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This section of our website has been designed for Parents who need information on Childcare provision and supports in the Fingal Area. Here you will find information on the types of childcare available to Parents, positive parenting, information for one parent families, parenting courses and tips on positive parenting.
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Positive Parenting
Becoming a parent is the most important thing most of us will ever get the chance to do. Children are an incredible source of life, discovery, and fun and give us the opportunity to reflect on what is important, and real, in life. We learn all over again through their eyes and through their development. Families grow and develop through love and care, and give and take. There are a new set of compromises to adhere to for both parents and children. Parents and children need consistent boundaries if the family unit is to aim at getting the balance right.
Positive parenting Tips:
- Be calm
- If situations are dealt with in anger, they can escalate out of control; count to 10 and revisit the situation.
- Take time out
- Children need time out as do parents. Allow a child time to reflect on their wrongdoing. Distract them from the source of the problem. Encourage them to help you by giving them a task instead of allowing their tantrum to continue.
- Be firm but kind
- For example, explain why it is dangerous to touch something hot, rather than slapping your child without explanation. Talk to your child at their level.
- Give a child choices
- Allowing them to make responsible decisions, so they can deal with consequences and learn the value of that.
- Give your child logical and reasonable consequences of action
- If children are aware of why something is wrong, they are less likely to carry out an action if they know it may hurt someone's feelings.
- Be consistent
- In doing this, children become aware of their boundaries.
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One Parent families
Parenting is a challenging task with spousal and extended family support, so it must be even more demanding when parenting alone. There are many reasons why parents find themselves in a situation of parenting alone; death of a partner, separation or divorce. This, in turn, can add financial and emotional strains on a one parent family.
Useful Links and Resources for One Parent Families:
One Family
One Family is a leading national organisation for one-parent families in Ireland. Progressing the work of Cherish, One Family works with all types and all members of one-parent families.
Treoir
Aims to provide and promote a professional, accessible, up-to-date information service to parents and those involved with them, in order to empower parents to access their rights.
OPEN
OPEN, the national network of local lone parent self-help groups represents the diversity of interests of lone parents and promotes their inclusion and progression within wider society.
The School Holidays 2010/2011
September 2010
Schools throughout the country re-open during the last week in August and the first week in September
October 2010
October Mid-Term - All Schools close from Monday 25th October to Friday 29th October inclusive with Halloween falling on Sunday 31st October
November 2010
Schools re-open Monday 1st November after the mid-term break
December 2010
Christmas Holidays - Schools close on Thursday 23rd December 2009 for the Christmas Holidays
January 2011
All schools re-open Monday 10th January
February 2011
February Mid-Term - Secondary Schools closed from 21st - 25th February inclusive. Primary schools close either on 21st - 22nd Feb or 24th - 25th Feb with the option to use 3 discretionary days to extend the break to 5 days - check what your school is doing.
March 2011
St. Patrick's Day - 17th March
April 2011
Easter Holidays - All schools are closed from Monday 15th April for 2 weeks. All schools re-open after May Bank Holiday.
May 2011
May Bank Holiday - Monday 2nd May - some primary schools (usually those who took a short February mid-term) will close for a few extra days after the May bank holiday - check with your school
June 2011
Secondary schools finish by 3rd June to facilitate start of state Junior and Leaving Certificate
June Bank Holiday - Monday 6th June
Primary Schools finish between 23rd - 30th June
Source: School Days.ie
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2006 Childcare Regulations
In October 2006, the Minister for Childre, Brian Lenihan, TD, launched the New Childcare (Pre School Services) Regulations 2006. The revised Regulations were drawn up by a Review Group led by the Dpartment of Health and Children, which included representatives of all the relevant stakeholders and revoke the 1996 Childcare Regulations.
Amendments to the Regulations fall along the lines of
· An expansion of the Regulation on Child Development, which requires the service provider to ensure that each child's learning, development and well being is facilitated with the daily life of the service.
· The introduction of a part-time day care service, which will allow providers to operte a service for up to five hours.
· The inclusion of a requirement that all staff, students and volunteers in the service will be appropriately vetted.
The Minister added that the implementation of the Regulations is a key element of the childcare commitments contained in Towards 2016 - The Ten Year Framework of the Social Partnership Agreement 2006 - 2015.
Choosing a Childcare Service
As a parent, you will have a good idea of the type of childcare service that would suit your children’s needs best. The following pages are aimed at assisting you in identifying the types of childcare service available and the issues to be aware of when choosing a childcare service for your child(ren).
There are five main service types who are obliged to register their service with the Health Board. These are:
· Sessional Day Care: Service providing childcare for a maximum of 3.5 hours per day i.e. Playgroups, Montessori Groups, Playschools, Naionraí, Childminders · Part-time Day Care: This offers a structured day care service for pre-school children for more than 3.5 hours and less than 5 hours per day. · Full Day Care: Services providing childcare for more than 5 hours per day. Providers would include Nurseries and Créches. · Childminders: They care for children in the childminder’s own home providing childcare for more than 3 and less than 6 children per day. · Drop-in Services: Services where children are cared for a short period of time (maximum two hours), where parents avail of services or attend events.
Service that are not obliged to register with their local health board include:
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Childminders providing care for less than three children per day in their own home.
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Nannies/Au Pairs/Babysitters providing care in their own home or in the children’s home.
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Out of School Care: Services providing out of school care for school age children outside school hours.
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