letter

Introducing HSE Early Childcare Services
HSE Early Childcare Services are a relatively new department
within Mayo Primary, Community and Continuing Care Services.
The HSE in the west has long been a supporter of the importance
of high quality early years services and have invested grant-aid in
the community-based sector and staff resources to improve
standards and practice over the past twenty years. In recognition
of the need to strengthen and develop these services the Early
Childcare Services department was formed in 2002 and it has
been gradually developing its role and identity within the HSE
framework of childcare and family support. Our mission states
that: ‘We want to help communities plan and deliver the best
possible early childcare services, making sure that they help and
support those children and families most in need and make a
positive difference to their lives and their future.’
So how do we do this? Well this article will hopefully tell you and also
introduce the members of the Early Childcare Services staff team.
One important part of the work of our department is to carry out
the inspection of all pre-school services in the county under part VII
of the Child Care Act 1991. There are currently 126 notified
services: 29 full day-care, 75 sessional, 21 Childminders and 1 dropin
crèche. Catherine Lavin is the A/Pre-School Services Officer and
we hope to appoint an additional temporary part-time Pre-School
Services Officer shortly. We try to work collaboratively with all
providers to meet our mutual obligations under the Child Care Act
to ensure full compliance with all aspects of the pre-school
regulations. We recently held information sessions throughout the
county and were very pleased that 215 providers attended. We also
give information to parents on pre-school services available within
the county and encourage them to ask for the Annual Inspection
Report and Parent Information Leaflet when choosing a service for
their child. Concerns and complaints from parents and members of
the public are also received and investigated.
Our Childminding Advisory Officer, Mary O’Hara-Gavin is kept
very busy supporting and encouraging childminders to access
training, support and information. Further to their successful
conference last year a further conference is being planned for
Childminders in October this year in conjunction with the Mayo
County Childcare Committee and Childminding Ireland. Mary also
carries out home visits and is currently developing the voluntary
notification system for childminders who have 3 or less children.
This will allow us to improve the way we give information to
parents and make sure that minimum standards are being kept up.
We are also examining how inspections of Childminders are carried
out and will hold information sessions on this topic in the autumn.
Laura McNally
Joanne Doherty
There are three Early Years Development Workers
in the county: Laura McNally, based in
Swinford, Nancy Flynn-McFadden, based
in Achill Sound and Joanne Doherty
based in Castlebar. They are responsible
for a number of areas of work in relation
to family support, disadvantage and
ensuring good practice. Early Years
Development
Workers help
with the
setting
up
and
Nancy
Flynn McFadden
Jenny
Bernard
ongoing
support of
a range of
community-based services
such as playgroups, parent and
toddler clubs, sessional crèches,
summer play schemes and full daycare.
There are currently 92 such
community-based services in the county
offering a variety of services. They develop
good practice through audits of play
provision, helping with policies and
procedures, and guiding the
implementation of programmes
such as Effective Early Learning and
High / Scope. In addition they
assist with ensuring that children
from disadvantaged families and
children with a disability are
successfully included and fully
participate in their local pre-school service.
The development workers collaborate with
other HSE and agency staff in the delivery of
Children First, Disability, and Anti-bias training.
Catherine
Mary O Hara
The Early Childcare Services Manager, Jenny Bernard, is responsible
for leading the team and for the allocation of Section 10 funding to
community-based services. She is closely involved with members of
the team in giving advice and guidance to community groups,
individuals, architects and planners on the development of purposebuilt
childcare centres and has a strong professional interest in the
importance of role of the design of the physical environment in
supporting children’s learning and development. Jenny is also
responsible for making linkages within the HSE and with relevant
statutory and voluntary agencies, representing the HSE on the Mayo
County Childcare Committee. She is active in initiating multidisciplinary
and agency projects at a local level such as the
Ballinrobe Early Years Health Promotion Project.
Last, but by no means least, the backbone of the Early Childcare
Services department is our clerical officer Trina McGinty. She
answers the telephone queries in her friendly and efficient manner
and keeps us all organised and on our toes. If you want to contact
any of the members of the team you can call Trina on 094-
9034776/ 094-9034777 or by e-mail Trina.McGinty@mailn.hse.ie
jenny.bernard@mailn.hse.ie Tel:094 9034776/7
catherine.lavin@mailn.hse.ie Tel:094-9034776/7
mary.oharagavin@mailn.hse.ie Tel:094-9034776/7
joanne.doherty@mailn.hse.ie Tel:094 9034776/7
laura.mcNally@mailn.hse.ie Tel:094-9251900 ext. 338
nancyflynn1@gmail.com Tel:098 45350
Lavin
Trina McGinty
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