Plaza and extended the range of services offered. Ballyflanigan AMI Montessori Barnacleagh, Thomastown, Arklow has extended its service to include a Toddler Room and After School. publication Tuesday, November 09, 2010 14:58 page 3 MagentaYellowBlackCyan Road Safety for Pre-schoolers The Road Safety Authority has developed a pack which can be used in pre- schools throughout the country, called ‘Simon and Friends’. The aim of the resource is to promote road safety to children aged five and under in a preschool setting. The series centres on four characters who promote age appropriate road safety messages to children: Name of Story Key Road Safety Message ‘Simon’s Suprise’ Holding Hands ‘Josie’s Picnic’ Stopping ‘Sara & Sophia’s Trip to the Farm’ Look and listen ‘Charlie Goes to a Party’ Setting a Good Example Each book is beautifully illustrated. At the end of each story there are a number of extension activities which preschool providers can use to prompt other learning experiences with the children. Stories are also recorded onto a CD Rom which can be played to children in their early year’s environment. The CD also contains a number of road safety songs and an interactive computer game targeted at the under 5’s. The pack also contains an accompanying teacher’s guide called ‘Hand in Hand’ which includes information about integrating road safety into the Early Years Environment and suggested activities, games and songs which support the ‘Simon and Friends’ stories. The Teachers Guide, Storybooks and CD are all enclosed in a colourful case. The pack is supported by the Office for the Minister for Children. The programme can help childcare services reach Standard 9 of the Sīolta Programme: ‘Health and Welfare’ . It is our intention to roll out this training over the coming months. If you are interested in participating, please contact Judy on (0404) 64455. Further info on www.rsa.ie. Parents Guide The Best Interests of the Child From this month Wicklow CCC will be distributing an information guide for parents on the various For anybody working with children in any capacity in Ireland it is a childcare options available to them, and fundamental principle, enshrined in our laws, that they have regard for the information on the support schemes which are best interests of the child. People working with children are required to now in place for Childcare. This includes information on the Community Childcare understand, implement and keep up to date with changes in, relevant Subvention Scheme, the Free Pre School Year in legislation in relation to childcare.