Let's Play Ireland
“Every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts."(UNCRC)
We hope you are all well and the children are finding fun and exciting ways to play and learn as we continue to remain at home. In the wake of the pandemic, Let’s Play Ireland, a Government-led initiative is aimed at promoting play for all children living in Ireland during the COVID-19 emergency.
Playing is central to children’s physical, mental, social and emotional health and wellbeing. Children learn through play while developing resilience, flexibility and understanding of their world. Play in families enriches childhood. All children and young people have a right to play.
For more information follow the link here: Lets Play
We understand the pressures felt by many parents at home to take on the role of teacher as well as parent. There are many ways that children can learn through unstructured every day home activities such as baking, meal planning, writing up a shopping list, even sorting the clothes from the dryer.
We hope you enjoy the bank holiday weekend and find opportunities to get outside within your 2km distance. While it is still unclear when restrictions will be lifted, there will be a point when these strict measures are eased and life will finally start to return to normal. We look forward to welcoming all the children back to Busy Kids again when that time comes.
Busy Kids 1000km Challenge for Barnardos
“Because Every Childhood lasts a lifetime”
This May 2020, Busy Kids have teamed up with Barnardo’s for their annual “big toddle” We would like to help them raise much needed funds.
Fundraising in this current climate is very difficult for charities and we have to think outside the box to do something everyone can participate in and enjoy. We have set ourselves a 1000km challenge which you can walk, run or cycle a certain distance during the month of May – this must be within the 5km radius from your home as outlined in the new covid-19 guidelines. For example: you would like to walk 2km with your child that would be 4km off our 1000km total. Or if you walked with 5 people in your household this would be 10km off our total.
Please donate to our Facebook fundraiser for Barnardo's https://www.facebook.com/donate/1088865364815696/1088865384815694/ or if you do not have a Facebook page go to their website and Make a Donation https://www.barnardos.ie/how-you-can-help/fundraising/donate/make-a-donation and comment it is for the 1000km Busy Kids Challenge.
Instructions for our challenge:
- Wait for your nomination to be given from Facebook from your child’s teacher (if you are not on Facebook don’t worry you can still do the walk and send us the below)
- Propose your distance and email or private mail us your proposed distance with how many in your household are doing it
- Make a paper Airplane – instructions in this link https://www.google.com/search?q=make+a+paper+airplane&rlz=1C1CHBF_enIE867IE867&oq=make+a+paper+air&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l6.1983j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_MU2xXuCELY2k1fAPuKGB2As101
- Design a T-shirt for your walk (optional)
- Donate
- Post on your Facebook page and Tag @BusyKidsCreche (Optional) Note: when doing your video pretend “catch” the airplane thrown from your teacher and pretend “throw” it to someone you would like to nominate outside of your Busy Kids classmates. Also put the link for our fundraiser page on your post - https://www.facebook.com/donate/1088865364815696/1088865384815694/
- Let us know you have completed your km and we will total them all up at the end.
- Have fun 😊
Cure The Boredom
Some helpful Activities: Click on the links for more information
- Facetime / Skype or Whatsapp call your loved ones especially their grandparents
- Go for a walk or a cycle
- Go on a hike, just because we are social distancing doesn't mean we have to stay inside or local - click here to find a trail
- Go on a scavenger hunt (easy) (medium) (hard)
- Fly a kite or a drone
- Crime Prevention Get them to write down serial numbers and photograph electrical items, garden tools, game consoles, bicycles etc and update your home insurance
- Go on a drive
- Have a picnic
- Dance
- Exercise with videos from YouTube
- Weeding the garden
- Wash the Car
- Clean out the cupboards
- Play hopscotch
- Bottle Flip
- Depending on their age, they could write a story - give them a topic to write a short story
- Play dress up
- Have a fashion show
- Have a picnic
- Paint
- Board Games
- Look and sort old pictures
- Make a time capsule - I think we can all agreed we will remember this St Patrick's Day :)
- Bingo
- Play Go Fish or teach them a new card game
- Find toys to donate / sort toys
- Search www.wikihow.com
- Arts n Crafts
- Bake Something- Odlums.ie hav loads of ideas for baking with kids including:
- Rice Kripsie
- Cookies
- Scones
- Pancakes
- Crumble
- Rocky Road
- Banana bread
- Breakfast Bars
- Butterfly buns
- Carrot Cake
Sun Safety at Busy Kids Creche
Sun Safety at Busy Kids Creche
We ask parent(s)/Guardians to leave a ‘sunny day bag’ with sun cream, sun hats, etc; in our creches with your child's name on each item.
