These are the deadlines, information, and announcements for the week of 10th to 14th July 2023.
DEADLINES / IMPORTANT DATES:
Friday 14th July
Childminding Development Grant deadline *TODAY
Friday 21st July
Core Funding Quality Action Plan Report deadline
Friday 28th July 2023
Fee List/ Fee Table 2023/2024 will become available to complete on Hive
Monday 7th August 2023
Registrations for the 2023 CCSP Saver Programme opens
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Childminding Development Grant 2023 *TODAY
The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, on Wednesday announced the opening of the Childminding Development Grant 2023. The press release can be accessed through this link. Completed application forms and supporting documents can be submitted in person, by post or by email to Michelle Grant, Westmeath County Childcare Committee, Old Mullingar Area, Mullingar N91 E430 / childminding@westmeathchildcare.ie
The closing date for submission of applications is 4pm on Friday 14th July 2023.
Core Funding Quality Action Plan Report
All services in contract for Core Funding completed a Quality Action Plan in November 2022. You are now required to complete the Quality Action Report. A link to the report has been sent via email.
The deadline for completion of your Core Funding QAP is Friday the 21st of July.
Letter to ELC Providers from the National Child Safeguarding Programme
The National Child Safeguarding Programme would like to remind registered providers of ELC services that Part 2 of the Children First Act 2015 places specific obligations on organisations that provide relevant services to children. These obligations rest with the provider of the relevant service, as the person who employs one or more than one other person to undertake the relevant service.
It is imperative that registered providers of ELC services including Chairpersons of Boards of Management of Community Services and owners of chains of private services along with all other Tusla registered providers are aware of and understand their role, responsibilities, and obligations as both Providers of Relevant Services and Mandated Persons under the Children First Act, 2015.
See full letter attached for all information and ELC service’s Child Safeguarding Training Strategy.
National Síolta Aistear Initiative – Aistear and Play
The purpose of the NSAI is to support the implementation of our two National Frameworks-Síolta and Aistear. Aistear and Play is delivered by Better Start Early Years Specialists. This Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is an eligible activity for your Core Funding Quality Action Plan. The course will take place over five 2.5 hour in-person sessions. The course includes two mentoring visits by an Early Years Specialist, one after session 3 and another after session 5.
If your setting is interested in taking part in Aistear and Play, click HERE and complete your expression of interest. For further information go to Better Start’s website HERE
Fees Lists/ Fee Table for 2023/2024
For the Programme Year 2023/24 you will only have to complete one online Fee Table and one Parent Statement per family. This will mean services will only need to input their fees once on the Early Years Hive. The new Fee Table and Parent Statement will be available to complete from 28th July 2023.
Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) Saver Programme
Registrations for the 2023 CCSP Saver Programme will open on Monday 7th August 2023. The programme call for CCSP Saver Programme call will commence on Monday 14th August 2023. Guidance on completing a CCSP registration will be available closer to the programme call date.
Core Funding 2023/2024 Programme Year
The application process for the Core Funding 2023/2024 programme year is open.
Please ensure your Service Profile is up to date and you have completed the 22/23 Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey.
Existing Core Funding Partner Services who have completed the June Review and Confirm process to approved status will be able to transfer their most recent Core Funding Application data into their new Core Funding Application Module for 2023/2024. To submit a 2023/2024 Core Funding application Module please go to the Programmes page of the Early Years Hive.
Once a Partner Service has submitted their application, there is a 14-day window to activate the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement 2023 which they will find on the Programmes page of the Early Years Hive in the Available Programme Applications section.
If you require support completing an application, additional resources are available under the Core Funding Documents section on Hive. Your local CCC (County Childcare Committee) also remains available to assist you in completing your Core Funding Application Module.
Core Funding recorded webinars
Please see below link to the recent Core funding Webinar, slides and Q&A document that may be helpful.
Click on the link to view the recorded webinar.
- Webinar: Core Funding for the Programme Year 2023/2024
- Slides from the webinar
- Q & A document from the webinar
If you require any further assistance or clarification on any of the above, please contact the Early Years Provider Centre by raising a ticket as follows:
Programme: Core Funding
Request Type: Application
Request Type Detail: Application
Recording and Slides for Programme Readiness 2 ECCE & CCSP Savers webinars
The Early Years Team would like to thank all the service providers for their attendance at the Programme Readiness 2 ECCE & CCSP Savers webinars held recently.
A recording is now available under ‘Recorded webinars’ in the Training videos section on the Hive.
A copy of the PowerPoint slides used during the trainings are available here.
A document containing answers to questions asked during these webinars are also available.
Covid case advice
For general Covid-19 queries you can contact HSE on 1800 700 700 between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 5pm Saturday and Sunday or visit the HSE website https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/
Should you have any queries on any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0449335454 or info@westmeathchildcare.ie
