The Galway City &

County Childcare

Committee‘s role is to

co-ordinate, support

and assist the

development of quality

childcare services in

Galway.

CalendarCalendarCalendarCalendar Manual Handling Manual Handling Manual Handling Manual Handling Training Ballinasloe , 5th April and Galway City, 19th April (See back page for registration details)

First AidFirst AidFirst AidFirst Aid

12th and 13th April Galway City (See back page for registration details) Upcoming Networking Upcoming Networking Upcoming Networking Upcoming Networking MeetingsMeetingsMeetingsMeetings Providers’ Network Meetings will be held in March—see back page for further details.

Resources Available:

Spraoi le Chéile—Traditional Games and

Rhymes Booklets/DVDs are available for

collection from the offices of the Galway City

& County Childcare Committee.

Galway City & County Childcare Committee Coiste Cúram Leanaí Chontae & Chathair na

Gaillimhe

NewsNewsNewsNews

Spring 2008

Memie Uí Chualáin, Mobile Play Bus Service Manager and Mary Giblin, Coordinator Galway City & County Childcare Committee receiving the national award for Effective Practice in Edu-cation for the Galway Mobile Play Bus Service from Minister for Children, Brendan Smith, T.D. and Jacinta Stewart, Chairperson of the Children Acts Advisory Board. The awards were presented at a ceremony in Dublin on 14 February 2008. l-r: Minister for Children Brendan Smith, Memie Uí Chualáin, Mary Giblin, Jacinta Stewart - See page 2 for full report

GalwayCi

ty& County Childcare Committee

CoisteCúramLea

naí Chontae &Cha

thairnaGaillimhe

Galway City & County Childcare Committee, 9b Liosban Retail Centre, Tuam Road, Galway

Tel: 091 752039 Email: mail@galwaychildcare.com

Update on GARDA VETTING The Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006 and the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 require pre-school childcare services to obtain references and Garda vetting for all staff, students and volunteers who have access to children. Section 8 (3) (page 10) of the Pre-School Services Regulations states: “Such vetting procedures shall be carried out prior to any person being appointed or assigned or being allowed access to a child in the pre-school service.” At the request of the Office of the Minister for Children, Barnardos is assisting in the processing of Garda Vetting applica-tions for a number of child care providers who are not directly registered with the Central Vetting Unit, and who are not members of the National Children’s Nurseries Association or the Irish Pre-school Playgroups Association. Providers who are members of these organisations should contact them directly to process vetting applications. The service can be contacted by completing the enquiry form and returning it to Barnardos’ Vetting Service, The Bowl-ing Green, White Street, Cork, or email vetting@barnardos.ie. On receipt of your details they will be in touch to invite your contact person to training as soon as possible. Following the training, they will welcome applications from eligible pro-viders for vetting of staff, students and volunteers as required under Child Care (Pre-school Services) (No2) Regulations 2006 and Child Care (Pre-school Services) (No2) (Amendment) Regulations 2006. Forms may be downloaded from

If you are an NCNA member - forms may be obtained from: Tel: 01 460 1138 ext. 6 or email camilledaly@ncna.ie For further information see www.ncna.ie If you are an IPPA member – Forms may be obtained from: Tel: 01 463 0010 For further information see www.ippa.ie

National award for Galway’s Mobile Play Bus

Unique pre-school and after-school care service wins education category

Galway’s Mobile Play Bus service, the first of its kind in Ireland, has won the Effective Practice in Education award at the national Awards for Services to Children and Young People 2008 announced in Dublin on the 14th February by Minister for Children Brendan Smith.

The Mobile Play Bus, a Galway City & County Childcare Committee service, provides pre-school and after-school care to around 200 children in Galway city and county. Two specially adapted double-decker buses, one for the city and one for the county, bring pre-school and after-school services directly into communities. The services are offered to families who otherwise would not be in a position to avail of them due to financial, isolation or other constraints.

