Dublin City Childcare Focus Group

The Childcare Focus Group comprises parents and childcare providers in both the private and community sectors, and has a membership of approximately 40 groups. The Childcare Focus Group was set up and initiated by the Dublin City Development Board early in 2001 when both community/private childcare providers and parents throughout Dublin City were invited to attend an open forum on childcare. Four members of the Childcare Focus Group also sit on the board of the Dublin City Childcare Committee, which facilitates a clear two-way means of communication between childcare providers, parents and the Childcare Committee.

Childcare Focus Group members (AGM 2011): L-R: Myrtle Thompson, Geraldine Kelly, Sheila Caroll, Bernie O'Donoghue-Hynes, Teresa Quigley (Chairperson) and Patricia Kelly. Missing from the photo: Betsy Burdis, Sharon Byrne, Monica Cassidy and Michelle Reilly. 

The Main Aims

• To support, inform and participate in the work of the Dublin City Childcare Committee and the implementation of the Dublin City Childcare Strategic Plan.
• To ensure inclusive representation of,and communication to, parents and childcare providers.
• To promote quality in childcare provision in line with the UN Convention on The Rights of the Child.

Childcare Focus Group's AGM 2011

Dublin City Childcare Focus Group AGM and annual Parents and Providers event took place on Wednesday, 23rd November in the Wood Quay Venue’s City Wall Space. It is also notable that the Childcare Focus Group was celebrating its 10th birthday.

Nuala Harmey was the guest speaker for the evening and the topic was Supporting Children through Grief and Loss . Nuala is a social worker now working as bereavement coordinator in the Children’s University Hospital in Temple Street and also works with bereaved children and their families. The presentation looked at issues that arise for children experiencing loss and how they can be supported and helped. Many of those present have had at least some degree of responsibility for children experiencing loss and the question and answer session was a wonderful opportunity to check things out. Many thanks to Nuala for taking some of the fear out of dealing with these issues.

The evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all and finished up with everyone heading home with a piece of the 10th birthday cake.

In addition to the presentation, Nuala Harmey and Bernie O’Donoghue (Vice Chairperson) recorded an interview with Joseph Keegan from NearFM for their regular health and lifestyle programme, which airs weekdays from 9.30am -11.00am.

Speaker Nuala Harmey at the Supporting Children through Grief and Loss information evening for parents and childcare providers

Childcare Electoral Leaflet 2011 

The Dublin City Childcare Focus Group, of the Dublin City Community Forum, in discussing the 2011 general elections, compiled a list of issues, which both childcare providers and parents could discuss with their local candidates. To this end they produced a two-sided leaflet that on one side listed issues relevant to providers, and on the other listed issues relevant to parents. The leaflet would have been helpful in discussing issues with candidates in the run-up to the election.

The Childcare Focus Group would like to stress that the aim of this campaign was to make a Childcare a real issue in the run-up to the election.

Download the electoral leaflet below:

Childcare electoral leaflet 2011pdf | 55KB 

Childcare Focus Group - Questions for Canvassers 2011

For many childcare providers and parents the last few years have been a very worrying time. Among other things, child benefit has been cut, running costs for childcare facilities have increased and ECCE rates appear to have been set without any consultation with those either providing or accessing childcare.

Many providers and parents feel annoyed, disturbed and frustrated and yet, may find it difficult to articulate this when politicians come canvassing for their vote in the upcoming election.

The Childcare Focus Group developed a leaflet which aimed to help in communicating the important issues to those looking for  votes on 25th February. The document was two sided - one dealing with issues for parents, the other with issues for childcare providers. Issues were clearly laid out in bullet form and assisted childcare providers and parents to raise relevant points with those standing for election.

Childcare Focus Group - Questions for Canvassers 2 from DCTV on Vimeo.

Childcare Focus group - questions for canvassers 1 from DCTV on Vimeo.

"Children Feeling Good" with Dr Tony Humphreys - November 2010

Dublin City Childcare Focus Group hosted an information evening, for both parents and childcare providers, on Children Feeling Good with Dr Tony Humphreys* on Thursday, 25th November 2010.

How children view themselves strongly influences how they are in this world. Parents, childminders and teachers act as the mirror for children and their response to them will determine the image children have of themselves.

In this talk Dr Humphreys explored what is necessary for the holistic development of children and outline where the likely blocks to this development occur.

* Dr Tony Humphreys is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Author and National and International Speaker. He began his career as a Clinical Psychologist in State Psychiatric and Psychological Services in England and Ireland and since 1990 has been working in private practice in Ireland. He has become Ireland’s most influential psychologist, working with individuals, couples, families, schools, local communities and the business community.

For further information on Dr tony Humphreys, please visit his website www.tonyhumphreys.ie

Curriculum and the Early Years 2009

The Childcare Focus Group hosted an information evening entitled, Curriculum and the Early Years on Wednesday, 21st October 2009 in the Civic Offices' Atrium. There were two presentations made on the night. Arlene Forster of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) gave a presentation entitled, Aistear – the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework and gave a preview of the new Aistear section of the NCCA website, which went live the following day. The second presentation was made by Dr Carmel Brennan of the Irish Preschool Play Association (IPPA) on the topic, Te Whariki: a sociocultural curriculum.

Download both presentations below:

Arlene Forster - Aistear the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework pdf | 1.85MB

Dr Carmel Brennan - Te Whariki: a sociocultural curriculum pdf | 2.32MB

John Sharry Talks 2009

Dr Sharry is a leading child and family psychotherapist. He is also a renowned author and a columnist with the Evening Herald. Dr Sharry is a co-developer of the award-winning Parents Plus Programme.

