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Chairperson’s Foreword ...................02

Childminding Update ........................02

NCIP & ECCE Update ........................03

Official Opening of Robeen Rascals Playschool ...........04

Siolta & Aistear Update ..................05

Children’s Activities ...........................06

Comhair Naionrai Teoranta ............07

Samhradh - Summer.........................08

contents

The Road Safety Authority unveiled its latest campaign aimed at encouraging pre-school children to take care on the roads. The Authority has produced a special pack of story books, music and games to help under 6 year olds to stop, look and listen. The ‘Simon and Friends’ resource will be distributed to thousands of pre-schools nationally, through the structure of local County Childcare Committees.

Launching the resource in Dublin, Mr. Gay Byrne said the road safety message was as important for very young children as it was for adults. “Children learn good habits from a young age and its never too early to start educating young children on how to be safe on the road, but its also important to do this in a child friendly way that it is understandable and interesting to the youngest of our road users”

This launch was a proud moment for the Mayo County Childcare Committee, as it was the Mayo County Childcare Committee who first brought the resource to Ireland. Jim Power Mayo CCC Coordinator stated, “Back in 2008 myself and Noel Gibbons (Mayo County Council Road Safety Officer) did some research to find the most effective road safety programme for pre-school children, which could be used in Mayo. We looked at programmes which had been run in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and England. We found a programme called ‘Salmon and Friends’ and decided to work with pre-schools to implement this programme in Mayo. We organised training for pre-school workers in Mayo to implement the programme and we held a special road safety day for all the pre-schools so that they could begin implementing the programme in their own individual pre-schools. We called this the ‘Beep Beep Day’. The pre-school workers were fantastic, and worked very hard to implement the programme which we found to be a great success. We informed the Road Safety Authority and thankfully they worked really hard to bring the programme to the stage where it is being launched nationally now. We are delighted to see the success of the programme”

The new pack contains four individual story books which focus on ‘stopping and looking’, ‘holding hands’ and ‘setting a good example’. The resource also includes and a teacher’s guide, and a CD with songs and recordings of the stories, which are also available in Irish.

“As parents, grandparents and guardians, we have a responsibility to set a good example for our children and ensure that the lessons taught in pre-schools and schools across the country are put into practice everyday.” Mr. Byrne said “I encourage all pre-schools to get involved in the ‘Simon and Friends’ programme and make road safety part of Early Years Education” The resource is available free of charge and training will be provided through the County Childcare Committee.

mayo county childcare committee

welcome launch ofroad safety initiativefor pre-schools

Issue 2

4 • Ju

ly 2010

newsletter

newsletter

Jim Power, Co-ordinator Mayo CCC, pictured with Gay Byrne and children in Dublin at the official launch of Road Safety Training for Pre-schools.

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Can a VEC/FAS Trainee contact the Provider directly for a place on the Scheme?

The VEC / FAS trainee will be given a letter by FAS / VEC confirming their entitlement and also a list of participating services locally. The person then contacts the service to book a place.

Are services that offer SAC only able to enter the scheme (these will not be in the ECCE or CCS Scheme)?

Yes, private School Age Childcare stand-alone services can apply.

Will the capitation be paid for the number of agreed places irrespective of whether the are filled or not?

The capitation will be paid for the number of contracted places, whether they are filled or not. It is important to remember that, for now, providers are just being asked to register their interest in the scheme and to indicate the number of places they expect to have available for it. It is very likely that the CETS scheme will be over-subscribed by providers i.e. services will offer far more places than we need. In July, the OMCYA will have a better idea from FAS/VEC of how many places they will need and where, and then the OMCYA will start telling providers how many CETS places the OMCYA will need from them. In some cases, the OMCYA will need none or fewer than they indicated. Once contracts are in place, the OMCYA will only pay for the number specified.

Can providers charge extra? Yes, for optional additional hours provided and agreed

with Parents.

Is the CETS scheme just for VEC and FAS trainees? Yes

I have VEC and FAS trainees currently on ECCE or CCSS. Should/Can I apply to the CETS instead?

Yes. If you wish to offer full-time, half-time or after school places but not if you only offer sessional places.

Am I taking on the parents as staff / do I need to train them?

No, it is for children of parents on VEC / FAS Schemes.

Can I specify the age range of the children? I wish to apply for as it is too awkward to apply for 3 babies, 4 toddlers 3 afterschool kids etc as it is too difficult to plan re costs. (Ratios also become an issue)

You can, if you wish, specify what you are prepared to offer in terms of age-range by writing it in on the form.

