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Weekly News & Updates
Please see below updates for week ending 9th April, 2021.

The team at Wicklow County Childcare Committee continue to be available for support and information. We will continue to signpost helpful and important information in our weekly updates and on our website and social media.  

 
Please click the button below for staff contact details:
Our Staff
WCCC provide a Jobs Board service for all early years and school age childcare services in our county.  We can advertise your vacancies on our Facebook page and website.

If you would like us to advertise your vacancies please send a copy of your advert to info@wccc.ie
Important Dates
Friday 16 April 2021
  • Deadline for School Age Childcare service registration with Tusla. Please note any service (sessional, part time, full time or stand alone school age childcare) which operates School Age Childcare must have it registered by 16th April.
Monday 1st November 2021
  • Deadline for completion of  re-registration of Early Years Preschool Services with Tusla.
     
Announcements

​Important information on NCS, ECCE, CCSP Saver attendance rules

Attendance variation rule extension

In July 2020, the Department introduced added flexibility on attendance rules under NCS. This change allows for 2 hours variation in attendance against registration per week without triggering a report, for non-NCS a 30 minute variance tolerance per day per child is allowed, these temporary measures were introduced in response to the exceptional environment caused by COVID-19.

This measure has been further extended and will now last until 30 April 2021.

You can find links to Attendance Trackers to support your attendance keeping for NCS on the Attendance Rules page of the Early Years Hive. This page also contains the rules around child absence and under attendance under the scheme for your benefit.

NCS, ECCE, CCSP attendance rules

Following the full resumption, without restriction, of all Early Learning and Care (ELC), School-Age Childcare (SAC) services from 29 March, attendance rules will revert as per the NCS policy guidelines and the ECCE and CCSP Saver programme rules.

If you are required to close a play-pod on foot of public health advice, the attendance rules will be suspended for the children affected for the duration of the closure, it should be noted on the on-site attendance record that the play-pod is closed for the reason outlined.

Entire service closures will continue to be covered by Force Majeure rules.

Covid Case Support Helplines
 
There are two helplines available to services who have a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19 in their service.
 
HSE Childcare facilities helpline – Telephone: 01 511 9777 (Open 8:30am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday and 10:00am – 4.30pm Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays).
 
Covid-19 Out of Hours Helpline for support in relation to confirmed or suspected cases – Telephone: 1800 940 341 (Open Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays from 10:00am – 1:00pm and 1:30pm – 4:00pm)
 
TUSLA SAC Registration Deadline
 
A reminder that the deadline for registration of School Age Childcare is the 16th April 2021. Please note this includes combined and standalone school age services.

If you are offering school age childcare we would urge you to finalise your registration with Tusla as soon as possible as registration has to be fully completed and notification of certification issued to you prior to the 16th April in order to continue to operate beyond this date.

 
Please see link below to letter issued by Tusla to School Aged Childcare services on 18th January 2021 regarding the deadline for registration.

Tusla are suggesting that you complete your submission as soon as possible, so that it can be reviewed and any amendments to documents made in plenty of time for the deadline in April. You have to upload all of the required documents in order to submit your application.

The submission checklist can be found on the Tusla link below. 

If you have any queries or need assistance you can contact the school age registration team on email sac.registration@tusla.ie or call 061-461715
.
Letter issued from Tusla
Submission Checklist
National Childcare Scheme (NCS)
 
DCEDIY have created a new information video for parents on the National Childcare Scheme, further information on the NCS can be found on the NCS website and their YouTube channel.
NCS website
NCS YouTube channel
First Aid FAR Re-certification
 
PHECC recently announced that staff who already have FAR certification which expires between March 2020 and 31 July 2021 may complete a 2 day refresher course to maintain FAR certification. See links below for further information.
PHECC update
PHECC Certified FAR Training Providers
Recognised PHECC Institutions & Courses
Training & Information Events
The STEM Education Policy (Department of Education and Skills, 2017, p. 6) defines STEM as four disciplines: Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Each of the STEM areas is relevant and important for young children whose curiosity and drive to explore and understand the world is the starting point for their learning. Adults can support young children’s STEM learning through providing opportunities for children to use their imaginations, to ask questions, to experiment, to make things and to try different ways of doing things. The STEM tip sheets available in the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide provide practical examples of such learning opportunities. The tip sheets can be found through the search bar in the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide homepage or accessed through the link below. 
Aistear Siolta Stem Tip Sheets
Grow It Forward
 
The pandemic has seen a record number of people turn to growing their own food and discovering the joy and pride that brings. The process of seeing a seed turn into a seedling and eventually food you can eat is full of magic and no shortage of optimism. Grow it Forward is all about sharing that feeling as far and wide as possible at a time when we need it most. That’s why we’re inviting people to get free seeds and do good deeds. – Michael Kelly, Founder of GIY
 
What is grow it forward?
 
Grow It Forward is a national programme to help half a million people #KeepWell by growing their own food.
 
In partnership with Healthy Ireland and Libraries Ireland through the Government of Ireland’s Keep Well initiative, we are giving away 50,000 free seed packs and asking participants to use them to share the experience with 10 people. In all, we aim to support half a million people across Ireland to enjoy the wide range of benefits that come from growing food at home.

How do I Get a Pack?
 
To get your free pack simply register using the form in link below and it will be posted to your address. Alternatively, you can contact your local library, as all 330 branches are helping to drive the effort by sending out packs as well. If you get a pack from your local library don’t forget to sign up for your free growing plan.
Apply here for your free pack

**New Event**

Webinar: Understanding the Impact of Trauma
on Child Development and Attachment

28th April 2021 - 9.30am to 4.00pm 
Fee: €90 

This aim of this webinar is to introduce participants to the concepts of Child Development and Childhood Trauma. Participants will explore how trauma impacts a child’s developing brain and their overall development and will offer an introduction to how individuals respond to trauma. This training will support participants to become trauma sensitive to the children and families they encounter in their work practices and explore simple strategies that can support children who experience different types of situational trauma.

Book Now
To contact Wicklow CCC team please call 0404-64455 or email info@wccc.ie
 
Assumpta O'Neill
Acting County Childcare Manager
WICKLOW COUNTY CHILDCARE COMMITTEE

A: Kilmantin Hill, Wicklow Town, Co. Wicklow A67 ND90
T: 0404 64455                      M: 087 2465933
E: assumpta@wccc.ie         W: www.wccc.ie
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Wicklow County Childcare Committee · Kilmantin Hill · Wicklow Town · Wicklow, · Ireland