Ireland spends just under 0.2% of its GDP on early childhood education.

Petition to make sure SNA allocations are published before the end of the school year.

In launching its annual Pre Budget Submission, Barnardos is urging the Government to invest in services that would support and empower families to protect and encourage children’s development. Here are their recommendations: Allocating an additional 20 million to Tusla's budget, on the basis that it is ring-fenced exclusively for preventative work. This would enable them to pump-prime the development of wraparound services within the community for children in the care system, or at risk of going into care, to enable those children to remain with their families (or to come home to their families) on the basis that holistic, timely, proportional and accessible supports existed for them. Committing €54m annually for the next five years to clear waiting lists that prevent children from accessing vital health assessments and treatments. A total investment of €268m would see the recruitment of an extra 917 speech and language therapists, 934 occupational therapists, 1,019 physiotherapists and 1,015 child psychologists. Introducing genuinely free primary education at the cost of €103.2m per annum. This is only an extra yearly cost-per-pupil of just €185. This would provide all textbooks and workbooks, remove the need to pay for classroom resources and voluntary contributions, provide free transport for those availing of the School Transport Scheme and restore capitation rates back to 2010 levels. Building more social housing units to increase supply and reduce the over reliance on the private rented sector. Keep Rent Supplement rates and Housing Assistance Payments in line with market rents to prevent more families becoming homeless. Continuing investment in early childhood care and education but with particular focus on improving quality in services by raising capitation rates, supporting trained staff and including childminders. Thoughts?

You can sign the petition here http://www.bigstart.ie/petition

OMEP Ireland would like to extend our deepest sympathies to Minister Katherine Zappone on the passing of her wonderful wife. Rest in peace.

IMPACT are holding a series of meetings which will provide legal advice on the ECCE contracts. Dates and locations below! The meetings will start at 6pm where from 6 – 6.35pm the meetings will be open to the public. During this time IMPACT will be briefly introducing the EarlyImpact campaign and what we are looking to achieve for the Early Education sector and for the professionals providing this valuable service. They will then break for 5 minutes for refreshments and we will return to a closed session for EarlyImpact members providing legal advice on the ECCE contracts. You will be able to sign up on the evening to be a member, however if you would like further information about IMPACTs special membership rate of €20/year please contact them. Dates: Thursday 29th June – Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square W, Rotunda, Dublin 1 Monday 3rd July – Continuing Education Centre, King St, East Drogheda, Drogheda, Co. Louth Tuesday 4th July – Hayes Hotel, Liberty Square, Thurles, Tipperary Wednesday 5th July – IMPACT Office, Unit 23-24, Sean Mulvoy Business Park, Sean Mulvoy Road, Galway Thursday 6th July – Parkview Hotel, Main St, Kilmacullagh, Newtown Mount Kennedy, Co. Wicklow Monday 10th July – IMPACT Office, Father Matthew Quay, Cork Thursday 13th July – Sligo Education Centre, Ash Lane, Ballytivnan, Sligo Monday 17th July – Monaghan Education Centre, Armagh Road, Knockaconny, Monaghan Tuesday 18th July – Castlebar, Mayo. Venue tbc Wednesday 19th July – Kilkenny Education Centre, Callan Road, Wetland, Kilkenny Thursday 20th July – IMPACT Offices, 30 – 36 Roxborough Road, Limerick IMPACT Trade Union Cork County Childcare Committee

Very interesting news from the World Health Organisation on the elimination of Measles in two countries.

An extra €3.5m will be made available to childcare providers in the form of a ‘non-contact time payment’ announced today by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. Katherine Zappone. This is in addition to €14.5 million in non–contact time payments Minister Zappone negotiated in Budget 2017 and which will be paid to providers delivering various Government childcare schemes from June 26th. The new payments will be made before the end of the year.

Goodwill alone will not pay the people building and delivering this scheme on the ground, writes Teresa Heeney.

Summer play ideas ❤️