On Application form Q.2, is Maximum number of places available referring to the service in total or just CETS Scheme places?

The number of CETS places.

How will the places be allocated? Can services apply for as many places as they wish? In theory, yes they can. But they should be realistic

about how many places they have to spare, if any, and they should remember that no matter how many places they apply for, they are not guaranteed they will get any places at all under the scheme.

When will payments start being made? From late August.

Can a service apply for both the 25 and 26 week model and if so why are they split?

In the terms and conditions, it states: “The capitation fee will be paid for an agreed number

of weeks within the September to August Term. This will vary between 43 and 51 weeks depending on the particular FAS/VEC Childcare Service provision which is agreed with the participating service provider in each case. Where a period of 51 weeks is contracted, a set number and type of places will be contracted for 25 weeks during September 2010 to February 2011, and for 26 weeks during March 2011 to August 2011.” A service contracted to provided CETS places for 51 weeks may be offered a number of places or type of places for the second half of this period that is different to what they will be offered in the first half of this period.

Should ECCE participating services turn away ECCE children to hold places for CETS?

ECCE places are either sessional or part of a daycare place. Only daycare or after-school places will be considered for offer under CETS. If a service is contracted to hold a place for a CETS child, they cannot give that place to an ECCE child.

Can unfilled ECCE places be used for the CETS scheme? If the service has been contracted by OMCYA to

provide a CETs place, then they hold that place.

I have a concern about the level of fees. Are we allowed to charge extra for food or school pick-up, for example?

Half day and full day services have a regulatory obligation to provide nourishment. The capitation fee includes the provision of food / snacks at no additional cost to the parent. School pick-up is an optional extra. You can charge for that.

In the case of After-Schoolers, we are limited in the number of schools we can pick up from; also the number of children in each school & pick-up time. Alternatively, is it assumed that partcipants will organise their own school transport?

You do not have to be able to provide transport in order to apply for the scheme.

No distinction is made between the various age groups, i.e. Babies (under 12 months), Toddlers & Montessori. If we offered say 3 places, there would be a big negative impact if we got 3 Babies. Could we refuse to do this?

The OMCYA do not have a complete snapshot of what FAS / VEC requirements will be yet.OMCYA and Mayo CCC will work with FAS, VEC and providers to meet the needs of the CETS children as best we all can. However, the capitation fee is a flat fee.

If a child is on site for more than 5 hours, provider is required to provide food - Can provider charge for food?

No, a service cannot charge for food.

Can provider charge for drop or collection of a child attending primary school?

Yes.

Child starting under ECCE in September. Parent starting FAS course in September. Can parent avail of CETS from 8am - 1.30pm and ECCE from 1.30pm - 4.30pm?

Much depends on the circumstances. If a qualifying parent is on a 10 week FAS course, they will get 10 weeks of CETS and then they can get ECCE for the other weeks if their child is the eligible age. But if a qualifying parent is on a September to June course, they will get their ECCE place within their CETS place.

I have been asked by a Childminder can they apply for the CETS? Or is it only open to people currently on schemes.

Childminders will not be eligible to apply.

Can a private after school service that is part of a full day care service apply, or is it just after school services receiving CCS? Can a stand alone after school service receiving CCS apply?

Yes, private services providing SAC can apply. Stand-alone SAC services receiving CCS can also apply.

If a service reserves a place under the CETS for September and then that place does not get filled, are they paid? (This space would normally be offered to a fee paying child)

OMCYA will pay them if the service has been contracted to hold a place.

If a child does not attend and is booked, does the service get paid?

Yes, the childcare service will be paid.

How many weeks of the year are they paid for? Is it just for the duration of the course e.g.25 weeks etc.

The Childcare service will be paid for 43 weeks under the 43 week model. Under the 51 wk model, they will be paid for a set number of places for the first 25 weeks, and a (possibly different) set number of places for the following 26 weeks.

There is some confusion with our providers around the amount of hours they need to be open to qualify for the new CETS scheme. Can you please clarify both the minimum and maximum opening hours for full-day, half-time and after-school hours?

The definition of full-day and half-time for the CETS scheme is different form the Regulations because the OMCYA have to take account of the needs of FAS / VEC parents. For CETS, the minimum opening hours are:

Full-day: at least 10 hours per day to include 8 am to 6 pm. Half-time: at least 51/2 hours per day to include 8 am to 1.30pm. AfterSchool: at least 3 hours per day to include 2pm to 5pm. There are no maximum opening hours.

