About Us

The work of the City/County Childcare Committees is underpinned by the following seven principles:

  1. A commitment by all stakeholders to continue to ensure quality, accessible and affordable childcare services for children and their families.
  2. CCCs, as a key stakeholder, continue to be responsive and flexible in relation to meeting the objectives and requirements of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and Pobal. 
  3. All actions delivered by and on behalf of DCEDIY/Pobal are in line with the ten year First 5 the Whole-of-Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families to improve their experiences and outcomes.
  4. CCCs are to ensure consistency and uniformity in the delivery of all supports and services and in relation to all communications in the ELC, SAC sectors and childminding sectors.
  5. CCCs continue to maintain a close working relationship with ELC, SAC and Childminding services.
  6. CCCs continue to work in a co-ordinated way, in collaboration and partnership with each other and other stakeholders, to deliver supports and services to the ELC, SAC and Childminding sectors, to ensure that resources are utilised as effectively as possible, and to ensure that consistency across the CCCs is achieved.
  7. CCCs work, on behalf of the DCEDIY, at local level and should work in collaboration and partnership with other organisations such as Pobal, including Better Start QDS/AIM, and Tusla in the development and support of ELC, SAC and Childminding services locally, as well with the National Siolta Aistear Initiative.

For 2024, the following objectives have been identified to assist in guiding the work of

the City/County Childcare Committees:

Objective 1: Support DCEDIY’s Finance, Compliance, Research and Data Unit 

  • Provide information and support to ELC & SAC service providers in relation to issues identified as a result of Compliance Visits in respect of the following DCEDIY programmes: Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) and the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) 
  • Support DCEDIY and Pobal CAR in the ongoing improvement of compliance in the ELC and SAC sector. 

Objective 2: Support DCEDIY’s Quality Unit 

  • Deliver Child Protection and Welfare training as per National Child Safeguarding Programme. 
  • Continue to support administration of the Learner Fund Graduate and Childminder bursaries 
  • Support promotion and rollout of new Nurturing Skills Learner Fund 
  • Provide information to ELC, SAC and Childminding services in relation to statutory regulations, national policy, qualifications, standards and quality supports. 
  • Provide support to ELC, SAC and Childminding services with pre-registrations and change of circumstance. 
  • Provide assistance to ELC services which need to engage in the post inspection Corrective Actions and Preventative Actions (CAPA) process with Tusla. 
  • Provide support in relation to the National Síolta Aistear Initiative. 
  • Engage services through communities of practice approach on a range of topics relating to quality. 
  • Provide supports to childminders in line with phase 1 of the National Action Plan for Childminding 
  • Provide assistance with the implementation of the Childminding Development Grants. 
  • Support the development of outdoor play-based learning. 
  • Roll out training for Critical Incident Plan 
  • Support promotion of and rollout of Nurturing Skills 
  • Facilitate the recruitment of staff into the sector for example engaging with ELC/SAC service providers, local further and higher education institutions, local DSP / Intreo offices and ELC Graduates (Levels 5-8). 
  • Run information sessions on the Nutrition Standards 
  • Hold workshops on Everyday Checklist for Participation Framework 
  • Provide support to services who will now be subject to Education inspections as the EYEI expands its remit to the full 0-6 group 
  • Support ELC services, SAC services and Childminders with the quality requirement of their Core Funding contract. 
  • Engage in the Training of Trainers programme for the participation framework

Objective 3: Support DCEDIY’s Communications Unit 

  • Communicate effectively with ELC and SAC services wishing to operate the national childcare programmes. 
  • Communicate effectively with potential applicants (parents/guardians), wishing to avail of national childcare programmes. 
  • Communicate effectively with parents/guardians to ensure they are fully informed regarding childcare matters locally including service provision and quality of provision.
  • Communicate effectively with the Childminding sector on the delivery of the NAPC. 

