Childminders
CHILDMINDING WEEK 2011 - 'Learning is Fun!'
2011 National Childminding Week (April 9th - 16th) was an event-filled week for Galway childminders. The theme this year was 'Learning is Fun' and events around the city and county were well-attended by Childminders and parents. A 'Mad Scientist' entertained children at Westside Library with his 'Fire and Ice' show and a 'Scéalaí' enthralled local children at Carraroe library. Childminders were also treated to our annual Childminders' Seminar and Network Lunch, with workshops on Celebrating Difference & Diversity; Creativity in the Home and on the Health, Welfare and Development of the Child in your Care Click here for further details.
For further information about the events of Childminding Week 2011, contact Colette Coughlan, Childminder Advisory Officer at 091 752039 or email colette@galwaychildcare.com
Click on link below to view photos from this year's events:
Last year's National Childminding Week saw childminders reinforce the importance of outdoor play and was a great success. Click on the icon below for some memories...
AUTUMN TRAINING SCHEDULE FOR CHILDMINDERS
As promised, in conjunction with Forbairt Naíonraí Teo, we are facilitating a Basic Irish for Childminders' Course over 8 weeks, which started early October. Please get in touch if you wish to reserve a place. We are also currently devising an updated Child Protection course for Childminders, which will be held early November. The usual training will also be available, most of it free to childminders. Click here to view the complete range of training available to childminders this Autumn.
Questionnaire:
To make sure we meet your training needs, we've devised a questionnaire for you to answer that will help us meet your specific training needs. Click here to download. Please return completed questionnaire to colette@galwaychildcare.com.
If you feel there is any further training we can offer childminders, feel free to contact us. Over 250 childminders have benefited from targetted training based on feedback from the questionnaire in Galway City & County this year. We continue to urge childminders to attend all relevant training in the name of the continual professionalisation of a service you can be proud of.
CLUSTER NETWORKS AND PLAYGROUPS
Please note the following dates/times for cluster network meetings organised by childminders for childminders and their children - all are welcome:
Tuesdays - Ballybane Library (free), 10am
Friday am - Bonkers, Oranmore (small charge per child applies)
Halloween Party 3rd November - Loughwell Farm - €10 per child (under 2's go free), stay all day - need reservation in advance - contact our office for details
Childminders' Christmas Party - Saturday, 26th November, 8pm - need to reserve in advance - contact our office for details
For information on these and other possible opportunities, please contact Colette on 091 752039.
Childminders are currently researching new opportunities to continue to meet in Clusters around the city and county. Taking place in a community hall, library or any suitable venue, the aim is for childminders - whose role can sometimes be quite isolating - to have a place to bring their children along to meet and play with other childminders and their minded children. Childminders also have the opportunity to pool resources, knowledge, support and information as well as identifying any local challenges that can be brought to the Committee. The Galway City and County Childcare Committee is happy to assist and facilitate these networks - for example through room hire, publicising information or offering sports equipment. The main areas of interest so far are: Monivea; Claregalway; Tuam; Gort; Craughwell and Westside (City). Please contact us with your proposals / suggestions or for further details.
NETWORK MEETINGS
Our next network meeting takes place on Wednesday, 23rd November at 7.30pm sharp and will include a very special workshop on helping children deal with Loss and Separation, taking place before the network this time. Childminders are, as always, welcome to bring toys and equipment to swap with others present (see further below for details) and are welcome to stay afterwards for refreshments. Last September's network meeting produced very interesting creations and ideas from the workshop on Creativity in the Home. We also chose two childminders to act as an informal liaison between Childminders and the Galway City & County Childcare Committee. Jean Register will attend networks to liaise with childminders in the City and West areas and Hannah Collins will attend networks to liaise with childminders in the East county areas. Hannah and Jean can be an extra informal point of contact for gathering issues of pertinence to childminders and communicating these to the Galway City and County Childcare Committee through the Childminding Advisory Officer.
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 we can then source and offere to Childminders. In addition, relevant training workshops are regularly facilitated at these meetings - recent examples include Positive Behaviour Management; Fire Safety, 'Minding Your Business' 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.
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.
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. We are also holding a seminar on planning for inclusion in October - see our training schedule for details.
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].
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
- kitchen chair booster seat
- toy pram/buggy for wobbler/toddler
- outdoor equipment
CURRENT OFFERS:
- one children's sofa - good condition
- various used soft toys, puzzles and jigsaws - good condition
NCIP CHILDMINDING DEVELOPMENT GRANT (CMDG) 2008-10
CMAO VISITS
The Childminding Advisory Officer (CMAO) work hours are daily from 8am to 4pm. I hope to visit all notified Childminders over the next few months. I am here to support you in any way I can. Meanwhile, if any Childminders, or persons thinking of childminding (but not sure!) would like to request a support visit, please give me a ring on 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
Latest News
