ICIN News No. 19

New Publications from Barnardos’ Training and Resource Service

• New book and CD on policies in childcare
  This book and accompanying CD is designed to help childcare services to develop clear written policies for their own settings. The book outlines what policies are needed and gives step-by-step guidelines as to how best to develop, implement and review these policies. The importance of equality and diversity in policies is covered as well as methods for communicating policies to parents. The accompanying CD includes policy templates that can be changed and amended by the user to suit the needs of each individual service. The templates are in word format and can be downloaded onto any Mac or PC to be adapted and saved to the user’s files.
  
  The book and CD pack will be available from September for €20.
  
  
• Supporting Quality: guidelines for professional practice in early childhood services (3rd edition)
  Considering the recent research on the benefits of early childhood education and care (ECEC), the opportunity has been taken in this third edition of Supporting Quality to substantially revise, update, expand and extend the original text to take account of recent developments in policy, theory and practice. In order to present the information in a digestible way, the new edition of Supporting Quality has been divided into two books:
  
  
  • Book 1: Policy & Governance
    Book 1 sets out the political, social and economic context, some of the most recent and significant policy developments and the positioning of ECEC in Ireland. It then considers legislation, regulation, health and welfare and finally focuses on leadership, policies, procedures and human resources.
    
    
  • Book 2: Enhancing children's learning and development
    Book 2 begins by setting out the broad context for supporting early learning and goes on to outline how to observe, assess and plan for children's early learning. There is then an exploration as to the importance of attachment and building supportive relationships with young children. Book 2 then concentrates on the physical child-centred learning environment and, finally, considers the democratic participation of families to support children learning and development and engagement in local, statutory, community and voluntary organisations.
    
    
  Book 1 was launched in June and Book 2 will be available from Barnardos’ Training and Resource Service in September.
  
  Each book costs €20.
  
  

Forthcoming Publications from the CECDE

• The conference proceedings from Vision into Practice are currently with the printers and will be published and launched in September. The CECDE will also shortly host the updated pdfs and full publication of Vision into Practice on our website.
  
  
• The CECDE has started work on the publication of the proposed assessment procedures for Síolta which we have recently worked on with our Consultative Committee. We are also currently recruiting two Síolta Coordinators to be based in Dublin, who will be working with services linked to youngballymun and Preparing for Life. These Coordinators will be involved in the development, evaluation and monitoring of quality improvement strategies using the Síolta framework.
  
  
• The latest CECDE newsletter, Alana 21, Summer 2008, will shortly be available. This will give an overview of our work on the National Childcare Training Strategy, as well as feedback from the consultation process on the Síolta assessment instrument, an update on the Dormant Accounts Preschool Quality Improvement Measure, amongst other items.

New Publication for Parent & Toddler Groups from the IPPA

IPPA Publications

Barnardos Public Training Events
Autumn and Winter 2008

BCCN News

• Trainer of Trainer Programmes
  Thanks to funding from FAS, the pool of trained trainers will increase in the Border Region and Meath in 2009. BCCN’s new Training Officer, Maureen Mc Dermott is finalising the organization of two Trainer of Trainer Programmes with NUI Maynooth. The training will take place throughout the Autumn and be followed up with Trainer support days in the 2009. Some places are still available. Trainers accessing the training will be involved in the delivery of a range of training programmes for the BCCN and other agencies in the future. All future trainers however must comply with the FETAC ’s Quality Assurance Procedures.
  
  
• National In-Service Training days for Trainers delivering FETAC Accredited Curriculum Training for 3-5 year olds
  Agencies wishing to deliver the new BCCN/FETAC Accredited Curriculum Training programme in 2009 should ensure trainers are well equipped to deliver the training. Special in-service training days will be organised in the Autumn term by the BCCN, working in collaboration with the IPPA and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
  
  
• National In Service Training days for Trainers delivering FETAC Accredited Training for staff working with the Under 3’s
  A new FETAC accredited module to build the capacity of practitioners working with the under 3’s will be available in 2009. Specialised training for Trainers wishing to deliver this module will also be available in the Autumn thanks to collaboration between the BCCN and the IPPA.
  
  
• Leadership and Management Training
  Networking between the BCCN and a leading Management Training Company in the North East, Constructive Intervention, the Monaghan County Enterprise Board and FAS is leading to the delivery of three Leadership and Management Courses for the childcare sector in the Border Region and Meath in the Autumn. The courses will be accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management and will focus on Self Management and Skills, Implementing Change, Meeting Customer needs, Planning and Resources, Finance and Numeracy, People Management, Information and Communication. A recent lottery grant has enabled the BCCN to provide a range of management publications to support students on the course.
  
  

Concept Training

• “Success with People with Autistic Spectrum Disorder”
  One Day Workshop: Holiday Inn, Antrim, 6th November 2008
• “Understanding the Multi-Sensory Concept”
  One Day Workshop
  
  • Hodson Bay Hotel Athlone, Co Westmeath, 22nd October 2008
  • Glenavan Hotel, Cookstown, Co Tyrone, 8th June 2009
  • Racket Hall, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, 9th June 2009

IPPA Training

NCNA Training

‘éist’ Project: New Initiative

• deliver FETAC Level 5 locally devised module (‘éist’ project), give an input into Level 6 and introductory workshops at pre-service and in-service training
• support the implementation of the ‘Diversity and Equality Guidelines for Practitioners’ (OMC, 2006) and Síolta (CECDE, 2006)
• support the implementation of practical ideas in the ECCE setting

Also...

News from the Border Counties Childcare Network