Speaking at the announcement, Mary Giblin from the Galway City & County Childcare Committee said, “National recognition of the ser-vice is fantastic and we were thrilled when the announcement was made. We started the Mobile Play Bus service in 2002 and because of its success in Galway, the Government has recently provided funding for at least ten new Mobile Play Bus services across Ireland.

Memie Uí Chualáin, Manager of the Mobile Play Bus said, “The Mobile Play Bus is a simple idea that works really well. It’s a specially adapted double-decker bus that visits different areas around Galway. Not only do they provide a childcare facility on board, but they also offer educational, parenting and personal development courses for parents. The buses are important for those who use the service directly and also for the wider community.”

Galway City and County Childcare Committee was instrumental in establishing the service and its manager, Mary Giblin said, “We were one of the first Childcare Committees to be set up in 2000 and we’ve worked hard to develop childcare services that hadn’t been done anywhere else before. We’ve had great support from the HSE, the Department of Family and Social Affairs and the Galway business community. Today really is recognition of a lot of hard work from a lot of different people,” she concluded.

The Play Bus service provides long term benefits thanks to early intervention in children’s development. Experts say that early interven-tion is crucial in terms of learning abilities, adaptability and social interaction for children.

Another unique Galway service, Time 4 Us, a play centre that helps parents who don’t live in the family home spend more time with their children, was a finalist in the awards programme. In the last year, the centre has helped 50 parents who don’t live in the family home to spend quality time with their children. The real success of Time 4 Us is that many parents using it have been granted increased access to their children.

We are continually updating our database. Please

ring Lorrianne in Galway City and County

Childcare Committee @ 091 752039 with :

Contact Person for your service

Contact Telephone Numbers

Email Address

Relief Panel

The Galway City & County Childcare Committee is presently establishing a Relief Panel of suitably qualified and experienced Childcare Workers. From the end of April, a list of Relief Workers will be available for Childcare Services in the event that coverage is required for holidays, sick leave or occasional, unforeseen emergencies.

Survey of Rates of Pay for Childcare Staff

The Research Report on the Survey of Rates of Pay for Childcare Staff carried out last year will be discussed at the Network Meetings in March.

Proposed Training:

Child Protection Training

A Needs Analysis will be carried out within the next month

regarding Keeping Safe child protection training. A Ques-

tionnaire will be circulated to childcare providers to ascertain

who needs to avail of child protection training in the city and

county.

NCIP Subvention Scheme Training

Special training will be provided for Voluntary Management

Committees to assist them to meet the requirements of the

new NCIP Subvention Scheme. Training is expected to take

place in April.

Síolta Training –

As part of a BMW Collaborate Action funding has been ap-proved to deliver the Siolta training. This quality assurance programme is to enhance the quality of early childhood ex-perience for children aged from birth to six years.

Information on upcoming training available from the online

training calendar at

http://www.galwaychildcare.com/training_cal.asp

Funded by the Irish Government

under the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010

BOOKING FORM FOR TRAINING

First AidFirst AidFirst AidFirst Aid

Name

Address

Phone

12th & 13th April —€60

Cheque made out to:

Civil Defence

Manual Handling Manual Handling Manual Handling Manual Handling

5th April - € 35

19th April - €35 Cheque to:

County Childcare Committee

Network MeetingsNetwork MeetingsNetwork MeetingsNetwork Meetings Thursday, 6th March at 7.30 p.m. at the Menlo Park Hotel, GalwayThursday, 6th March at 7.30 p.m. at the Menlo Park Hotel, GalwayThursday, 6th March at 7.30 p.m. at the Menlo Park Hotel, GalwayThursday, 6th March at 7.30 p.m. at the Menlo Park Hotel, Galway

Thursday,13th March at 7.30 p.m. in the Carlton Shearwater Hotel,Thursday,13th March at 7.30 p.m. in the Carlton Shearwater Hotel,Thursday,13th March at 7.30 p.m. in the Carlton Shearwater Hotel,Thursday,13th March at 7.30 p.m. in the Carlton Shearwater Hotel,

