Training

Limerick Childcare Committee produces a training calendar twice per year. The purpose of the training calendar is to provide a range of professional development opportunities to those working in the early years sector.

The calendar is posted to all Early Years services, including childminders, who are registered with Tusla or voluntary notified to Limerick Childcare Committee. It is also posted on our website (on this page).

• Autumn 2024 Training Calendar
• Autumn workshops 2023
• Training Calendar 2022-2023

The following conditions apply to all training/professional development opportunities provided by Limerick Childcare Committee.

1. Bookings can only be made using the Booking Form.  Booking Forms are posted to Early Years (Childcare) Services.
2. Payment must be enclosed with the Booking Form. Bookings will not be made without payment.
3. Priority will be given to staff working in Early Years Services.
4. Refer to the LCC Terms and Conditions for Professional Development Programmes and Client Charter.

• Terms & Conditions for Professional Development Programmes revised Aug 2014
• LCC Client Charter

Please note that we do not provide First Aid, Manual Handing and HACCP training.

In June 2016, revised guidelines were published as part of the introduction of the new Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) for children with disabilities.

Limerick Childcare Committee is delivering a training programme which will support educators engage with “Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Charter and Guidelines for Early Childhood Care and Education”.  This awareness raising programme will empower early years educators to explore, develop and promote inclusive practices for the benefit of all children and families availing of their service.  It will give participants a greater confidence in developing and implementing an Inclusion Policy for their service.

The training has been developed and funded by the Department of Children & Youth Affairs and is free of charge.  On completion of the programme, participants will receive a certificate of attendance as well as a resource pack of books for each service that completes the training. These books are a great resource for teaching children about diversity

When and where is the training on? 

Full attendance at all sessions is required.  

Longcourt House Hotel, Newcastle West, Limerick.

• Thursday 15th February 2024 (during mid-term) 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. (lunch provided)
• Wednesday 21st February 2024 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m
• Wednesday 28th February 2024 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.

Participants’ Testimonials 

“The programme gave me a working knowledge of the DEI Guidelines and how to refer to them”.

“Definitely should be completed by all staff in Early Years settings.  Most enjoyable training to date!”

“Really makes you reflect on your practice with a whole new lens – very worthwhile”.

“This course has made me reflect on our own setting and how we express ourselves.  We got great insight and ideas from the group each week.  I really enjoyed it”.

“I had very little expectations initially, however I feel I have been enlightened with ideas and a new sense of awareness”.

“I really enjoyed the programme and found it to be very informative and feel I leave with a better awareness of diversity, equality and inclusion.”

“I am delighted that my manager sent me”.

“Glad I did the course as I feel it has given me more confidence in dealing with issues regarding inclusion”.

“It covered a lot of information and the pace was just right”.

“I am taking a lot away from this course that I will put into practice within my setting”.

Copy of diversity-equality-and-inclusion-charter-and-guidelines-for-early-childhood-care-education for downloading.

Limerick Childcare Committee do not provide accredited training. The organisations listed below provide information on National and Local Courses.

• Qualifax is Ireland’s National Learners’ Database. It is the “one stop shop” for learners. They provide comprehensive information on further and higher education and training courses.
• Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board provides Further Education and Training in Limerick and Clare. They offer a range of full time and part time courses to over 15,000 learners in over 300 locations across the region every year.

• The minimum qualification for all Pre-School Leaders, delivering the ECCE programme, will increase to Level 6 (on the National Framework for Qualifications)
• The minimum qualification of Level 5 on the National Framework for Qualifications, will be required for all staff working with children in Early Years Services

Please refer to the Qualification Requirements page of our website for information on the DCYA List of Recognised Qualification and Requirements for the ECCE Scheme

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) will re-open the Learner Fund Bursary to Early Learning and Care practitioners who are new graduates of a recognised Early Childhood Education and Care degree programme. The local City/County Childcare Committees (CCC) will process and appraise Learner Fund Bursary applications.

The following rules apply to the Graduate Bursary:

1. The qualification for which the bursary is paid must be either:

(a)  On the DCEDIY Early Years Recognised Qualifications list and indicated as meeting the qualification requirements for room leader – higher capitation.

