Childminders
NCIP CHILDMINDING DEVELOPMENT GRANT (CMDG) 2013
The DCYA has announced that a total budget of €250,000 is available nationally for Childminder Development Grants (CMDGs) in 2013. This will be released in one tranche to local Childcare Committees in May on a request basis..
The deadline for completed applications to the Galway City & County Childcare Committee – including home visits – was Friday, 12th April, 2013. Further updates regarding the grants will be made available after the appraisal process has been completed.
TRAINING SCHEDULE FOR CHILDMINDERS
If you feel there is any further training we can offer childminders, feel free to contact us. Last year, over 250 childminders in Galway City & County benefited from targetted training based on feedback from the questionnaire. We urge childminders to attend all relevant training to see the continual professionalisation of a service you can be proud of.
For network meeting workshops, see further below.
CHILDMINDING WEEK 2013
National Childminding Week 2013 was celebrated between the 13th and 19th of April. This year's theme was "From your Home to my Home". A network meeting organised for Childminders on Thursday, April 18th was a resounding success, with good attendance and very positive feedback from Childminders participating in the organic gardening workshop, "A Simple Grow Box", that also took place on the night.
Last year's annual Childminders' Seminar for Galway City and County took place during National Childminding Week. Over 40 attendees enjoyed an interactive workshop on Incorporating Outdoor Play into a childminding setting; an inspiring workshop on using music with children and an informative information session with Galway's Pre-school Services leader. Childminders enjoyed their annual network lunch afterwards and all were in agreement that this year's Childminders' Seminar was another success. Click here for more.
Past National Childminding Week events have traditionally been fun-filled and well-attended by childminders, their children and even parents all over Galway City and County. Events have included a 'Fire and Ice' show; Storytellers and 'Scéalaí' as well as workshops on Celebrating Difference & Diversity; Creativity in the Home and on the Health, Welfare and Development of the Child in your Care.
For further information about events during Childminding Week, contact Colette Coughlan, Childminder Advisory Officer at 091 752039 or email colette@galwaychildcare.com
Scroll down further for a look back at previous Childminding Week events.
ECCE SCHEME
Contact the office for details on 091 752039.
CHILDMINDER EVENTS
Click on links below to view photos from previous events:
NETWORK MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS
The most recent Childminders' network meeting took place on Thursday, April 18th during Childminding Week 2013. Childminders were invited to come along to hear the latest updates from the Galway City and County Childcare Committee and to meet up and exchange ideas. We also invited The Organic Gardener, Fergus Whitney to give a workshop on "A Simple Grow Box" for Childminders. This demonstration showed how simple produce can be planted in Childminders' gardens.
Childminders work without peer support within the physical workplace, but can access others in their profession through the Galway City and County Childcare Committee's Childminder Network Meetings.
The aim of Childminders' Network Meetings is to share information and expertise in relation to supporting and improving quality childminding. As well as providing a mechanism for peer support, the network meetings also assist the Galway Childcare Committee in identifying training needs and gaps, which can be served by the Committee. In addition, relevant training workshops are regularly facilitated at these meetings.
Childminders' network meetings in 2012 included an information presentation on Medical Issues and Epi-pen demonstration; Fire Safety in the Childminding Setting; a very important info evening on Meningitis from ACT for Meningitis and a succinct and useful workshop in April on the Business side of Childminding. Outdoor play and music featured in the annual Childminders Seminar and Network Lunch (see above). Childminders also took part in an informal workshop on a Critical Incident Plan for childminders, who are particularly vulnerable when facing a critical incident due to the fact that they mostly work on their own. Other topics covered in the past include Positive Behaviour Management; Dealing with Loss and Separation and Manual Handling. Mostly, however, the networks are for childminders, who work alone, to liaise with other like-minded individuals to swap stories and questions and benefit from each other's experience.
Childminders are, as always, welcome to bring toys and equipment to swap with others present and are welcome to stay afterwards for refreshments. For any childminders who cannot attend, please contact our office or your Childminder Liaison. Jean Register liaises with childminders in the City and West areas and Hannah Collins with childminders in the East county areas. Hannah and Jean are an extra informal point of contact for childminders to gather issues of pertinence to childminders and communicate these to the Galway City and County Childcare Committee through the Childminder Advisory Officer and ultimately to the Board of the Galway City and County Childcare Committee.
Please support your local network. If there are any issues you would like to put on the agenda for the next meeting, please contact CMAO Colette Coughlan on 091 752039.
Meanwhile, please note the following days/times for regular childminder get-togethers organised by childminders for childminders and their children - they welcome all:
Tuesdays - Ballybane Library (free), 10am
Friday am - Bonkers, Oranmore (small charge per child applies)
For information on these and other possible opportunities, please contact Colette on 091 752039.
Accommodating Children with Additional Needs
A recent network meeting saw Galway Childminders introduced to the new Protocol for the Inclusion of Children with Additional Needs in a Childcare Setting. Many Childminders have thought about including children with additional needs in their service but were not sure how to go about doing this. The Galway Childcare Committee is happy to assist and advise Childminders with an interest in this area.
QUALITY CHILDMINDING
A new poster and flier celebrating quality childminding was launched at our our Annual Conference. Parents are advised on what to look for when seeking a QUALITY childminder. Click here to download flier - if you would like a poster, please contact our offices and we'll send one out to you. [Irish version also available].
Meanwhile, Childminders are welcome to attend our Quality Awareness Programme - a 12-hour introductory course to Childminding - contact Colette for details or visit our training calendar for upcoming dates.
CHILDMINDERS' EQUIPMENT SWAP
Childminders are often interested in whether the Galway City and County Childcare Committee has any available second-hand equipment or toys. Our last network meeting 'toy swap' was a great success. We've had a number of queries on equipment since and while it's up to you childminders to arrange the swap, we can facilitate the exchange of information. You can e-mail the Committee with any requests or offers of toys and equipment and the Childminding Advisory Officer (CMAO) will upload the information here once we have a list. Contact CMAO, Colette Coughlan for further details: colette@galwaychildcare.com
CURRENT REQUESTS:
- baby equipment, including cot
- children's bicycles for outdoor play
- outdoor equipment
CURRENT OFFERS:
- Various used soft toys, puzzles and jigsaws
CMAO VISITS
The Childminding Advisory Officer (CMAO)is available to support childminders daily from 9.00am to 1.00pm. Meanwhile, if any Childminders, or persons thinking of childminding (but not sure!) would like to request a support visit, please phone 091 752039 or email colette@galwaychildcare.com. The role of the CMAO is to support childminders or potential childminders in offering a quality service to parents and their children - The Galway City and County Childcare Committee has a number of resources that can help with this. Phone now for a starter pack and any further information.
Colette Coughlan, Childminding Advisory Officer
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