Dear Colleagues,
These are the deadlines, information, and announcements for the week of 18th -22nd September 2023.
Friday 29th September (5pm)
Deadline for Learner Fund applications
Friday 27th October 2023 (5pm)
Deadline to apply for new LINC graduate capitation backdated to the start of the programme year
Tuesday 14th November 2023
Updating Aistear Phase 2 Consultation ends
Core Funding Quality Action Plan
Core Funding requires all early learning and care (ELC), school-age childcare (SAC) and childminding services that benefit from Core Funding to complete a quality planning template to compile their Core Funding Quality Action Plan (QAP). You will have received an email with the details of the QAP, and associated links required to submit same. Once you have completed the QAP please remember to Edit your Service Profile on HIVE and upload the QAP in the relevant section.
As always if you require support or guidance, please contact your Development Worker.
Invitation to participate in Children First: Implementation Workshop Pilot
The Tusla Children First Information and Advice Service, in conjunction with the National Child Safeguarding Programme are interested in piloting an Implementation Workshop & Focus Group on the development of a Child Safeguarding Statement and the associated procedures. The Pilot will take place on 16th October 2023 in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone. If you are interested in attending the pilot please refer to the document attached for further information.
Opt-out template for ECCE/NCS- Core Funding Services
Pobal have released a template for services who are signed up for Core Funding but have no ECCE/NCS registrations on HIVE because parents have chosen not to avail of ECCE/NCS. The template is used to show that the service offered ECCE/NCS but parents opted out of availing of the funding programmes. Please refer to the announcement on HIVE which was published on 19th September, for access to the template and further information.
AIM level 1 for 2023/2024 programme year
The AIM Level 1 application process has now opened on Early Years Hive for services with new graduates of the Leadership for Inclusion (LINC) programme. A ‘new graduate’ refers to any person graduating in October 2023. Applications received by5pm on Friday 27th October 2023will be awarded the additional capitation from the Inclusion Co-Ordinator’s employment start date relevant to the 2023/24 programme year. Applications received after this date will not be backdated. Applications must be submitted via the Early Years Hive. Prior to submitting the AIM Level 1 application, service providers must ensure that they have completed their ECCE programme readiness steps and activated the ECCE Funding Agreement.
Should you have any queries in relation to the AIM Level 1 application process please contact the Early Years Provider Centre by raising a Request on HIVE.
DCEDIY’s Learner Fund Bursary for Early Learning and Care practitioners is open until 29th September for new graduates of a recognised Early Childhood Education and Care degree programme at level 7/8/9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) which was achieved in the academic years 2015 – 2023. Please email kmurray@westmeathchildcare.ie for the application forms and details on how to apply.
Application forms must be completed and returned to kmurray@westmeathchildcare.ie by 5pm on 29th September 23. Please share the details with your staff members who may be eligible.
Westmeath County Childcare Committee are currently checking Fee Tables 2023/2024. Once your Fee Table is approved you will receive an email confirmation of approval to keep on file for Pobal compliance purposes. If changes are required, the Fee Table can be edited.
*Please note when changes are submitted to the Fee Table the changes do not carry over to the Parent Statement therefore if changes are requested you will need to redo your Parent Statement and if they have already been sent to parents, they will need to be resent and resigned*
NCS Compliance Inspections – 2023/24 Programme call
As the new NCS programme call 2023/2024 has commenced, NCS on-site inspections will continue. The compliance process will involve a series of standardised checks aimed at confirming adherence with programme rules, contract conditions and relevant legislation as set out by DCEDIY.
It is advised that services prepare for an unannounced compliance inspection by collating relevant information for review e.g. in a Compliance File which can be made readily available to the Compliance Visit Officer on arrival. This will ensure minimum disruption and speed up the compliance inspection. It is acknowledged that services file their records in different ways, which is acceptable, but it should be noted that records must be available to enable the Compliance Visit Officer to complete the compliance inspection in a reasonable timescale. In this regard the person in charge on-site must have access to the Compliance File/records. Please only maintain compliance related information in the Compliance Folder.
NB: NCS inspections require 12 months of records available and accessible for review.
With the commencement of the NCS 2023/24 inspection cycle, the Pobal Compliance team have updated the relevant NCS compliance support documents which are available on the Hive under the Resources section.
Updating Aistear Phase 2 Consultations
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has begun Phase 2 of the consultation process to update Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. You can view the Consultation Report from Phase 1 here, while this video explains the proposed changes to Aistear.
Educators and other stakeholders are invited to share their views on the proposed Framework. This can be done via an online questionnaire, a written submission or by participating in an online focus group in the coming weeks. The consultation will run until Tuesday 14th November 2023.
This is an important opportunity to have your voice heard and to help inform the updating of Aistear,so it continues to have a positive influence on the learning and development of babies, toddlers and young children.
To access all consultation materials, please visit: Updating Aistear Consultation
Covid case advice
Please find below links to information from the HPSC in relation to Covid-19 and information from the HSE for ELC and SAC providers on preventing the spread of Covid-19 and children returning to ELC and SAC settings.
We would be grateful if you share this information with parents, guardians, and staff.
https://www.hpsc.ie/news/title-23357-en.html (updated 11th August 2023)
https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/preventing-the-spread/
https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/preventing-the-spread/child-returning-to-school-or-childcare/
In addition, please find link below to the Management of Infectious Diseases in Childcare Facilities guidance resource.
https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/lifestages/childcare/File,13444,en.pdf Management of Infectious Disease in Childcare Facilities and Other Childcare Settings (2012)
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