Or

(b)  The applicant must hold a letter of eligibility to practice from DCEDIY which states that the qualification meets the standard for the higher capitation rate.

2. The award must be placed at level 7/8/9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and achieved in the academic years 2015 – 2024.

3. The bursary amount will be €1,000.

4. The qualification must be a full, major award; the bursary cannot be paid in respect of partially completed awards.

5. Letters from third level education providers which state that a partially completed award is equivalent to a full award should not be accepted.

6. The qualification for which the bursary is paid must be that which qualifies the person to work in the Early Years sector (and is at least level 7 on the NFQ).

7. Applicants may only apply once and cannot be granted the Learner Fund bursary for a second time if they have already received it before i.e. the bursary will be paid for one of the following – a level 7 OR a level 8 OR a level 9 qualification.

8. The applicant cannot have received any public funding in support of their completing the award relating to this application.

9. The bursary is available to experienced practitioners only; applicants must have been working in a Tusla registered Early Learning & Care Service prior to beginning their course.

10. Applicants must be currently working in a Tusla registered Early Learning & Care Service.

11. Staff working in standalone School Age Childcare services are not eligible to apply.

12. Application must be made by the holder of the award and not by any third party on their behalf.

Please Note:

With regard to (5) above: Only students who have registered for, successfully completed and have been awarded a Level 7 or 8 Major Award are eligible. Students who are enrolled in courses, who are continuing their studies and who have not been awarded a level 7 or 8 Major Award are not eligible for the Graduate Bursary.

With regard to (8) above: DCEDIY is aware that an increasing number of qualified practitioners choose to pursue post-graduate education to further advance their practice, but is not in a position to provide funding in respect of this. If an applicant does not have an eligible undergraduate degree, and has a post-graduate award which is not on the published list, they should apply for qualifications recognition as a priority.

The CCC decision is final: There is no appeals process for the Graduate Bursary payment. The decision of the CCC is final for the purposes of the bursary application and process, and no delays to the timely conclusion of the process should occur. If an applicant is not approved and wants clarification on this, they can contact DCEDIY directly.

Application requirements:

1. Application form to be completed in full and by the deadline specified.
2. Applicants must be currently working in a Tusla registered Early Learning & Care service.
3. Supporting qualifications documentation (including photographic identification) must be provided with the application form.
4. In lieu of graduating certificates, transcripts from the third level education institution can be accepted.
5. The transcripts must be in document/hard copy form and endorsed by the institution; screenshots of online student records cannot be accepted.
6. The transcript can only be accepted if it clearly shows that the full award has been achieved. 

Timeframe for applications:

Leadership for Inclusion  in the Early Years (LINC) is a Level 6 Special Purpose Award required for staff in ECCE settings to complete if they wish to take on the new role of Inclusion Coordinator.   The programme seeks to address the need for continuing professional development (CPD) within the ECCE sector in relation to the inclusion of children with disabilities.

The course is being offered by a consortium (Mary Immaculate College, Early Childhood Ireland, Maynooth University) by way of blended learning over one year.  It will involve on-line learning and one Saturday classroom session per module (7 Saturdays over the programme year, including orientation).  Classroom sessions for the 2018/19 academic year of the programme will take place in the following centres:  Clonmel, Drogheda, Dublin, Gorey, Letterkenny, Macroom, Sligo, Tuam, Tullamore.

Candidates, who must hold a Level 5 Major Award in a relevant area, must be nominated by their employer/early years setting.  Only settings in contract to deliver the ECCE programme will be eligible to nominate a candidate.  The course is fully funded by the DCYA.  In addition, there is a once-off payment of €200 to each participating eligible student to assist with covering expenses arising from participating on the programme.  An ECCE setting employing an Inclusion Coordinator (i.e. a graduate from the LINC course) will be eligible for additional capitation of €2 per ECCE child per week.

Applications can only be made online on www.lincprogramme.ie.  The application process will remain open until 12th April 2018.  All details regarding the course can be found on www.lincprogramme.ie.