Dear Colleagues,
These are the information, deadlines, and announcements for the week of 22nd – 25th April 2025.
DEADLINES / IMPORTANT DATES:
1st May 2025
Nurturing Skills Learner Fund application process closes
14th May 2025
May Core Funding Review and Confirm open from 2nd May-14th May 2025
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FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Nurturing Skills Learner Fund 2025 2026
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (NSLF) is open to applicants for the academic year 2025/2026. NSLF will cover 90% of the course fees for successful applicants.
Information on the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund can be found here.
Applicants must contact NSLF@pobal.ie to request a link to register on the NSLF Student Portal, upload their employment details and complete the new application process.
The application process closes on 1st May 2025.
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Updated Service Profile and May Core Funding Review and Confirm
Updated Service Profile – Changes from 2 May on Early Years Hive
From 2 May you will see the following changes to questions on the Service Profile:
Facility Details section:
- Two new mandatory questions about wheelchair accessibility will be added. These questions were previously part of the Annual Early Years Sector Profile and will now be blank and are mandatory to complete.
Members section:
- New mandatory questions are added for each staff type.
- Two job titles will be removed from the ‘Out of Ratio’ staff type: AIM Level 7 (Assigned to specific children) and Equal Start Resource Allocation. Existing ‘Out of Ratio’ staff with these job titles will be updated to ‘In Ratio Staff.’ These need to be reviewed, and all mandatory fields updated.
All new questions are mandatory; you must review and update information for all existing staff members. Partner Services are responsible for ensuring their Service Profile is accurate and up to date.
A detailed Service Profile guidance document is available soon on the Early Years Hive to help services update their Service Profile.
May Core Funding Review and Confirm
There has been a change to the opening date of the May Core Funding Review and Confirm window, which will now open from the 2 May to 14 May 2025.
This process ensures Core Funding payments continue by allowing Partner Services to check their most recent application information. Partner Services can then choose to:
- Review and Confirm with Changes
- Review and Confirm without Changes
Partner Services with an approved May Review and Confirm record can auto-populate their Application Module for the 2025/2026 Programme Year to help reduce administration. More information will be provided soon.
Before completing the Review and Confirm, Partner Services should:
- Make sure data captured in the Service Profile is accurate and up to date for the 2024/2025 programme year, including hourly rates of pay for staff members.
- Make sure your Core Funding Application status is ‘Approved.’ If it is ‘Referred back,’ fix the issue and complete the May Review and Confirm process once its status is ‘Approved.’
- If your most recent ‘Approved’ Core Funding application record has an Update Due Date on or before May 2, 2025, action this during your Review and Confirm process. Use the ‘Review and Confirm with Changes’ option to either replace the departed staff member or reduce your capacity.
After the Review and Confirm window closes, Core Funding payments will continue as per the schedule on the Early Years Hive, as long as your May Review and Confirm status is at ‘Approved.
You can find Core Funding support and training materials in the Help and Support section of the Early Years Hive.
May Core Funding Review and Confirm
Prior to completing the Review and confirm task on please ensure the following:
- Your service profile is up to date
- Your Core Funding application is at ‘approved’ status
- Any update due dates are completed
The Review and Confirm task can then be completed
- R&C with changes
- R&C without changes
Partner Services with an approved May Review and Confirm record can auto-populate their Application Module for the 2025/2026 Programme Year. This will help reduce administration. More information to follow.
Mandatory questions added to service profile
From May 2nd additional questions will be added to the service profile:
Facility Details section:
- Two new mandatory questions about wheelchair accessibility will be added. These questions were previously part of the Annual Early Years Sector Profile.
Staff Information:
- New mandatory questions are added for each staff type.
- Two job titles will be removed from the ‘Out of Ratio’ staff type: AIM Level 7 (Assigned to specific children) and Equal Start Resource Allocation.
- Existing ‘Out of Ratio’ staff with these job titles will be updated to ‘In Ratio Staff.’ These need to be reviewed, and all mandatory fields updated.
All new questions are mandatory, existing staff information needs to be review and updated.
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Upcoming Events
AIM – Information session Service Providers
Westmeath & Longford County Childcare Committees together with Better Start will host an on-line information session for service providers interested in finding out about the AIM Programme.
This session will also include changes within AIM – AIM Plus & Non-term time.
This event will take place on Wednesday 30th April 2025.
Bookings through Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/1272180579359?aff=oddtdtcreator
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AIM – Information session for Parents
Westmeath & Longford County Childcare Committees together with Better Start will host an online information session for parents interested in finding out about the AIM programme.
The session will take place on Wednesday 7th May @ 7pm.
Please share the attached poster with parents of children who may be interested in attending.
Booking through Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/1272192645449?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Supporting Postive Behaviour in the ECCE setting
Westmeath CCC are delighted to welcome Dr. Mary O’Kane for an online webinar for early years educators on Supporting Positive Behaviour in the ECCE setting .
Date : Wednesday 21st May 2025
Time : 7pm -9pm.
Fee : €10
Tickets are available through Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/1311655931199?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Covid Case Advice
Please see below links to relevant information: Preventing the spread of covid 19 in school or childcare – HSE & Pre_School_ManagementInfectiousDisease.pdf
General Covid-19 queries: Contact HSE on 1800 700 700 between 8 am and 8 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am – 5 pm Saturday and Sunday / HSE Covid-19