Can parents who are participating on the CE scheme apply? CE participants will not qualify for CETS places.

Eligibility is decided by FAS & VEC.

Who applies to the service? FAS/VEC or parent? If the parent applies is there a parent declaration form procedure as with the ECCE/CCS etc?

The qualifying parent will be given a list of participating services (by FAS or VEC) and they then contact the service. There will be no parental declaration form.

Are the services paid for the number of places available or the number of places availed of?

The number the OMCYA have contracted them to set aside.

Well summer has arrived and it is great to see the lovely weather and everyone enjoying it.

Following on from our very successful Childcare Seminar “Supporting Quality” in Knockranny House Hotel, the staff of the MCC office has been very busy in the implementation of the ECCE scheme in Mayo. The development workers are

now engaging in systematic assistive visits to childcare services to help them with the implementation of the ECCE Scheme and the integration of the Aistear and Siolta framework into their services. These visits are proving to be very successful.

I would like to congratulate Jim and the staff on the launch of the Road Safety Authority’s latest campaign to encourage pre-school children to take care on the roads. The initiative was first launched in Mayo when Noel Gibbons, Road Safety Officer for Mayo County Council and Jim Power our coordinator did some research to find the most effective road safety programme for preschool children.

Having looked at various programmes, they decided on the programme “Salmon and Friends”. As part of their joint efforts for Mayo, they organised training for all the schools so they could begin implementing the programme in their own individual schools.

Our “Beep-Beep Day” proved to be a great success and it is wonderful to see the programme now being launched nationally. It is never too early to start educating young children on how to be safe on the road. Congratulations to Jim, Noel and all involved in bringing this programme to fruition.

I welcome the newly formed Mayo Montessori Network which is proving to be a very successful forum for Montessori providers to meet and discuss issues specific to the Montessori method of education and how these can be resolved. I wish the forum well.

I also welcome the recent opening of the “Little Acorns” childcare facility in Brickens and the “Robeen Rascals” facility in Robeen. The communities of Brickens and Robeen can be very proud of their achievements in providing high quality childcare services to all the children and families in their areas for many years to come. Congratulations to all involved. We also had the turning of the sod on the new Foxford facility and we look forward to its completion.

I hope you all have a wonderful summer and enjoy your summer holidays.

Lily Cunningham, Chairperson MCCC.

Lily Cunningham

Chairperson’sforeword

Childminding updateBy Jim Power, Co-ordinator.

Agreement has been reached on the introduction of a new Childcare Employment and Training Support (CETS) scheme. The scheme will come into effect from 1st September 2010 and will combine the existing childcare support payments for qualifying FÁS and VEC trainees into one capitation system providing free childcare places.

The scheme will be open to private and community day-care services which are participating in the free pre-school year scheme and/or the subvention scheme, as well as after-school services for primary school children which are in the subvention scheme. All childcare services participating in these schemes have at this stage received a letter and application form from the Office of Minister for Children & Youth Affairs (OMCYA) giving details of the new CETS scheme and inviting them to apply to participate if they wish. The application must be returned to Mayo County Childcare Committee (Mayo CCC) by 18th June. The General Terms and Conditions governing the scheme are available on the OMCYA website.

The Coordinator of Mayo CCC Mr. Jim Power, welcomed the new scheme “This is another positive development in the evolution of a quality Early Childhood Care & Education infrastructure in Mayo and Ireland. This scheme will provide further funding to childcare services, and will offer free childcare places to people participating in training thus assisting them to re enter the labour market.” The Minister and his staff at the OMCYA have once again developed a new and innovative mechanism for improving the Early Childhood Care and Education structure in Ireland, in spite of difficult financial times.

For further details about this scheme please contact Mayo CCC at 094 9047010 or go to the Office of Minister for Children & Youth Affairs website at www.omcya.ie

Below are answers to some questions which have already been received from childcare services regarding the new scheme.

Mayo County Childcare Committee welcomes the new Childcare Employment and Training Support (CETS) Scheme

Meet Mary Heavey from Childminding Ireland!

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NCIP & ECCE updateChildminding Ireland, as The National Association, is committed to promoting the development of quality in family based care for children by providing a range of services for childminders, promoting Siolta Quality Standards, developing training for the childminding sector and promoting the development of local childminding networks.