All children will be required to wear a hat when playing outside in the sun. We will encourage all children to wear these items that provide good sun protection. We will also encourage children to cover up where possible, such as their shoulders.
Staff will apply the sun-cream to children before they go outdoors, or if you have applied before you have come to creche please let the teacher know.
We will work with staff and parents to achieve sun safety Policy
Busy Kids will ensure that:
- On very hot days children will have reduced exposure to the sun.
- Where possible, children can seek shade when outside in the sun.
- Ensure that children will wear a sunhat if provided by the parent.
We will work towards Sun safety through the following Education
- Discussion with the older children about the sun and the need for protection.
- Letter to be sent to parents and guardians with regard to sun cream and protection.
- Time spent in discussion at staff meetings about sun safety in the garden.
Protection
Shade:
- Large sun canopies may be used for shade around the garden alongside our already shaded areas
Timetabling:
- Children will spend more time playing outside before 11 am and after 3pm, and less time over lunchtime.
Clothing:
- We will actively encourage all children to wear a hat when playing outside - for any length of time.
- A small supply of hats will be available for those children who have forgotten their own.
Sunscreen:
- Parents should bring in sun cream in a named container and leave with their classroom teacher.
Drinks:
- Water will be available at all times in the classroom.
- Water will also be available in the garden while children are playing.
National Childcare Scheme available from October 2019
The National Childcare Scheme 
An estimated 7,500 additional children will benefit from the Scheme, with over 40,000 other children, already eligible, seeing increases to their subsidies.
The National Childcare Scheme is to ensure parents have accessible, affordable, quality childcare. From October 2019 it will replace all previous targeted childcare programmes with a single, streamlined and user-friendly Scheme to help parents meet the cost of quality childcare.
Supports are available for families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years who are attending any participating Tusla registered childcare service, including any Tusla registered childminder.
There are 2 types of subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme:
- Universal Subsidies are available to all families with children under three years old. They are also available to families with children over three years who have not yet qualified for the free preschool programme (ECCE). This subsidy is not means tested and provides 50c per hour towards the cost of a registered childcare place for up to a maximum of 40 hours per week.
- Income Assessed Subsidies are available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years. This subsidy is means tested and will be calculated based on your individual circumstances. Your rate will vary depending on your level of family income, your child’s age and educational stage, and the number of children in your family. The subsidy can be used towards the cost of a registered childcare place for up to a maximum of 40 hours if you are working, studying or training, or in circumstances where you are unavailable for childcare, and a maximum of 15 hours if you are not working, studying or training.
How to Apply:
Applications for the National Childcare Scheme are due to open in October 2019. To apply for the Scheme online you will need to have a verified MyGovID. Your verified MyGovID is your single, secure account to unlock Irish Government services online. Click here to set up your verified MyGovID before you apply.
What will happen to the existing childcare support programmes?
To ensure continuity of service for both parents and providers, the existing childcare support programmes will continue to operate until the launch of the National Childcare Scheme, but in a limited way.
Applications for the current programmes can be made until the Scheme goes live (targeted for October 2019) after which applications to these programmes will close. This means that for the 2019/2020 programme year, both the National Childcare Scheme and the existing support programmes will run simultaneously. The Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCS) will be merged with the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme Plus (CCSP) for the final programme year and will cease completely in 2020. If you have any questions regarding the existing programmes please visit www.dcya.gov.ie or contact eyqueries@dcya.gov.ie.