Objective 4: Support DCEDIY’s Governance and Systems Development Unit 

  • Establish how best to implement the recommendations arising from the Review of the ELC and SAC Operating Model vis-a-vis the creation of a dedicated State agency 

Objective 5: Support DCEDIY’s Schemes Oversight Unit

  • In the delivery and management of the following national childcare programmes and any extensions of these programmes in 2024: 
  • Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) (to include but not limited to checking of fees and to check that providers are publishing their upto-date fees on their online platforms) 
  • Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) Saver Programme (to include but not limited to the checking of fees and to check that providers are publishing their up-to-date fees on their online platforms) 
  • National Childcare Scheme (NCS) including universal subsidy 
  • Co-ordinate and administer the Parent and Toddler Grant scheme 
  • Provide information, support and guidelines in relation to DCEDIY’s ELC and SAC Capital 2024 funding programmes. 
  • Assist the Department in delivering on First 5: A Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families, launched in November 2018, 
  • Provide information, support and training to ELC and SAC services wishing to operate NCS. 
  • Support Providers to understand the NCS Sponsor programme and assist providers in offering sponsorship places 
  • Provide information and support to potential applicants (parents/guardians) from vulnerable cohorts including families needing assistance with Sponsorship. 
  • Provide information, assistance and support to potential applicants (parents/guardians) wishing to avail of NCS who have language, literacy and issue with accessing technology 
  • Provide information, assistance and support to potential applicants (parents/guardians) wishing to avail of NCS including assisting access to those supports. Check that Providers are publishing their up-to-date fees on their online platforms: website, Facebook social media etc. 

Objective 6: Support DCEDIY’s Access and Inclusion Unit 

  • Promote and provide support to parents and pre-school providers in relation to AIM (the Access and Inclusion Model). 
  • Roll out revised Equality Diversity and Inclusion training including the mentoring aspects to promote and develop the Inclusion Charter in targeted settings 

Objective 7: Support DCEDIY’s Sector Development Unit 

  • Support the ongoing development and sustainability of the ELC and SAC sector, being flexible and responsive to changing levels of need for support. 
  • Support the ongoing development and improvement of governance in the ELC and SAC sector. 
  • Support the Department in its piloting of various initiatives. 
  • Support and promote the development and implementation of the new Funding Model. 
  • Deliver training workshops and/or information workshops in relation to the administration of Core Funding. 
  • Support services with queries and difficulties throughout the Core Funding programme year cycle.

Please click below to view the national website for County/City Childcare Committee:

https://myccc.ie/
       

Clare County Childcare Committee's Declaration of Guiding Principles - Child Safeguarding Procedures

Clare County Childcare Committee believes that the best interests of children are paramount. We believe that all children have the right to be protected, treated with respect, listened to and to have their views taken into consideration in all decisions affecting them.

Our guiding principles are underpinned by Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, Tusla’s Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and legislation including the Children First Act 2015, Child Care Act 1991, Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998 and the National Vetting Bureau Acts 2012-2016.

Our guiding principles and child safeguarding procedures apply to all paid workers, volunteers, committee/board members and students on work placement within our organisation.

All committee/board members, staff members and other stakeholders must sign up to and abide by these guiding principles and our child safeguarding procedures.

We will review our guiding principles and child safeguarding procedures every two years or sooner if necessary due to service issues or changes in legislation or national policy.

Clare County Childcare Committee's Reporting Procedures - Responding to and Reporting Child Safeguarding Concerns

Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children requires organisations to have reporting procedures in place. These procedures must be understood and followed by all workers within the organisation. Everyone should be alert to the possibility that children with whom they are in contact may be being abused or at risk of being abused. Everyone should know how to recognise and respond to the possibility of abuse or neglect, so as to ensure that the most effective steps are taken to protect a child and to contribute to the ongoing safety of children.

The process of identifying and reporting suspected child abuse and neglect can be difficult for both the person who makes the report and the families involved. However, a failure to act when abuse or neglect is occurring can result in children being left in harmful situations and could potentially result in long term damage to their well-being.

There are many reasons why a worker may be concerned about the welfare or protection of a child or young person. Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children states that Tusla should always be informed when a person has reasonable grounds for concern that a child may have been, is being, or is at risk of being abused or neglected.