• I am based in Ballina, Co Mayo (Mon-Thurs 9-5pm)• I am contact person for Childminding Ireland at local/

county/regional level in the West & North West• I am the local/county/regional NVCO support

for childminders in the West & North West and promote & support the implementation of Siolta, Aistear & the ECCE Scheme

• I liaise with relevant agencies/personnel at regional level for the development of quality childminding

• I promote aims & objectives of Childminding Ireland & NCIP 2006-2010: To promote high standards in family based care for children, where their developmental, emotional, educational and recreational needs will be met along with their physical care; To support and inform all Childminders and parents in the matter of family based care for children; To maintain a code of standards for family based care for children; To encourage the recognition of Childminding as a positive care setting for children.

Mary writes:“I am now in my tenth working year with Childminding Ireland, and have seen at first hand the very welcome major development of the childcare sector in Ireland over the last decade under the EOCP 2000-2006 and the NCIP 2006-2010. With continued State support, funding for childminding became available through the national childcare programme. Over the years, there was great collaboration work done between all the stakeholders in the childcare sector. County Childcare Committees were established and staff employed. A Childminder Advisory Service was established in each County, with Childminder Advisors giving support & advice to Childminders through the National Guidelines for Childminders & Voluntary Notification with incentives such as development grants, tax relief on childminding income, Quality Awareness Programme training & many other training opportunities. The importance of childminders was acknowledged throughout all of this, and many of them taking part and some leading the way in various networks, training and committees. Working to promote and develop childminding in the West & North West of Ireland has proved to be so worthwhile, working on many committees, attending events & seminars all over the country, meeting the most interesting people, many of whom are now good friends of mine & each other too. We all share a common goal - ‘a treasury of knowledge which is a legacy to pass on to the current and future generations of children in Ireland and the childcare practitioners they meet & guide them along their Early Childhood Care & Education journey!’Most recently, the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs introduced a free Pre- School Year of Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) for all children in the year prior to starting Primary School. Childcare Services will be supported by the assistance of Siolta Co-ordinators & their local County Childcare Committees. Childminding Ireland was formally assigned the task of supporting the role of Siolta with ECCE childminders and Patricia Murray, CE, was appointed as Siolta Co-ordinator. Engagement with Siolta is promoted throughout the membership and focused support with adherence to the principles will be given to the childminders who are delivering the ECCE Scheme. Childminding Ireland will work with NVCO’s & CCC’s to establish Siolta cluster groups to maximize delivery and pool resources. We also support all other childminders who wish to implement Siolta within their service.

Membership of Childminding IrelandRegistered Childminder Membership €55 for Childminders minding in their own homeRegistered Nanny Membership €55 New!! for those minding in child/ren’s own home

General Membership €20 for Childminding Assistants, Childcare Students, and for those considering Childminding in the near future

Associate Membership €20 for Childminder Advisors, Inspectorate, Tutors, Parents, Others who’s work impacts on family home based childcare (e.g. Public Health Nurse)

New reduced insurance cover for members!! 12% & 8% discounts with Kidd Insurance

Please feel free to contact us:-Childminding IrelandThe National Childminding Association of Ireland9 Bulford Business Campus, Kilcoole, Co WicklowT: 01-2878466 & Mary 096-72084 Email: info@childminding.ie www.childminding.ie

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Quality Frameworks, Siolta and Aistear

Siolta

Aistear

The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework

siolta & aistear updateWhat are the Quality Frameworks?

Siolta and Aistear Common Underpinning Principles

• ECCE (Early Childhood Care & Education) takes place in lots of different settings in Ireland

• Diversity of the ECCE workforce - qualifications, experience service type

• The central role of a highly trained adult to quality outcomes for children

• The overall objective of all these Quality Frameworks is to ensure that children’s experience of early childhood care and education is the best possible

View the Child as:• A unique individual with distinctive rights• An active, capable and competent learner

Built on the understanding that the child learns:• Holistically, through relationships with others through play and by

using language

Where Do I Begin??Consider your contractual obligations under the ECCE Scheme

Participating services in ECCE must agree to provide an appropriate educational programme for children in their pre-school

year which adheres to the principles of Siolta. Services will be supported in meeting this

requirement through the assistance of Siolta Co-ordinators, funded for this purpose and by their local County Childcare Committee.

Mayo Co Childcare Committee

staff are happy to assist you with

any of your queries re Quality

Frameworks, please contact us if

you have any queries re same.

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How will this Happen?The implementation stage will take place in 2 phases.