To make the transition as smooth as possible, you can choose to make the switch to the National Childcare Scheme immediately or remain on your current programme for the final programme year. If you wish to change at any stage throughout the year, you can remain on your current support programme right up until the point that your provider registers you for the National Childcare Scheme and you confirm this registration. For more information on the registration process please go to Question 10.
Does the National Childcare Scheme replace the free preschool / ECCE programme?
No, the free preschool programme (also known as ECCE- the Early Childhood Care and Education programme) will not be affected by the National Childcare Scheme. Instead, the National Childcare Scheme will offer ‘wrap-around’ care for families, providing financial support towards the cost of care for hours spent outside of preschool or school.
What is wrap-around care?
When you receive your subsidy award, the maximum hours for which your subsidy is payable are always inclusive of any hours that your child spends in school or preschool. Your subsidy can then be applied to any of the hours of care spent outside of school or preschool. This is known as wrap-around care. It includes childcare used before school/ preschool starts in the morning, after-school childcare, and childcare used outside of school/ preschool term times.
What happens when my child is not in school or preschool?
The hours for which your subsidy is payable will increase during any non-term time, such as school holidays or mid-term breaks. For example, if your child is in school and you qualify for 40 hours of subsidised childcare per week, your subsidy will be payable for up to 17 hours per week during term time, which can be used for before and after-school childcare. It will then increase and be payable for the maximum 40 hours per week for any non-term time childcare.
Examples:
Siobhan and Jack?
Siobhan and Jack have two children; 2 year old Bobby and 5 year old Nora. Siobhan is working full time and Jack is studying for a Level 8 award on the National Framework of Qualifications.
They have a gross family income of €64,000 per year. Under the Scheme, their reckonable family income is €43,200. This is calculated by taking their gross income and subtracting their tax, PRSI and USC, as well as a €4,300 Multiple Child Discount (as they have two children under 15 in the family).
As they are both working and studying, they qualify for the maximum hours of subsidised childcare per week for both children. For Bobby, this is 40 hours a week. Bobby’s subsidy rate is €2.40 per hour, which amounts to €96 per week for 52 weeks.
Nora’s subsidy rate is €1.85 per hour. For the 36 weeks she spends in school during the year, Nora’s subsidy can be applied for up to 17 hours per week, which is the time she spends in her afterschool club. This amounts to €31.45 per week for 36 weeks. For the 16 weeks of non-term time (her school holidays) Nora’s subsidy can be applied for up to 40 hours of childcare per week, which amounts to €74 for 16 weeks.
Applying Bobby and Nora’s subsidies to the all of the hours they spend in childcare over the year, Siobhan and Jack will receive a total of €7308 off their childcare costs.
Jenny
Jenny has one child who is 2 years old and needs 40 hours of childcare per week. She is a lone parent, working full-time with a gross income of €26,500 per year. Under the Scheme, her reckonable family income is €26,000 and she qualifies for a subsidy of €175 per week or €9,100 per year.
Charlie and Sam
Charlie and Sam have three children; a one year old and 2 year old twins who all need 40 hours of childcare per week. Charlie works full time, while Sam works part time. They have a gross income of €90,000 per year. Under the Scheme, their reckonable family income is €51,400 and they qualify for a total subsidy of €176 per week or €9,152 per year.
To find out more about the National Childcare Scheme please go to https://ncs.gov.ie - This website is full of insightful answers and information about the upcoming scheme.
A Decade of Reflection in Early Years by Therese Tutty, Coordinator, Sonas Childcare T/A Busy Kids
This is a recent article our Creche Coordinator wrote for Early Childhood Ireland.
