Newsletter week ending 14 January 2022

Dear Colleagues,

Happy New Year to you and welcome to the first bulletin of 2022. Just a reminder that this bulletin is a round-up of the week’s news and announcements in the Early Years sector. You will have received notifications from the Dept. and other agencies as well as on the Hive, we round them all up and gather them in one place for your convenience.

Here are the deadlines, important dates, and announcements for the week of 10 – 14 January 2022.

DEADLINES/IMPORTANT DATES:

Friday 28 January 2022

• December 2021 Community Service FIRs completion deadline

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

NCS refresher webinars

Pobal are running some webinars, to provide updates on the NCS. They will be covering:

1. Universal eligibility cut off and impact on ECCE

2. Rounding up hours

3. Parent confirmation of CHICKs

4. Renewal of a CHICK

5. Attendance tracker

6. Funding (Allocations, Settlements, bridging and key points)

7. Navigating resources

There are only 500 places available for each webinar. Therefore, we would suggest that only staff who have responsibility for the administration of NCS attend. Also, Pobal have requested that you don’t book multiple tickets across different webinars as the places are limited. Please click on the relevant link and time to register your attendance.

You will also find the links on both the Hive and PIP.

ECCE and CCSP saver compliance documents.

Compliance checklists and guidance documents have been uploaded to PIP and the Hive. They are:

• ECCE Compliance Checklist 2021 – 2022
• ECCE Service provider guide 2021 – 2022
• CCSP Savers compliance checklist 2021 – 2022
• CCSP Savers service provider guide 2021 – 2022

Leadership for INClusion in the Early Years

LINC Graduate? LINC+, the CPD Programme for LINC Graduates will open for new registrations on Monday, January 17, at 9am.

To find out more or register for an information session visit this page on the LINC website: https://lincprogramme.ie/cpd-for-incos

Free on-line parenting talks

Eithne Drinan, working with the Libraries and Healthy Ireland is giving a number of parenting talks during January. She is looking at the topics parenting in a pandemic, co-parenting and navigating anxiety. The talks are aimed at parents, co-parents and professionals working with children. We have attached the poster to this email, with details of the booking links, for you to advertise them to your staff and parents.

Notifying Tusla of a Covid case

Earlier this week, the DCEDIY sent out a reminder of your obligation to notify Tusla if you have a positive case of Covid in a pre-school child attending your service, an employee, a volunteer, a contractor or anyone else working in the service.

You must complete the Covid 19 Notification form (attached to this email). If you have multiple cases, just include their details on the form. You don’t have to submit a separate form for each case.

Covid case advice

There are two national helplines for services.

The HSE dedicated number for ELC/SAC services who have confirmed Covid-19 cases is 01 511 9777.

The national support helpline operates at weekends and bank holidays only.