January 2010 to September 2012 - Informal Engagement with Siolta and Aistear

September 2012 to September 2014 - Formal Engagement with Siolta and Aistear

January 2010 to September 2012:Informal Engagement period - will be a lead in introductory period for all the new requirements on childcare services

• County Childcare Committees and those involved in Siolta will support pre-school services to become familiar with and competent in the new requirement of them during this period.

• Mayo County Childcare Committee will assist pre-school services during this informal engagement period by:

} Organising Conference eg. ‘Supporting Quality’ Conference which was held in Feb 2010 } Organising Siolta Workshops which are facilitated by Ann Halligan and selecting approx 24 childcare services each year to participate in these workshops } Organising relevant training which compliments Siolta Standards and issuing certification for same } Answering any queries around the quality frameworks that as they arise } Through assistive visits by MCCC development workers to pre- school services as required.

An example of Informal Engagement in Quality Frameworks:

Childcare services should put a mechanism in place for recording informal engagement eg. a portfolio, any filing system they are comfortable with, wall displays etc.

Example 1:When a childcare worker attends a training event organised by Mayo CCC such as Buntus Training or Grandparents Day etc. This can be documented in the childcare services files and used towards services initiatives towards ensuring quality.

Example 2:If the Childcare Worker brings the children outdoors on a Nature trail. This event can be logged and details of what the children saw and comments made by children etc. can be recorded and used towards initiatives towards displaying quality.

What Childcare Services should be doing between 2010 and 2012, lead in Informal Engagement period

• Identify and address staff training needs• Hold regular staff progress meetings• Put a mechanism in place for recording informal engagement • Attend information workshops & seminar etc organised by OMCYA,

Mayo CCC, NCNA etc and record same• Start recording evidence of quality practice in preparation for

Formal Engagement post September 2012.

September 2012 to September 2014 - Formal Engagement with Siolta and Aistear will be covered in next edition of MCCC Newsletter in Autumn

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off icial opening of robeen rascals playschool

Robeen Rascals Childcare Centre In March 2006 a meeting was called in the local national school to discuss the need for a playschool in the area of Robeen. There was a very positive response to the meeting so out of the people who attended a committee was formed. Their purpose was to carry out a comprehensive needs analysis within the community to pinpoint exactly what was wanted. Our first committee meeting was held on the 11th April 2006 with six committee members. Our first task was to carry out a needs analysis. Armed with paper, biros and some apprehension we started knocking on doors, talking to parents throughout the area. The results of this needs analysis showed us that not only did the local community want a playschool but they were also requesting that an after school service be provided. Our next step was to contact MCCC and we had our first meeting with Michelle Basquille. We also contacted the H.S.E., and met our development worker, Joanne Doherty. They outlined exactly what we had to do to realise our dream, and it was daunting.We needed to find premises from which we could run our service. A port a cabin was identified. We had to hire a person to run our playschool and we had to purchase equipment. For all this we required a substantial amount of funding. We turned to our local community for the fundraising and they supported us enthusiastically, above and beyond our wildest dreams. We obtained a loan from our local credit union and so it began. We purchased our port a cabin in August 2006 and with the help of a local volunteers and tradesmen we set up our new playschool. We recruited our first staff member and with the aid of voluntary assistance from parents we opened our doors on the 4th September 2006. Eight children were enrolled and started that day. We were very aware of our community’s involvement in the playschool. With this in mind we ran a competition in the national school to come up with a suitable name for our playschool and out of that Robeen Rascals was formed. A second staff member was recruited in January 2007. Our excitement was great and we believed that all the hard work was over. How wrong could we be!! We started working on a few ideas that we had. Our first one was to set up an after school. We started this service in June 2007 in a vacant room in the national school with two new staff members. We had worked closely with the board of management and they agreed to allow us use of this room on a temporary basis. During this time we were working with Michelle Basquille in order to apply for a staffing grant and also a capital grant so that we could purpose build a childcare facility incorporating a playschool and after school, community room, family room and kitchen. We had to form a limited company and prove we had a need for this facility. Without the support from Michelle during this process we would not have the facility we have today. Michelle managed to take all the confusing language contained in the relevant documents and put them into plain English. We acquired the services of a member of our community, Matt Gill who donated a lot of his time and expertise in construction engineering, in compiling the plans of our new facility, submitting them and liaising with the various agencies involved. In 2007 we discovered that we had been successful and had been allocated a capital grant of €575,000.Our work began in earnest. Planning permissions, tenders for constructions, budgets. Life became busy for the committee with weekly meetings from Sept 2006 up until recently. A local contractor Padraic Horan Construction was awarded the tender and in July 2008 the project began. All over the winter and following spring we watched as our building rose from the ground. It got hectic as rooms had to be equipped, colour schemes decided and grounds landscaped. Throughout the chaos panic and the committee’s occasional changing of their mind in relation to the facilities they would eventually offer in the premises thus causing changes to the internal layout our contractor had one phrase for us, “No problem”.As we neared completion we were approached by parents in the community who asked us if we could provide a crèche facility. We had a family room in the building so we approached Michelle Basquille and Joanne Doherty and once again asked for their help. Our playschool and after school opened in the new building on the 27th April 2009. Once in the door we then set about opening the toddler room. In August 2009 we recruited another two staff, bringing our staff total to six. In September of that year the doors of the toddler room opened bringing this new addition to the services we provided. It has been a tremendous success.We soon realised that the services we provided within the childcare centre had expanded to such an extent that as a voluntary committee we were unable to fully meet the requirements of the children, parents’ staff and the various agencies involved in the running of Robeen Rascals. We made the decision that we needed a manager and in December of 2009 our manager Terri Gallagher was appointed.In the space of three and a half years we have gone from the idea of a playschool, to a port a cabin with eight children and one staff member to what we have today - a purpose built childcare centre offering full day care for children from 1 to 12 years of age of which we have 45 currently enrolled and currently employs seven staff members. Robeen Rascals is aptly named as the local community refers to the building as the Rascals Centre. We have been able to open our doors to the community offering opportunities for a tea, biscuit and a chat after local events, such as Easter (with hot cross buns), holy communion and any social event going on in the locality. This achievement would not have been possible without the assistance of our staff, Kate, Karyn, Colette, Michelle, Bridie, Liama and Terri, our community and the support of our priests Fr. Paddy Sheridan and Fr. Ronnie Boyle. We would like to thank the MCCC for their support, and especially Michelle Basquille. We would like also to thank the HSE and especially Joanne Doherty, Pobal, and the time and dedication of the nine members of the voluntary committee. To all a very big thank you from Robeen Rascals.

