Dear Colleagues,
These are the deadlines, information, and announcements for the week 13th -16th March 2023.
DEADLINES / IMPORTANT DATES:
Thursday 16th March
AIM Level 5 Transfer of Ownership process is now open (see below)
Friday 24th March
Closing date for surveys and submissions on Review of Special Education Legislation
Wednesday 29th March until Friday 7th April inclusive
The second Core Funding ‘Review and Confirm’ window will be open for all Partner Services (see below)
31st March
Deadline for submission of your Core Funding Quality Action Plan amendment if required (see below)
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Core Funding Quality Action Plan amendment if required.
When submitting your Core Funding Quality Action plan services were informed there would be an opportunity mid-year to amend your plan if necessary. Now you are being asked to review your Quality Action Plan. If you do not require any changes to be made you do not need to do anything.
However, if you selected an option which you would now like to change please email your Development Worker or info@westmeathchildcare.ie and we will send you a new link to complete your revised Quality Action Plan.
If you would like to discuss your Core Funding QAP please don’t hesitate to contact your Development Worker.
The deadline for completion of the changes to your QAP, if required, is 31st March 2023.
Core Funding Review and Confirm
Under the Core Funding Programme, Partner Services are required to ‘Review and Confirm’ their Core Funding Application information throughout the programme year.
The second ‘Review and Confirm’ window will open to all Partner Services on Wednesday 29th March until Friday 7th April inclusive. This process enables Core Funding payments to continue by facilitating Partner Services to confirm that no changes have occurred or to submit an Application Change. To complete the second Review and Confirm process a Partner Service must have completed the first Review and Confirm process. If a service has not completed the first R&C process by Thursday 23rd March, their Core Funding application will be declined, and where appropriate all funding paid will be recouped.
If a Partner Service does not complete the second ‘Review and Confirm’ process within the required timeframe, Core Funding payments will be placed on hold until such a time as the process is completed. Please note, the late submission of a ‘Review and Confirm’ form noting a decrease to the base rate value will be effective from the change effective date rather than the last day of the review and confirm window.
Preparing for Review and Confirm
To complete the Review and Confirm process your Core Funding Application Module must be at status Approved.
If your previous application/application change is at “Approved” and you have an application change at a “Draft” status you must abandon the draft application prior to completing the Review and Confirm form.
If your application is at “Referred back”, you must address the reason for the refer back and then complete the review and confirm process.
Application Changes
Core Funding Application Changes functionality remains available on Hive and permits service providers to make changes to their Core Funding Application Module. Partner Services are encouraged to ensure their most recent Core Funding Application Module is up to date and accurate, to proceed through the ‘Review and Confirm’ process with little to no changes required.
To support services in completing a Review & Confirm form a detailed guidance document and tailored training videos are available in the Resources section of the Early Years Hive.
AIM Level 5 Transfer of Ownership
The AIM Level 5 Transfer of Ownership process is now open (Thursday 16th March). Services with AIM Level 5 equipment which is due to transfer at the end of the ECCE 2022/23 programme call will be issued with a notification on the Early Years Hive.
A How to Guide and recordings of the Training Webinars are now available in the Help & Support section on the Early Years Hive.
Should you have any queries in relation to AIM Level 5 Transfer of Ownership please contact the Early Years Provider Centre by raising a Request on Hive as follows:
– Programme: AIM Level 5
– Request Type: Equipment
– Request Type Detail: Transfer of Ownership
Building Blocks Improvement Grants
Pobal have received higher than expected numbers of applications for the Building Blocks Improvement Grant. Pobal are working closely with the Department of Children, Equality, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) to finalise the list of approvals. Pobal will notify you in the coming weeks by issuing a notification to the Primary Authorised User (PAU) of the organisation through the Early Years Hive.
Please monitor your notifications which will include details of next steps and timelines.
Review of Special Education Legislation:
The Department of Education wants to hear your views on your personal experience with Special Education. There is a law that governs how education is provided to students with special educational needs. This law is known as the EPSEN Act 2004. It has been the law for about 18 years. The Department is looking at this law, to see if it is suitable and if it works in the way that it should.
This survey is open to students who have special educational needs, who are in school or recently finished school, they also want to hear from parents, teachers, special needs assistants, school staff and members of the public about your experience with the special education system.
Please see further information, including links to the surveys, in the communication attached to this bulletin.
The closing date for the surveys and open submission responses is 24th March 2023.
Special School Summer Programme
The Department of Education have developed a pilot programme for special schools.
They have extended the criteria to allow applications from early childhood workers to work in a SNA role during the course of the programme – minimum 2 weeks, maximum 5 weeks long.
This is a paid role with an hourly rate the same as the SNA rate of €16.77 per hour. The hours are 10am-2pm but will be paid for the full school day.
In order to register your interest, you would need to set up an account on Educationposts.ie/ then go into ‘Advertise’ and then ‘Summer Programme Portal’. Applicants can then decide which location they wish to work in.
For full details please follow the link below and refer to the flyer attached to this bulletin:
Summer Programme Special School
Review of the ECCE programme
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY ) have commissioned Stranmillis University College Belfast, to carry out an independent 10-year review of the ECCE programme, led by Dr Glenda Walsh.
The purpose of the review is to establish which aspects of the current programme work well and what needs to be improved, and the findings will inform future developments to the programme.
As part of the review, they would like to visit 30 ECCE settings across the country to observe “ECCE in practice” and speak to managers, staff, parents and children about their experiences and views on the ECCE programme.
They are currently recruiting ECCE settings for these visits and have developed the attached flyer if you are interested in participating. If you require further information or have any queries, please contact info@westmeathchildcare.ie
The National Parents Council
The National Parents Council have provided some resources that may be of interest to you and your families, please see links below and flyer attached.
Resources for Ukrainian Parents
Supports for parents of children transitioning from preschool to primary school
Transition from preschool to primary school video translated subtitles
Covid case advice
ELC and SAC providers and Childminders that have positive cases and require support can contact the HSE ELC/SAC dedicated helpline on 01 511 9777.
For general Covid-19 queries you can contact HSE live on 1800 700 700 or 01 240 8787 or visit the First 5 website for the most up to date information and guidance. (www.first5.gov.ie)
