AIM Inclusive Play website is now live...

AIM Inclusive Play is the latest addition to the suite of supports provided under the Access and Inclusion Model. AIM Inclusive Play is a set of sensory and educational play resources to support inclusive practice within pre-school settings. This website supports the appropriate and effective use of these resources.

Follow the link to the website below and take a look at videos and resources to support inclusive play in early years services.

http://play.aim.gov.ie/

Please find below  two posters for  Triple P Programmes commencing in Offaly this spring. The Junior programme is for parents of children aged from 2 to 10 years, while the Teen programmes are for parents of children aged 11 to 15years.

Childcare providers urged to take part in Costs Review
Vital to keep to keep to timelines for Budget talks
Final Week to Complete online survey
Statement by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Dr Katherine Zappone TD

Monday 9th April, 2018

Childcare providers are today being reminded to participate in an online survey as part of the Independent Review of Costs of Providing Quality Childcare.

The Review, which is being undertaken by Crowe Horwath on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, seeks to:

• Analyse the current costs of providing childcare in Ireland and factors that impact on those costs;
• Develop a model of the unit cost/costs of providing childcare that allows analysis of policy changes and variation in cost-drivers, including the potential impact of increased professionalisation; and
• Provide an objective, high level market analysis of the childcare sector in Ireland, including analysis of fee levels charged to parents.

The results from this survey of childcare providers will feed into the development of a cost model and cost calculator for childcare provision. Importantly, the results will also inform the Estimates Process for Budget 2019 and for subsequent budgets.

Speaking about the Review and the approaching deadline, Minister Zappone urged childcare providers to take part.

“This Review represents a key milestone in the on-going reformation of childcare in Ireland.

The results of this Review will help to further advance my ambition of building an accessible, affordable, quality childcare system, which will last for generations.

To deliver on this ambition, we need a childcare funding system where childcare providers are funded on a fair and sustainable basis and where the genuine concerns over pay and conditions in the sector can be addressed.

The Independent Review of Costs offers us a unique opportunity to change our approach to, and levels of, childcare funding.

I am urging childcare providers to engage honestly and openly through this confidential and independent survey.

The deadline of 12 April was purposely set to ensure I have results in time for upcoming budgetary negotiations.

A good response rate within this timeframe will be critical to ensure the credibility of the survey findings to bring about needed change”.

The closing date for receipt of completed surveys is 12 April. For further information, contact Crowe Horwath at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

€2m Fund seeks ‘Ground-breaking’ proposals to support young people
‘Time to think anew to break cycle of disadvantage’
Quality and Capacity Building Initiative supported through Dormant Accounts Funding

Statement by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone

Wednesday 4th April 2018

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Dr Katherine Zappone TD, has launched a new €2m fund to support ‘ground-breaking and new proposals’ to support disadvantaged young people.

This fund is open to community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations delivering innovation in prevention and early intervention services for children and young people.

Examples of proposals being sought include the development or scaling up of innovative approaches, practices and resources that support the best outcomes for children and young people.

There will be two strands under this funding measure; the first is a seed strand with minimum funding of €10k. This will support less proven, new and creative approaches to intractable problems facing children and young people experiencing disadvantage in Ireland.

A budget of €800,000 in 2018 will support grants for proposals applying under the SEED strand of the QCBI Innovation Fund.

Under the Scale strand, a budget of €1.2m will support grants that build on existing programmes, models, or approaches that have shown promising outcomes for children and young people.

The QCBI Innovation Fund is specifically designed to support innovative, one-off projects with firm timelines.

This fund is being launched today, Wednesday, 4th April 2018 and will close to applications on Monday 30th April. The administration of this funding scheme is being supported by Tusla.

In launching the QCBI Innovation Fund, Minister Zappone stated:

“Young people can be trapped in disadvantage based on their background, location and family circumstance. For many it is an unbreakable cycle – often spanning generations.

Many frontline agencies provide valuable support and opportunities to re-start or re-focus young lives. However, there is also a need to think anew, to seek new approaches and to be ground-breaking.

The Quality and Capacity Building Initiative provides that opportunity. It will provide the financial support to those working with our children, young people and families so they can afford to take a step back. Look at the work they are doing – and see if there is a new way.

This is an exciting moment. I urge all involved to seize this opportunity and to use this fund effectively.”

Following the application, assessment and selection process successful applicants will be awarded funding from the period of June 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018. All awards are based on funding availability.

Further details on the application process are available on the DCYA and Tusla websites.

QCBI Guidance Note

Innovation Fund Application Form