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Preparation time: less than 30 mins

Cooking time: 10 to 30 mins

Makes 20-24 squares

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Needed:

Modelling Clay and Small Wooden SticksModelling clay - the brown modelling clay is best as it does not have any fibres in it and it is easy to work with. Show them how easy it is to shape. They can press their fingers into it. Halfway through the activity introduce the matchsticks which the children can stick into the modelling clay. Leave the clay to dry overnight. It can be painted if desired.

All Activities Link to Aistear, Siolta and Regulation 5

FROGS ON A LILY PAD: Links into Exploring and ThinkingPre-prepare the coloured squares by cutting up two sheets of coloured card into small squares.

BeginningBegin by telling the children a story about a frog who crossed a pond by jumping on coloured lily pads. Use a small plastic frog and two colours of square paper. Arrange the squares red-yellow, red-yellow. As you make the frog jump say the colour of the paper it lands on. Ask the children if they notice anything about the way the lily pads are arranged.

MiddleGive each child coloured paper and a small animal and watch how they arrange the paper. Comment on what you observe.

EndWatch to see if children make patterns or sort their squares by colours. Listen as children describe the patterns. Make notes.

Pre-school Children’s activities

after-school Children’s activities

Needed:

Black Paint, Cotton BudsWhy always paint with paintbrushes. This is a simple activity. Prep-repare some trays with black paint. Offer each child paper or card of their choice. Then leave some cotton buds on the table. Each child works with the cotton bud dipping it into the black paint and making marks on their paper. Children can be given extra paper to take a ‘print’ of their work by pressing it down on top of their painting. Introduce the word ‘print’.

Needed:

Foil Sculptures: Tin Foil

Each child is given a piece of tinfoil

which they can investigate. Get them

to describe it while you write down

comments like ‘shiny’ ‘flat’ ‘crinkly’

etc. Comment on what you can do

with the foil ie. Twist it, bend it,

squeeze it etc. Introduce the word

‘sculpture’. Ask the children if they

would like to sculpt their foil into

something. Have extra sheets of

tinfoil on the table. Let children show

each other what they sculpted. WallpaperRoll out a large section of wallpaper. Hold down with some masking tape on the floor. Place crayons or markers or paint trays along the middle of the wallpaper. Let children sit around the edge of the paper and work together on a large art project. You can try small rollers as an alternative to paint brushes, they give a lovely effect. You can also have post it notes available for the children to write on and stick onto the wallpaper.

