Westmeath County Childcare Committee CLG

15/10/2026

Did you know that settings have the option to select support from Better Start QDS as a quality development action in their Quality and Inclusive Practice Plan (QIPP), which is submitted to meet contractual requirements under Core Funding? The deadline for submission of the 2026/27 QIPP is Monday 2nd November. Last year 99% of settings who did this expressed satisfaction with the mentoring and advice we provided.

1. Please submit an application, by logging into your Hive Account, expand the Programmes menu and select Better Start Quality Development Service Applications. Select New Application from My Active Programme Applications in the Applications tab, select ‘Better Start Quality Development Service Applications’, followed by ‘New Application’

2. On your QIPP 2026/2027 indicate that you will seek support in progressing your identified quality and inclusion actions and select Better Start.

Check out our How to apply on Hive video: https://youtu.be/L6VWu3728GY

14/10/2026

Our 6th annual Lámh Day takes place this year on Wednesday, 14th October! The theme this year is: ‘Lámh Connects Us’! Join us and share with us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, or send us an email, and help us celebrate! How can you help celebrate in the lead-up to Lámh Day? - Use Lámh in...

13/10/2026

NCS refresher training invite 21 and 22 October 2026

You are invited to attend an NCS Refresher Training. The sessions will be held on 21 and 22 October 2026.

In this training session we will cover the following:

Introduction to the National Childcare Scheme (NCS)
NCS 2026: Updates & Changes
NCS Claims
Returns & Payments
Attendance: Records & Rules
Sponsor Referrals
NCS Service Calendars
Change of Circumstance
Reviews & Appeals
Resources
Training Webinar Registration Links:

NCS Refresher Session 1: 21 October, 2:30 pm
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NCS Refresher Session 2: 22 October, 10:30 am
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NCS Refresher Session 3: 22 October, 6 :30 pm
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We kindly ask that questions asked on the day are kept to the topic being covered.

Regards,
The Early Years Team

13/10/2026

ECCE, AIM Levels 1 & 7, CCSP Savers and Core Funding compliance 2026/2027 information sessions

You are invited to attend an information session on ECCE, AIM Levels 1 & 7, CCSP Savers and Core Funding compliance 2026/2027. The sessions will be held on 13 and 14 October 2026.

In each information session we will cover the following:

What is a compliance inspection?
Preparing for a compliance inspection
The inspection process : On-site and Post Inspection
Compliance Framework
Resources
We kindly ask that questions asked on the day are kept to the topic being covered.

Registration Links:

Session 1: 13 October, 10:30 am
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Session 2: 13 October, 6:30 pm
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Session 3: 14 October, 2:30 pm
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Please note, the content for each session is the same.

The ECCE, AIM Levels 1 & 7, CCSP Savers and Core Funding compliance announcement 2026/2027 and guidance documents will be available on the Early Years Hive shortly and in advance of the webinars.

Kind Regards,
Pobal Compliance & Early Years Teams

13/10/2026

The Check it Fits service is quick, it’s easy, it’s free. On the day our experts will advise on how to fix any problem, demonstrate how to fit the restraint correctly and answer any queries participants might have. Our experts aim to put parent’s, grandparent’s and guardian’s minds at ease that their child’s car seat is safely and securely fitted in their car.

We will be visiting the following locations in Longford & Westmeath:

Longford
Dunnes Stores Longford Dublin Rd, Glack, Longford, N39 FK23
Tuesday, 13 October 2026

Westmeath
Buckey's SuperValu Mullingar
Austin Friars St, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, N91 WPX9
Wednesday, 14 October 2026

Westmeath
Mary's SuperValu Athlone
Ballymahon Rd, Cloghanboy, Athlone, Co. Westmeath
Thursday, 15 October 2026

If you have any questions or require any additional information, please let us know for more information on the service visit www.checkitfits.ie

12/10/2026

EARLY NUMERACY

Early Numeracy is new series of resources for early childhood professionals providing practical guidance on how best to support children to explore and discover early numeracy in ways that foster positive dispositions towards learning, while building their curiosity, confidence and competence as learners.

The series explores seven key numeracy concepts: quantity, number, time, spatial reasoning, pattern, shape, and measurement and, for each concept, includes:

An educator resource that examines what children learn through exploration, highlights your role in supporting this learning, demonstrates how mathematical language can be embedded in everyday experiences, and provides practical examples that make abstract concepts concrete, interactive and relevant to children's daily lives.
A poster that can be displayed in your setting to encourage discussion, investigation and exploration of the featured numeracy concept.
https://knowledge.barnardos.ie/collections/391bc6fb-90f9-4643-b17e-d0b85fb1506d/search

12/10/2026

An Introduction to Supporting the Inclusion of Traveller and Roma Children in Early Learning and Care. Register on the Nurturing Skills website.

https://www.nurturingskills.ie/news/supporting-the-inclusion-of-traveller-and-roma-children-in-early-learning-and-care-webinar-series/

12/10/2026

Expression of Interest for GrowWell Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Trainings & Workshops

GrowWell, an Erasmus+ cooperation partnership project focused on supporting preschool educators in nurturing children’s resilience, wellbeing, and social-emotional learning through engaging educational materials, creative activities, and practical tools for early childhood settings, is offering free online and in-person Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) trainings and workshops for educators, parents, and guardians in three different languages: English, Croatian, and Serbian. Educational materials for use with children will be available free of charge in English, Croatian, Serbian, and German.

The programme will provide practical tools, activities, and guidance that participants can use both in preschool settings and at home to support children’s emotional wellbeing, communication, empathy, resilience, and positive relationship-building through everyday interactions and experiences.

Services, educators and parents can register their interest here:
https://growwellproject.eu/expression-of-interest-for-growwell-social-emotional-learning-sel-trainings-workshops/

12/10/2026

Working on your QIPP? Better Start can help

As Early Learning and Care settings complete their Quality and Inclusive Practice Plans (QIPPs), the Better Start Quality Development Service is available to support the implementation of quality development goals identified within the plan.

Through on-site and online mentoring, Better Start Early Years Specialists work alongside settings to support reflection, quality improvement and meaningful practice development linked to their identified priorities.

If you would like mentoring support as part of your QIPP, you can apply through the Early Years Hive and select Better Start Quality Development Service as a quality development action.

Not sure if mentoring is right for your setting? You can raise a request through the Early Years Hive to speak with a member of the Better Start Quality Development Service team. We would be happy to discuss how mentoring works and explore how we can support your quality development goals.

View our short video to learn more about mentoring and how to apply through Hive

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

12/10/2026