Throughout the last decade high quality standards of care have become the predominant factor towards change in our profession. Personally, I experienced significant change in my professional career since 2008. Back then I was a manager of a large service catering for 100+ children and managing 20+ practitioners. I was a proud member of a highly successful team and part of a chain of centres who consistently achieved the NCNA Centre of Excellence award. Síolta had recently been introduced, followed by Aistear in 2009. These national policies began to shape the change in standards of care, practice and the work of professional practitioners within the sector.
I had always considered myself as a professional within the sector, however became increasingly aware that Degree level training was crucial to my continued success. My decision to pursue the Degree came at a time when there was unrest and uncertainty within the ECCE sector across Ireland.
In 2013 an investigative journalism exposé aired on nationwide television. What followed was a national scandal that brought scrutiny and condemnation to the ECCE sector. It resulted in an emotional and difficult time, not only for parents, but also for the early year’s practitioners working with young children. Many felt judged, branded and victims of a low level status value placed on those working in the sector as unprofessional, unethical and unsuitable to provide the most basic of care for young children.
While the investigation highlighted inadequacies relating to a small number of ECCE services, it raised awareness of the flaws within the sector and acted as a means for change, forcing ECCE onto the Irish government agenda. This in turn resulted in one of the most significant changes to the sector, the introduction of TUSLA in 2014; a precursor to what would be considered, the most restrictive regulations to be put to the sector yet.
It was at that time; I enrolled in Maynooth University and began my journey as a mature student, in pursuit of my BA Degree. I remember my first night, as I looked around the room I remember feeling envious of the younger girls. Why didn’t I do this year’s ago? In truth, it took me years to experience the highs and lows of working in early years to understand the important role we play. At that time I felt that I owed it to myself, my team, the children and families to continue with my own professional development. I also owed it to my own two children, to show them life has many possibilities with many opportunities and ways in which to reach them. I was a full time mum with a full time career, and there I was about to get my degree.
Participating in the degree I felt privileged to be surrounded by an enthusiastic group of professionals on the same journey, all of us together striving for improved standards and improved practice. Not just within our own learning but more importantly to enhance practice within our service sharing newly acquired skills, knowledge and understanding with peers and colleagues. It was an exciting time. It was a time when we all “Wore Red” as a stance together to value our profession. We rallied together in force, for government investment to provide for increased funding for improved salaries for practitioners. Where there were demands for a professional workforce, our sector rallied for professional salaries. And, after two years of campaigning, Minister Zappone recently announced that the government has agreed to the need for improved salaries within the sector.
On the 8th of September 2017, after 3 years of working full time and studying part time I graduated from Maynooth with a BA Degree. Graduation didn’t feel like the end of a chapter, instead it felt like a new beginning. Achieving my degree paved the way forward, in a sector that I was proud of, and one where I will remain and progress and continue to work towards improved standards. My current role of Co-Ordinator continues to give me the opportunity to strive for change to the early year’s sector. I am very proud of the career path that I have chosen and will continue my journey to make a difference.
The early years sector continues to evolve, and has become increasingly versatile. The use of social media and the community of practice offered by engaging with practitioners online have offered new ways to connect with other professionals in our field. The MECPI community has identified the one thing we all have in common; passion, commitment, dedication, and a determination to overcome the challenges that can sometimes feel overwhelming in a tightly regulated sector.
Bio:
Therese Tutty graduated with a BA from Maynooth University in 2017. She is currently the Coordinator with Sonas Group Busy Kids; a company which operates Sonas Nursing Homes and Busy Kids Childcare across Ireland.
As the Coordinator Therese supports the management and leadership of Busy Kids services in Dublin, Athlone and Limerick. Prior to that Therese worked with Bright Horizons for 17 years and was the Regional Manager until the company merged with another provider in 2017.
Presentation of Quality Award
Mary O’Connor, Manager and Co-ordinator of Busy Kids Crèches, receives Quality Award. Pictured on the right, Sonas chairman Gerry Jordan accepting the award.
Presentation of Quality Award
Sonas nursing home managers and Busy Kids Crèche managers at the awards ceremony.