The Childcare Focus Group hosted a series of information evenings with Dr John Sharry aimed at parents, in March, April and May of this year. Each of the three information evenings covered a different topic, which were:

• Week 1: Forming Quality Relationships with Children for the Busy Family
• Week 2: Maintaining a Happy Home - Conflict Resolution
• Week 3: Positive Parenting and Positive Discipline

Dr Sharry will be running a series of further talks from September to November 2009. They are not in conjunction with the Childcare Focus Group, but may be of interest to those who attended his previous talks.

For a list of the topics etc, and booking details, please download the document in pdf format, below:

• John Sharry Talks pdf | 317kb

Conflict Resolution in Early Years Settings 2009

The Childcare Focus Group invited Childcare Providers to attend free training on Conflict Resolution in Early Years Settings. The training took place over two mornings in May and June, and was facilitated by Anto Gibbs, High/Scope Development Worker.

Parent Information Evenings series 2009

The Childcare Focus Group hosted a series of information evenings with Dr John Sharry aimed at parents. Dr Sharry is a leading child and family psychotherapist. He is also a renowned author and a columnist with the Evening Herald. Dr Sharry is a co-developer of the award-winning Parents Plus Programme. Each of the three information evenings covered a different topic, which were:

Week 1: Forming Quality Relationships with Children for the Busy Family

Week 2: Maintaining a Happy Home - Conflict Resolution

Week 3: Positive Parenting and Positive Discipline

Download an article by Dr John Sharry entitled "Pausing to think about your parenting" below:

Pausing to think about your parenting pdf | 32.7kb

International Conferences in 2008

Members of the Childcare Focus Group attended two international conferences in 2008.

The first conference was Eurochild's fifth annual conference, which was entitled, Including Children: a child rights approach to child well-being. It took place from 5th-7th November 2008 in Budapest, Hungary and five members of the Childcare Focus Group were in attendance. If you would like further information on Eurochild, visit their web site www.eurochild.org

Download the Childcare Focus Group's report on the conference below:

Eurochild conference 2008 report pdf | 16.5kb

The second conference attended was Family and Parenting Institute's fifth biennial conference, which was entitled, Parent Child 2008 - Getting it right for families? The conference took place in London, England from 13th - 14th November 2008. For further information on the Family and Parenting Institute, visit their web site www.familyandparenting.org

Download the Childcare Focus Group's report on the conference below:

Family and Parenting Institute's conference 2008 report pdf | 16.5kb

Play Therapy - Playing to Get Back on Track

The Childcare Focus Group hosted a seminar entitled, Play Therapy - Playing to Get Back on Track with Anne Brennan (MA MIACP MPlaybody Ireland: The National Association for Play Therapy, MTCI) on Tuesday, 11th November. It took place in the Civic Offices' Atrium and there was a great turnout with over 100 people in attendance.  

Download information below:

Anne Brennan - Play Therapy information pdf | 378kb

Anne Brennan - Playing to Get Back on Track presentation pdf | 121kb

Anne Brennan - Feedback Response to Play Therapy Talk pdf | 48kb

Understanding Behaviour with Dr Tony Humphreys

On Thursday, 8th May the Dublin City Childcare Focus Group hosted an evening talk with Dr Tony Humphreys. The talk on Understanding Behaviour took place in Dublin City Council’s Civic Offices. Dr Humphreys is a clinical psychologist, lecturer and internationally acclaimed author of a number of books and has vast knowledge in the area of children, parenting and families. There was a great turnout with over 90 people in attendance.

Behaviour Management of Young Children

The Dublin City Childcare Focus Group an Information Evening for childcare providers on Thursday 25th October in The Atrium, Civic Offices. Two presentations were made on the night. They were: Behaviour Management of Young Children by Dr Ann Haig and An Overview of Pre-School Regulations by Peggy Walker of the IPPA. The evening was a huge success with over 130 people involved in childcare in attendance.

Download presentations below:

Handout-Dr. Ann Haig pdf | 501kb

Handout-Peggy Walker IPPA pdf | 1Mb

EECERA Conference in Prague

Six members of the Dublin City Childcare Focus Group attended the EECERA Annual Conference, which was held in Prague from 29th August -1st September 2007. The conference was aimed at those active or interested in the field of early childhood education and care, and the theme of this year’s conference was “Exploring Vygotsky’s Ideas: Crossing Borders”.  Attendance at the conference was part sponsored by the Dublin Community Forum.

The conference comprised of several keynote speakers and many individual symposiums, predominately based around Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Vygotsky’s granddaughter, Elena Kravtsova, was one of the keynote speakers, with a video presentation given by his daughter.

There was a diverse range of symposiums including topics such as science in early years, family involvement, language, spirituality and leadership.

The EECERA 2007 conference was an excellent opportunity for researchers and practitioners from around the world to explore the convergences and divergences in the understanding and application of Vygotsky’s work to policy, research, and practice today.

The Childcare Focus Group have used the information gained from the conference to inspire their work plan for 2008 and hope to work on activities throughout the year, which will reflect the interests sparked among the members in a variety of early years areas.

Revised Child Care (Pre-School) Regulations 2006

The Dublin City Childcare Focus Group would like to draw your attention to Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulation 2006 (which can be downloaded below)and Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (which can be downloaded from the Dublin City Childcare Committee's website: www.childcareonline.ie).

Download the Revised Child Care (Pre-School) Regulations 2006 here>>>

Parental Participation in Childcare leaflet series

Research Project - "Accessible Childcare for All"

Contact Information:

Dublin City Childcare Focus Group
c/o Forum Co-ordinator
Dublin Community Forum
Block 4, Floor 1
Civic Offices
Wood Quay
Dublin 8

Tel: 01 222 3259
Email: community.forum@dublincity.ie