These are the deadlines, information, and announcements for the week of 10th -14th February 2025.
DEADLINESS / IMPORTANT DATES:
14th February 2025 *TODAY*
Review and Confirm window for Core Funding closes
21st February 2025
LINC+ CPD Programme for LINC Graduates closes @ 4pm
28th February 2025
Deadline for Core Funding Income and Expenditure Template Year 2
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Core Funding February Review and Confirm
The February Review and Confirm window has been open between 1st February -14th February 2025.
Core Funding supports and training materials can be found under the Help and Support section of the Early Years Hive.
Reporting Requirements for Core Funding Year 2
The deadline for submitting the completed Income and Expenditure for Year 2 is 28th February 2025.
The CFCRRS portal is now open for submissions. Guidance is available on the Early Years Hive >‘Core Funding Reporting Requirement Year 2 (2023/2024)’. If you have any further queries or requests, please email support@cfcrrs.ie.
AIM Level 5 Equipment – Transfer of Ownership
The ‘Transfer of Ownership’ process for AIM Level 5 equipment will open this month on the Hive. The Transfer of Ownership of relevant AIM equipment, from Pobal and DCEDIY to the relevant party, occurs at the end of the child’s participation in the ECCE programme. The completion of this process will determine the destination and ownership of the AIM Level 5 equipment item. As per the AIM rules, section 7.20 “ELC services and parent(s)/guardian(s) must engage with Pobal in relation to the transfer of ownership of equipment (including returning signed transfer of ownership forms, as appropriate). Equipment provided under AIM Level 5 should not be removed from the pre-school until the transfer of ownership process is completed. Guides and training videos are available in the Help & Support section on the Early Years Hive.
LINC+ CPD Programme for LINC Graduates
The LINC+ CPD Programme was created to enable graduates of the LINC Programme to benefit from regular professional support and development, through additional training, networking, and development of communities of practice. This online programme is funded by DCEDIY.
Registration for the LINC+ CPD Programme for LINC Graduates is now open and will close on Friday 21st February 2025 at 4pm. To register please use the following link: LINC Programme CPD
New Garda Vetting procedures
Tusla will now provide the Garda Vetting Application Service for Registered Providers of Early Years & School Age Childcare Services, Childminders, and those applying for registration.
Applications must be submitted via the new Tusla Garda Vetting Portal. To support Registered Providers and Childminders Tusla has created a dedicated Garda Vetting section on their website, along with a Guidance Document, FAQ and a pathway infographic. Additional information is available on the DCEDIY website here Garda Vetting for the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Aged Childcare (SAC) sector
Please note Tusla will not provide vetting for employees, volunteers, or cover personnel in childcare services. Vetting for these staff members must be obtained from Early Childhood Ireland. Students on work placement must apply through their educational institution.
Childminding Development Grant 2025
Norma Foley, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, recently announced the opening of the 2025 Childminding Development Grant.
The total budget of €500,000 reflects the high demand for the grant in previous years. It also reflects the Government’s commitment to support childminders to prepare for registration with Tusla.
The Childminding Development Grant of up to €1,000 is open to all childminders, including those who are planning to open a childminding business in 2025. The grant aims to support childminders to enhance quality and safety in their service through the purchase of toys, childcare equipment, safety equipment, equipment to support inclusion and STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths), as well as IT equipment to assist childminders to engage with training and registration processes later in the year.
Applications for the Childminding Development Grant are made to Westmeath County Childcare Committee. The grant application window is from 4th February 2025 to 4th April 2025.
For further information about the Childminding Development Grant or the National Action Plan for Childminding, visit www.gov.ie/childminding or contact Westmeath County Childcare Committee at childminding@westmeathchildcare.ie / 0449335454
Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Services are required to have a procedure in place that outlines how all workers and volunteers can access information and training that is relevant to their role in child safeguarding. The National Child Safeguarding Programme have developed the attached poster to support services to develop a Child Safeguarding Information and Training Procedure. It is recommended that this training cycle is completed over a 5 year cycle.
Further information on developing child safeguarding procedures can be found in the Child Safeguarding Resource Document; Guidance for Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Services in Ireland and on the National Child Safeguarding Programme website https://childsafeguardingelc.ie/
Westmeath County Childcare Committee would like to invite all preschools to enter this year’s Community Awards 2025 by submitting an application in the following category;
Schools Environmental Competition
The aim of the Competition is to showcase environmental projects, undertaken by local Westmeath schools. This competition is open to all schools [pre-school, National and Secondary] within the County. The project can be undertaken by a group within a class, a class, a group of classes or the whole school.
The projects are based on environmental positive actions/message within a school. The 2025 project is for each applicant school to make, plant and grow 4 flowering window boxes. The magnitude of the window boxes is not overly important but rather weighted towards the sustainability of the box and/or if the box can be built upon in future years. However, as an environmental project, upcycling and recycled materials must be used. Above all, it should be educational, artistic, fun and where possible innovative. So, make a statement and go large and be original as often as you can.
Application:
Online Applications must be completed by 4pm Friday 7th March 2025.
Supporting documentation (including photos etc) and any further queries can be submitted by email to: communitygrants@westmeathcoco.ie or telephone 044 9332051.
For more information, please find School environmental competition guidelines and application below.
Closing date for applications is Friday 7th March 2025
Upcoming training and Events
ALWAYS CHILDREN FIRST FOR EARLY YEARS SERVICES
Basic Level –One day training course.
Date: 27th March 2025
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: €20
Venue: Westmeath County Childcare Committee Training Room, N91 E430
Book through Eventbrite : https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/1028002040777?aff=oddtdtcreator
ONE BOOKING PER SERVICE – Any duplicate or second bookings will be cancelled and refunded accordingly.
Diversity Equality and Inclusion
Westmeath CCC will be delivering our next suite of DEI training for early years educators over 2 dates.
Date :Thursday 27th February – Time 1.30 pm -5.00 pm
Date:Thursday 6th March – Time – 1.30 pm -5.00 pm
Venue – Westmeath CCC training room postcode – N91E430
We will explore a wide variety of challenges early childhood services that can inhibit or prevent services operating in a fully inclusive manner.
Some of the topics covered.
- Terminology
- Stages of Discrimination
- Anti-Bias goals
- Reviewing the Early Years environment
- Challenging Discrimination
- Development of Inclusion Policy.
The programme uses strength based Anti-Bias approach throughout. For booking, please email nreid@westmeathchildcare.ie with the following details.
Attendance of the DEI programme can be used as Continuous Professional Development under Equal Start Programme and Core funding QAP requirements.
Critical Incident in ELC & SAC
Westmeath CCC are planning to deliver workshops in QTR 2 on Critical Incidents – Planning and Responding in Mullingar and Athlone.
To submit your EOI, please complete the MS form . https://forms.office.com/e/syReP1uzQn
We will contact interested parties with dates and times of critical incident sessions.
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
