Offaly County Childcare Committee -   057 9135878    info@offalychildcare.com

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Welcome to Offaly County Childcare Committee

Our site is packed with information so whether you're a parent, working with children, interested in a childcare career or just browsing, this is the place for you!

Offaly County Childcare Committee is located at St Joseph's Community Centre in Kilcormac, Co Offaly.

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Early Years e-Bulletin May Edition

Welcome to your Early Years e-bulletin. E Bulletin May Edition

🟢 Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth

▪️ Update on the Review of Regulation of Early Learning and Childcare Services

▪️ Draft Principles for Engaging with the Arts in Early Learning and Care consultation

▪️ Launch of Nutrition Standards for Early Learning and Care Services

▪️ National Child Safeguarding Programme on the Trainer CPD and Recognition Ceremony

▪️ Get SunSmart Children’s Art competition

▪️ Bloom Competition

🔴 Pobal

▪️Core Funding: Review and Confirm

▪️Training

▪️Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey

▪️Payment dates

🔵Better Start

▪️Annual Customer Survey

▪️Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Project

▪️Access and Inclusion Model/AIM

▪️Application Opening Dates for AIM Levels 4, 5, 7 and 1 for 2023/24 Programme Year

▪️Learning and Development

▪️Lámh Module One

▪️Quality Development Service

🟠 Tusla

▪️ New Applications and Change in Circumstances 2023

▪️ Consultation on Inspection report template

To view document 👇

https://e.sensorpro.net/DocManagement/OpenDocument.aspx?DocIdGuid=ce16cd89-48e8-4d77-bc8a-d6893b5af123

Nutrition Standards for Early Learning and Care Services Launch

From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth 

Published on 4 May 2023 DCEDIY logo

Last updated on 4 May 2023

Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, together with Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy, has today, launched the Nutrition Standards for Early Learning and Care Services.

The aim of these Nutrition Standards, developed in collaboration with Healthy Ireland and the Department of Health, is to inform the development and implementation of Healthy Eating Policy and practice in Early Learning and Care Services. This is to ensure agreement on the promotion of healthy foods and drinks in main meals, snacks and celebrations in partnership with children, parents, service providers and the wider community.

These standards show the importance of the need to recognise that small children have small tummies and as a result Educators and parents need to be mindful of the portion sizes that children receive when eating. The Children’s Food Pyramid will assist families in making healthier choices for their child as it provides a range of information on the number of servings from each shelf needed at different ages. It also recognises that some children of the same age will need more food and some will need less.

Minister O Gorman said nutrition guidelines

Minister Naughton said:

“These standards are another step to help make the healthy choice the easier choice for everyone”.

I am confident that these standards will assist parents and Early Learning and Care Services to help children develop a healthy relationship with food which will set them up for a healthier life."

 

The Nutrition Standards for Early Learning and Care Service can be found here:

Nutrition Standards for Early Learning and Care Services - English
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Nutrition Standards for Early Learning and Care Services - Irish
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AIM Level 4,5 & 7 Webinar Training Supports

Dear Service Provider,AimHive logo

Important Information

The application process for Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) Level 4,5 & 7 supports will open on the Early Years Hive on Friday 5th May at 12 noon. Please refer to the AIM Hive Guides to support you with the submission of your AIM applications.

Services are reminded to submit AIM Level 4,5 & 7 applications at least three months prior to a child’s planned start date in ECCE.

Training Documents

Following on from the AIM Refresher webinars which took place on 27 and 28 April 2023, a number of training documents have been uploaded to the Early Years Hive.

We would advise that service providers review the links below, prior to submitting applications:

Help & Support

Should you have any queries in relation to the AIM programme, please contact the Early Years Provider Centre (EYPC) by raising a Request on Hive using the following categories:

  • Programme: (select the AIM level)
  • Request type: Application
  • Request type detail: How To

Yours Sincerely,

AIM Team

Statistical Spotlight #10: The Mental Health of Children and Young People in Ireland

From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth  DCEDIY logo

Published on 27 April 2023

Last updated on 27 April 2023

This report on The Mental Health of Children and Youth People in Ireland is the tenth report in the Statistical Spotlights series. These Spotlight publications are focused on a specific topic, and gather available statistical data to highlight trends or patterns. This Spotlight is focused on youth mental health, aiming to gather the most relevant data available in the Irish context, and in comparison internationally. The Spotlight has been developed in cooperation with the Tusla Programme Development unit and the Youth Reform Strategy & Participation unit to ensure that it meets their policy needs.

The Spotlight is structured into five sections and a number of statistical tables are presented under each section. The first section studies protective factors, characteristics which may improve the likelihood that a person will respond well to the stresses of life, while the second section concerns risk factors, characteristics that may increase the possibility of a person developing a mental health disorder. The third section outlines the prevalence of mental health disorders among children and young people in Ireland, and is focused primarily on depressive and anxiety disorders. The fourth section investigates the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental health, and the fifth and final section examines mental health service provision for children and young people in Ireland.

Statistical Spotlight #10: The Mental Health of Children and Young People in Ireland

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Data Sheet: The Mental Health of Children and Young People in Ireland

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You can find previous volumes in the series here

Core Funding reminder – Review and Confirm Window Two Process

Dear Service Provider,

The Review and Confirm window closed on Friday 7 April 2023. Core Funding R C 2 Process

It is important to note that although the window has now closed, services who have not yet completed the Review and Confirm are still required to complete the process and the Review and Confirm form will remain open on the Early Years Hive.

Please note: Core Funding payments will be placed on hold until such a time as the process is completed. However, once your Review and Confirm is approved, Partner Services will receive payment on the next available catch-up payment.

Core Funding applications/application changes must be at an Approved status prior to completing the Review and Confirm form.

If your previous application/application change is at “Approved” and you have an application change at a “Draft” status you must abandon the draft application prior to completing the Review and Confirm form.

If an application is at “Referred back” Service Providers are required to submit an application change to rectify the refer back reason outlined. Once the application change is approved, you must then proceed to complete the Review & Confirm form.

To support services in completing a Review & Confirm form, a detailed guidance document and new tailored training videos are available here.

Best wishes,

The Early Years Team

Supporting Quality Childcare in Offaly

Offaly County Childcare Committee support the development of quality, affordable, inclusive, accessible childcare and family friendly services for all children in every part of the county.

Offaly County Childcare Committee has been meeting since May 2001 and is made up of representatives from the statutory sector, social partners, community groups, voluntary groups, the Community and Voluntary Forum, National Voluntary Children's Organisations, providers of childcare, and parents - all of whom have a vested interest in childcare provision in the county.

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