Dear Colleagues,
Here are the deadlines, important dates, and announcements for the week of 18 – 22 October 2021.
DEADLINES/IMPORTANT DATES:
Friday 29 October 2021
- Deadline for graduate LINC additional capitation applications with backdated payments
Sunday 31 October 2021
- Final date for completion of subsidised FAR training course (see below for details)
Monday 1 November 2021
- Final date for re-registration of ELC services
Friday 3 December 2021
- Final deadline for FAR reimbursement applications (see below for details)
FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
Tusla re-registration
The deadline for ELC services to complete their registration with Tulsa is now only 5 working days away. We cannot stress strongly enough how important it is for you to complete your submission in advance of the deadline. If your submission is not completed by 1 November, you risk sanction or restrictions/conditions being attached to your registration.
Mid-term updates on the Hive
If you need to make changes to registrations or calendars because of the upcoming mid-term break, you are advised to make those changes as quickly as possible. Changes cannot be made to service calendars or registrations once the return for that week has been submitted.
NCS service calendar – any closure during mid-term must be noted on your calendar. There is help on the Hive on adding a closure to your NCS calendar here.
NCS non-term hours – any children requiring additional hours during the mid-term will need to have their registrations amended. We have attached the quick guide to this process to the email.
CCSP – if the child’s hours are changing from part-time to full-time, you will need to input a CCSP leaver with the date of the change in service level. Then create a new registration with the up-dated levels of service for the correct period. Further details can be found on pages 14 and 15 of the attached CCSP registration guide.
Little Library Project
You may remember back in May the libraries launched their Little Library project – bags of books specifically chosen for ELC services. You would have been contacted by your library and invited in to collect your bag. We have been told that there are still some bags that haven’t been collected. So if you are one of those services that forgot, make contact with the library again.
Happy Talk October Newsletter – Lets expand
This month’s newsletter from Happy Talk (attached to this email) is all about expanding – showing a child how to use bigger words and longer sentences based on their own speech. The newsletter gives examples of how to use this skill as well as a rhyme and a mindful moment.
FAR training bursary
The regulatory requirement to have at least one person FAR trained available to children at all times in each service comes into force on 1 November 2021.
As a result, the FAR reimbursement scheme comes to an end on 31st October, with a final application deadline of 3 December. We have attached the reimbursement application form for your convenience.
Please remember the following:
- Only one payment can be made per service.
- The training must have been completed by 31 October 2021. Training completed after that date is not eligible for a payment under the scheme
- Completed FAR Reimbursement application form must be accompanied by a PHECC accredited FAR certificate and a copy of training payment receipt
Covid Case Support Helpline
The HSE helpline to advise service providers if they have been informed of a Covid-19 case in a child or a staff member will remain active for a short, transition period, following the changes to contact tracing for children. The number is 01 511 9777.
For those services who need support on engaging with the relevant authorities due to a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19, there is an out of hours helpline. The number is 1800 940 341. The service will be available Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays from 10.00 – 13.00 and 13.30 – 16.00.
Kind regards
Westmeath County Childcare Committee
