Press Release, 13th April 2011

Top Awards for Four Childcare Services in Fingal

Four childcare services from Fingal picked up top awards for innovation from Irish Preschool Play (IPPA) and the National Children’s Nurseries Association (NCNA) at a big awards ceremony for the childcare sector in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on Saturday 9th April, 2011. They are:

• Little Moo-Moo’s Playschool (Skephubble Farm, St. Margaret’s)
Award: Innovation in Outdoor Provision
• Little Green Finger’s – Childminding Service (Malahide)
Award: Innovation in Home Based Care
• Creative Days (Swords)
Award: Innovation in Pre-School Practice
• Little Friends Playgroup (Swords)
Award: Innovation in Creativity

These newly announced Early Childhood Ireland Innovation Awards shine a light on the commitment, innovation and dedication of those in the early childhood sector, communicating aspects of best practice and helping to raise the profile of the sector. Early childhood services have undergone a transformation over the past couple of years, with many of the changes still underway. We have seen the launch of the Free Pre-School Year, and the associated requirement for training and qualifications, as well as the AĂ­stear and SĂ­olta frameworks. Despite, or maybe because of all this, fantastic work is going on in the sector which, all too often, is not recognised and rewarded. These new IPPA/NCNA Early Childhood Ireland Innovation Awards aim to begin to address this.

According to Grainne McKenna from Fingal County Childcare Committee, “It is wonderful to see childcare practitioners from Fingal being recognised and awarded for all their hard work and innovation. We are incredibly fortunate to have over 400 committed and enthusiastic practitioners across the County who are dedicated to high quality childcare and education for children and their families”

Fingal County Childcare Committee (FCCC) was established in 2001 as one of 33 County/City Childcare Committees operating across Ireland to assist with the implementation of the National Childcare Strategy and National Children’s Strategy. Our mission is to nurture the development of quality childcare for all in Fingal. As such, a critical role is to act in an advisory capacity to coordinate, support and assist childcare practitioners and families in Fingal County. Our team provides a comprehensive service that meets needs identified by our key stakeholders and aligns with local and National initiatives. We aim to ensure access to a choice of affordable, quality childcare that is responsive to the needs of the child and family within their local community.

NOTES ON AWARDS

1. Innovation in Outdoor Provision
Little Moo Moos Playschool
Skephubble Farm,
St Margaret’s, Co. Dublin
Catherine Dwyer

Little Moo Moos is set on a working farm. A huge amount of time has been invested by the owners to incorporate different aspects of farm life into the learning experiences of children. Little Moo Moos offers a play based emergent and Montessori curriculum, underpinned by Aístear and are presently engaged in the formal Síolta Quality programme. Children play outdoors daily, feed the animals, experience farm life and often see calves being born. Children play in the hay barn, plant fruit, vegetables and flowers with Farmer Rory. When the crop is ready to harvest, children take home fruit and vegetables and help to make soup. Jams and tarts in the playschool. Staff in Little Moo Moos value working in such a unique environment. They nurture each child’s individual need to grow and blossom, including particular support for children and families with additional needs, just like the flowers in their secret garden.

2. Innovation in Home Based Care
Little Green Fingers Childminding
Outdoor Childminding Service
7 Old Street, Malahide, Co. Dublin
Caitriona Walsh

Little Green Fingers is Ireland’s first outdoor childminding service. Based in Malahide, Co. Dublin the children spend 90% of their time outdoors, dressed in their special all weather gear and wellies. Little Green Fingers provides home based care for three children at any one time. The outdoor curriculum includes gardening, feeding the fish, planting and watering the plants, mud play, picnics, science, ecology using the digital microscope and language and literacy. Little Green Fingers has its own green pedal power which is a Dutch designed bicycle where the children sit at the front of the bike wearing helmets. Trips on the bike include the local beach, woodlands, the library, post office, fire station. Little Green Fingers Childminding received a Childminding Development Grant from the FCCC.

3. Innovation in Pre-School Practice
Creative Days Pre-School
Blanford 26a, Basking Cottages, Baskin Lane
Kinsealy
Swords, Co. Dublin
Thamzen Byrne

Creative Days Pre-School provides a pre-school care facility for 20 children. The project ‘The hairdressers’ in the pretend salon “Kids Cuts and Adults 1” exhibits all of the values of the pre-school from consultation with children to engagement with the family and community. A hairdresser (parent) visited the pre-school and the children voted to transform the fire station into a hairdressers and voted to name the salon Kids Cut and Adults 1. They decided to invite adults to get their hair done there and make a price list, invitations and appointment cards. Mammies and children had their hair transformed!! The entire process was recorded on video and edited into a 19 minute film and family and friends were invited to the premier showing of “The Hairdressers”. Beautiful invitations and tickets were made by the children as well as to-do list and a set of questions for guests at the Premier. All of the work was recorded on video and documented through children’s art and by staff.

4. Innovation in Creativity
Little Friends Playgroup
23 Swords Manor Way
Swords
Co Dublin
Joan McCormak

Little Friends Playgroup in Swords have displayed innovation in creative practice, in their creative projects with the children attending the service. Through consultation and careful listening, project topics follow the lead of the children. This service fosters creativity in children by seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary everyday activities. Projects on, “What I would like to be when I group up”, “Changing environments”, the animal project, the ice cream project, valentine’s project and the baking project bring together play and learning. Each of these projects is beautifully documented give visibility to children’s learning and creativity, not only to children themselves, but also to childcare staff, parents and the wider community. Children are encouraged to reflect, discuss, experiment, document through graphic art, photographs, share, consider, make decisions and enjoy creativity in its many forms, supported by staff who link all practice to the four themes of Aistear.