Ballinasloe Ballinasloe Ballinasloe Ballinasloe

All Providers and Staff are welcome to attend!All Providers and Staff are welcome to attend!All Providers and Staff are welcome to attend!All Providers and Staff are welcome to attend! 7.30p.m.7.30p.m.7.30p.m.7.30p.m.–––– 8.00 p.m. 8.00 p.m. 8.00 p.m. 8.00 p.m.————Supervisors’ MeetingSupervisors’ MeetingSupervisors’ MeetingSupervisors’ Meeting————All supervisory staff welcome to attendAll supervisory staff welcome to attendAll supervisory staff welcome to attendAll supervisory staff welcome to attend

8.00 p.m.8.00 p.m.8.00 p.m.8.00 p.m.————Providers’ Network Meeting Providers’ Network Meeting Providers’ Network Meeting Providers’ Network Meeting

AgendaAgendaAgendaAgenda 1. Training Courses

2. Research Report—Rates of Pay Survey

3. Guest Speaker: Jason Craughwell, Galway City Council

re: Buntus Sports Packs for Childcare Services

4. NCIP Subvention Scheme Update

First Aid Course: First Aid Course: First Aid Course: First Aid Course: Saturday & Sunday,12Saturday & Sunday,12Saturday & Sunday,12Saturday & Sunday,12thththth & 13 & 13 & 13 & 13thththth April 2008 at the Menlo Park Hotel, Galway from 10.00 April 2008 at the Menlo Park Hotel, Galway from 10.00 April 2008 at the Menlo Park Hotel, Galway from 10.00 April 2008 at the Menlo Park Hotel, Galway from 10.00

amamamam––––5.00 pm. 5.00 pm. 5.00 pm. 5.00 pm. If you would like to attend, please post a cheque for €60, (non-refundable) made out tomade out tomade out tomade out to CIVIL DEFENCECIVIL DEFENCECIVIL DEFENCECIVIL DEFENCE to

Colette Murphy, Little Rascals, Shangort Road, Knocknacarra, Galway, as soon as possible. Places will be offered on a first-

come first-served basis. If you require confirmation of your booking please ring Colette at 091-520815. Please complete

Booking Form below and submit with your cheque.

Manual Handling Course: Manual Handling Course: Manual Handling Course: Manual Handling Course: This course will run on Saturday, 5th April at the Carlton Shearwater Hotel , Saturday, 5th April at the Carlton Shearwater Hotel , Saturday, 5th April at the Carlton Shearwater Hotel , Saturday, 5th April at the Carlton Shearwater Hotel ,

Ballinasloe and on Saturday, 19th April In the Menlo Park Hotel, Galway.Ballinasloe and on Saturday, 19th April In the Menlo Park Hotel, Galway.Ballinasloe and on Saturday, 19th April In the Menlo Park Hotel, Galway.Ballinasloe and on Saturday, 19th April In the Menlo Park Hotel, Galway. The courses will run from10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m in

both venues. If you would like to participate, please post a cheque for €35, made out to: cheque for €35, made out to: cheque for €35, made out to: cheque for €35, made out to: Galway City & County Childcare Galway City & County Childcare Galway City & County Childcare Galway City & County Childcare

CommitteeCommitteeCommitteeCommittee, 9B Liosban Retail Centre, Tuam Road, Galway—Attn: Lorrianne Carroll. Please complete Booking Form below

and submit with your cheque.

Galway City & County Childcare CommitteeGalway City & County Childcare CommitteeGalway City & County Childcare CommitteeGalway City & County Childcare Committee

9B Liosban Retail Centre, Tuam Road, Galway9B Liosban Retail Centre, Tuam Road, Galway9B Liosban Retail Centre, Tuam Road, Galway9B Liosban Retail Centre, Tuam Road, Galway