Needed:

These fudgey brownies are as outrageously tempting as the picture suggests, especially when eaten warm from the oven.

Ingredients

275g/10oz plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids)275g/10oz unsalted butter85g/3oz pecans, broken into pieces85g/3oz milk chocolate, cut into large chunks85g/3oz white chocolate, cut into large chunks175g/6oz plain flour1 tsp baking powder4 large eggs, lightly beaten1 tsp vanilla essence325g/12oz caster sugar

Preparation Method

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas3. Line a 30x20x3.5cm/12x8x11/2in tin with lightly buttered greaseproof paper or foil.

Put the plain chocolate and butter in a large bowl, place over a pan of simmering water and allow to melt.

Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl and set aside. Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and stir in the sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla essence. Fold in the flour, nuts and chocolate.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared cake tin. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The top should be firm but the inside should feel soft when cooked. Allow to cool in the tin. Remove the brownies from the tin and cut into squares.

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Who are Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta?

Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta (CNNG) was established by Údarás na Gaeltachta in 2004 to manage and oversee the early childhood education infrastructure of the naíonraí which are located in the Gaeltacht regions. The CNNG main office is located in Carraroe, Co. Galway. There are regional offices located in Mayo, Donegal and Waterford which facilitate the delivery of early childhood education in these regions. Development Officers are employed in each region and they cover Mayo, Galway, Meath, Donegal, Waterford, Cork and Kerry. There are currently 82 naíonra sessions in operation throughout the various regions and they employ 137 staff.

Vision

To enable all children (between two years and ten months and five years of age) in the Gaeltacht regions to attend a high quality early childhood education facility through the medium of Irish.

What is a naíonra?

A naíonra is a preschool facility which promotes the overall development of the child. This is done through a play-based curriculum in Irish in a safe, healthy, motivational, welcoming, happy and supportive environment. The children attend the naíonra five days a week for three hours a day under the supervision of suitably qualified and trained staff.

Activities and Resources

The naíonra offers a wide range of activities which include drama, puppetry, crafts, exercise, music, song, rhymes, stories, dancing and many more which are aimed at developing the independence, self-confidence, courage and sense of pride and place in the young child. Some of the resources which are available to the CNNG naíonraí are educational equipment (in the naíonra itself and through the Toy Centre), various handbooks (the ‘Loinnir’ curriculum, Policies and Procedures Manual, Forms), training courses in childcare, in service days, insurance group scheme, support meetings and a regular newsletter.

The acquisition and enrichment of the Irish language

The naíonra operates solely through the medium of Irish. It is used to communicate with the children and amongst the staff in the naíonra. The ‘Loinnir’ curriculum is used in conjunction with the language planning scheme ‘Borradh’ to maximize the full developmental potential of the children, including their language development potential. The naíonra programme is structured to attend to the language requirements of the children regarding the acquisition of the language and the enrichment of the language in order to encourage and ensure the natural use of Irish amongst the children. A strong emphasis is placed on Irish and on the local dialect of the region in which the naíonra is located.

The advantages of bilingualism

International studies have indicated that bilingualism enhances the intellectual and awareness capacities of the person.

There are more employment opportunities for people who are bilingual (TG4, Raidió na Gaeltachta, EU Institutions etc.).

Being bilingual increases the self-respect and self-confidence of the child.

Being bilingual facilitates the learning of further languages in the future.

Being bilingual gives you access to a whole other sphere of heritage, literature and music.

Cé hiad Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta?

Bhunaigh Údarás na Gaeltachta an chuideachta, Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta Teo. (CNNG), in 2004, chun bainistiú agus riaradh a dhéanamh ar infreastruchtúr luathoideachais na naíonraí atá lonnaithe sa Ghaeltacht. Tá lároifig CNNG lonnaithe ar an gCeathrú Rua i gContae na Gaillimhe. Tá fo-oifigí ag CNNG i Maigh Eo, i nDún na nGall agus i bPort Láirge, a dhéanann freastal ar sheirbhís luathoideachais na Gaeltachta ina iomláine. Tá Oifigigh Forbartha fostaithe sna réigiúin seo agus déanann siad freastal ar Ghaillimh, ar Mhaigh Eo, ar an Mhí, ar Dhún na nGall, ar Chiarraí, ar Chorcaigh agus ar Phort Láirge. Tá 82 seisiún naíonra ar siúl ar fud na tíre faoi láthair agus tá 137 duine fostaithe acu.