All workers have a responsibility to safeguard children and to report, to Tusla, any concerns they may have for the protection or welfare of a child.

Regardless of how a concern comes to a workers attention, it should be reported to the DLP.

A child or young person may disclose to a trusted person that they have been or are being harmed or abused. Children may have different ways of communicating that they are being abused. If a child hints at or tells a worker that he or she is being harmed by someone, it must be treated in a sensitive way. It is important that workers are aware of how to respond to a child who discloses abuse. 

All members of the Board of Management must also be familiar with Clare CCC’s Child Safeguarding Procedures.

Clare County Childcare Committee's Child Safeguarding Procedures

Clare CCC has procedures in place for the effective management of workers to ensure good child safeguarding practice. These are listed below.

 Policy for Responding to Allegations of Abuse Against Workers

 Confidentiality Procedure

 Code of Behaviour

 Recruitment and Selection Procedure

 Garda Vetting Procedure

 Induction Procedure

 Supervision and Support Procedure

 Disciplinary Procedure

 Complaints Procedure

Clare County Childcare Committee - Reporting Child Safeguarding Concerns

Adhering to this reporting procedure will ensure that correct procedures are followed to safeguard children and that due regard is given to confidentiality and appropriate record keeping.

Clare CCC workers will adhere to the following steps when a child safeguarding concern arises.

Recording – Clare CCC workers must record all child safeguarding concerns in writing using a standardised recording form and these records must be given to the DLP. Workers in Clare CCC will inform the DLP of all child safeguarding concerns

Records must be factual and include details of concern and any actions that have been taken in relation to the concern(s)

The DLP must ensure that the organisation’s reporting procedure is followed, so that child safeguarding concerns are referred promptly to Tusla

For child safeguarding concerns that arise for a CCC worker while visiting an ELC or SAC service, the worker must discuss these concerns with Clare CCC DLP and make a decision whether to inform the DLP of the service.

The DLP will be fully familiar with the Clare CCC’s responsibilities in relation to the safeguarding of children and have good knowledge of the organisation’s guiding principles and child safeguarding procedures. In conjunction with the DLP, the person with the child safeguarding concern will establish that reasonable grounds for concern exist.

If reasonable grounds for concern have been established, a report must be made to Tusla, jointly, by the person with the concern and the DLP. If the DLP is unsure that reasonable grounds for concern exist, they may seek informal consultation with a Tusla social worker. Informal consultation can be sought through Tusla’s Dedicated Contact Points

 If there is an immediate risk to a child or children and Tusla cannot be contacted, the DLP must contact An Garda Síochána

Reporting to Tusla – reports should be made to Tusla using the Tusla Web Portal under the Clare CCC Account. Where the Tusla Web portal cannot be accessed, the Child Protection and Welfare Report Forms and/or Retrospective Report Forms should be downloaded, completed and posted to Tusla by registered post. Contact details can be found through the Tusla Dedicated Contact Points

 If a report is being made to Tusla and/or An Garda Siochana by Clare CCC, Clare CCC will consider who the information needs to be shared with, in line with their Confidentiality Procedure.

 If a report is been made to Tusla, the Clare CCC DLP/Deputy DLP’s will be aware of this, which includes the Clare CCC Manager (DDLP) and the Chair of the Board will be informed by the Manager, that a report has been made, but no identifying information will be shared.

Retrospective abuse disclosures must be reported to Tusla. Reports should be made to Tusla using the Tusla Web Portal. Where the Tusla Web portal cannot be accessed, the Retrospective Abuse Report Form should be downloaded, completed and posted to Tusla by registered post. Contact details can be found through the Tusla Dedicated Contact Points

Recording:

 All safeguarding concerns must be recorded on a standardised form

 Records will be managed by the DLP and held in a dedicated child safeguarding file which is locked and accessible only by the DLP and when needed the Deputy DLP.

 Records must be factual and include details of concern and any actions that have been taken in relation to the concern(s)