Fís

Deis a thabhairt do gach páiste sa Ghaeltacht (idir dhá bhliain agus deich mí agus cúig bliana d’aois) freastal ar sheirbhís naíonra den chéad scoth trí mheán na Gaeilge.

Cad is naíonra ann?

Is áis réamhscoile é an naíonra a chuireann forbairt iomlán an pháiste chun cinn. Déantar é sin trí mheán an spraoi agus na Gaeilge i dtimpeallacht atá sábháilte, sláintiúil, spreagúil, fáilteach, sonasach agus tacúil. Tagann páistí le chéile sa naíonra, faoi chúram Stiúrthóra, cúig lá sa tseachtain ar feadh trí huaire a’ chloig gach lá.

Gníomhaíochtaí agus acmhainní

Bíonn gníomhaíochtaí ar nós drámaíochta, puipéad, ceardaíochta, aclaíochta, ceoil, amhrán, rann, scéalaíochta, damhsa agus cuid mhaith eile ar siúl sa naíonra le neamhspleáchas, féinmhuinín, misneach agus mórtas cine is ceantair a chothú sa pháiste óg. Ar na hacmhainní a bhfuil fáil orthu, tá trealamh oideachasúil (sa naíonra agus ón Ionad Bréagán), lámhleabhair (curaclam “Loinnir”, Polasaithe & Nósanna Imeachta, Foirmeacha), cúrsaí cáilíochta i gcúram leanaí, cúrsaí inseirbhíse, oiliúint, grúpscéim árachais, cruinnithe tacaíochta agus nuachtlitir rialta.

Sealbhú agus saibhriú na Gaeilge

Is í an Ghaeilge teanga an naíonra. Labhraítear Gaeilge sa naíonra i gcónaí - leis na páistí agus i measc baill foirne an naíonra. Úsáidtear an clár oibre “Loinnir” agus an scéim pleanála teanga “Borradh” le forbairt iomlán a dhéanamh ar na páistí, forbairt teanga san áireamh. Tá clár oibre an naíonra leagtha amach chun freastal go cuí ar riachtanais teanga na bpáistí maidir le sealbhú agus saibhriú na Gaeilge, chun úsáid nádúrtha na Gaeilge a chothú agus a bhuanú i measc na bpáistí. Cuirtear béim láidir ar Ghaeilge agus ar chanúint an cheantair ina bhfuil an naíonra lonnaithe.

Buntáistí an dara teanga

Léiríonn taighde idirnáisiúnta go gcabhraíonn an dátheangachas le cumas intleachta agus feasachta an duine.

Tá níos mó deiseanna fostaíochta ar fáil do dhaoine atá dátheangach (TG4, Raidió na Gaeltachta, Institiúidí an Aontais Eorpaigh etc.).

Méadaíonn an dátheangachas féinmheas agus féinmhuinín an pháiste.

De thairbhe an dátheangachais, beidh sé níos éasca ag do pháiste tuilleadh teangacha a fhoghlaim amach anseo.

Nuair a bhíonn dhá theanga ar a thoil ag duine, bíonn fáil ag an duine sin ar oidhreacht, litríocht agus ceol na dteangacha sin ón ‘taobh istigh’.

comhair naionrai teorantaBy Pattie Stundún.

For further information contact:

Pattie Stu ndún, Deve lopment Off icer

094 9543934

Tuilleadh eola is le fáil ó:

Pattie Stu ndún, Oif igea ch Forba rtha

094 9543934

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where to find us

Mayo County Childcare Committee contact details:

Funded by the Irish Governmentunder the National Development Plan 2007-2013

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026622

Mayo County Childcare Committee, First Floor, Chambers House, Ellison St., Castlebar, Co. Mayo.Tel: 094 9047010 Email: mayochildcare@mayococo.ieWebsite: www.mayochildcare.ie

Jim Power, Co-ordinator Email: jpower@mayococo.ie

Mary Conway, Administrator Email: maryconway@mayococo.ie

Angela Cope, Development Worker Email: acope@mayococo.ie

Olivia Donohoe, Development Worker Email: odonohoe@mayococo.ie

Michelle Basquille, Development Worker (job-share) Email: mbasquil@mayococo.ie

DisclaimerEvery effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is accurate and up to date. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of material in this publication can be accepted by Mayo County Childcare Committee and/or their respective servants or agents.

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