Westmeath County Childcare Committee CLG

02/11/2026

🎓 LINC+ CPD Programme: Registration Opening Soon

Save the date!

Registration for the LINC+ CPD Programme opens on Monday, 9 November.

Continue your professional learning with six new Learning Packages designed to support inclusive practice in Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare settings.

The programme is fully funded, fully online and open to all LINC graduates. Complete the packages at your own pace and receive a certificate for each one you finish. If you’ve taken part in LINC+ CPD before, we encourage you to join us again. With entirely new content across all six Learning Packages, there’s more to discover! Explore our LINC+ CPD Programme brochure below.

LINC+ CPD Brochure October 2026 | Find thousands of free educational ebooks for classroom use at read.bookcreator.com

02/11/2026

Tusla’s Early Years Inspectorate has issued a new Regulatory Notice outlining the first aid requirements for pre-school services.

Effective from September 2026, the new one-day PHECC-accredited First Aid Essentials: Paediatric First Aid course is now recognised as meeting the requirements of the Early Years Services Regulations.

Registered Providers must ensure that:
✅ At least one person trained in accredited first aid is immediately available to children while the service is operating
✅ A trained person is available during outings
✅ The number of trained staff is informed by the service’s documented risk assessment
✅ A list of trained staff and their in-date certificates is available

Only PHECC Recognised Institutions and Approved Training Institutions should be used to deliver accredited courses.

📄 To read the full notice, visit Tusla’s website, go to Early Years Providers → Regulatory Notices, and select “First Aid Requirements in Pre-School Services.”

27/10/2026

First Aid Response Recertification Mullingar Blended Learning course certified by the Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC)

Location: The Mullingar Congress Centre, Mullingar, Free Parking

Duration: 12 hours (50/50 blended learning, half e-learning and half in house practical)

PHECC First Aid Response Recertification training through Blended eLearning

(please note in house training is available through face to face training)

This blended (online) course is carried out through a combination of eLearning and classroom learning.

Approximately 6 hours on our self learning platform done at your own pace & 6 hours face to face training.

The eLearning must be completed prior to attending the practical training
https://www.protrainingcourses.com/first-aid-courses/first-aid-response-refresher/first-aid-response-refresher-mullingar

27/10/2026

First Aid Response Blended Learning Mullingar course certified by the Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC)

Location: Mullingar Congress Centre Mullingar Free Parking

Duration: 18 hours (50/50 blended learning, half e-learning and half in house practical)

PHECC First Aid Response training through Blended eLearning

(please note in house training is available through face to face training)

This blended (online) course is carried out through a combination of eLearning and classroom learning.

Approximately 9 hours on our self learning platform done at your own pace & 9 hours face to face training.

The eLearning must be completed prior to attending the practical training

Click on link below for upcoming trainng dates and booking information.

https://www.protrainingcourses.com/first-aid-courses/first-aid-response-3-days/first-aid-response-mullingar

23/10/2026

Exploring and Understanding the Updated Aistear in practice: A National Webinar Series

Webinar 5 explores the rationale behind Aistear’s Reflective Cycle of Planning and Assessing. Dr Sharon Skehill will share insights into why we plan and assess, how these processes support children's learning and development, and how a rights-based approach helps ensure every child's voice, interests, strengths and experiences are recognised and valued

Click on the following link for more information and to register:

https://www.betterstart.ie/training-events/exploring-and-understanding-the-updated-aistear-in-practice-a-national-webinar-series-2/

23/10/2026

Deadline extended to Monday 9 November! Apply here:

Deadline extended to Monday 9 November! Apply here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/campaigns/art-competition-2026/

We’re inviting children aged 4-15 to show us their creativity through an artwork sharing their vision of an “Ireland of the Future” in the Growing Up in Ireland National Children's Art Competition!

For full competition details, including how to enter and terms and conditions, please see the link above.

23/10/2026

National Severe Weather and Flood Coordination Group meets again as preparations for Storm Austen continue


Dear Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare provider,



The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) convened another meeting of the National Severe Weather and Flood Coordination Group this afternoon, with Storm Austen forecast to track to the south of Ireland this evening and into Friday. A second weather event, Storm Boelo, is expected to quickly follow over the weekend and its progress is being monitored.



You can access the full press release by clicking the "read more" button below.



The National Severe Weather and Flood Coordination Group will continue to meet over the coming days and is monitoring the emerging weekend forecast.



Members of the public can access practical and helpful information on emergency preparedness at gov.ie/BeEmergencyReady.

https://www.gov.ie/en/office-of-emergency-planning/campaigns/be-emergency-ready/

21/10/2026

Storm Austen Weather Warnings & Advisories for Friday, 23 October

Dear Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare provider,

Following meetings of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group regarding Storm Austen, the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management has advised Storm Austen is forecast to bring intense rain on Friday, 23 October.

Below are the current Weather Warnings and Advisories which are in place:

Met Éireann Status Orange - Rain warning for Cork, Kerry, Waterford

Valid: 22:00 Thursday 22/10/2026 to 05:00 Friday 23/10/2026. Issued: 10:38 Wednesday 21/10/2026

Intense rain associated with Storm Austen.
Prepare for impacts:

Disruption and delays to public transport (rail, bus)
Flooding expected
Very difficult travelling conditions.

Met Éireann Status Orange - Rain warning for Dublin, Wexford, Wicklow

Valid: 02:00 Friday 23/10/2026 to 08:00 Friday 23/10/2026. Issued: 10:41 Wednesday 21/10/2026

Intense rain associated with Storm Austen.
Prepare for impacts:

Disruption and delays to public transport (rail, bus)
Flooding expected
Very difficult travelling conditions.
Met Éireann Status Yellow- Rain and Wind warning for Ireland

Valid: 19:00 Thursday 22/10/2026 to 10:00 Friday 23/10/26. Issued: 10:56 Tuesday 20/10/2026. Updated: 11:59 Wednesday 21/10/2026

Heavy rain associated with Storm Austen will spread eastwards across the country. Strong easterly winds will back northwesterly and strengthen further, especially in the south and southeast.

Be aware of potential impacts:

Difficult travelling conditions
Localised flooding possible
Outdoor events impacted
Debris, loose objects displaced
Some fallen trees, branches.
The Department would like to remind providers of the specific Be Winter Ready advisory information for ELC and SAC settings which is available at gov.ie - Schools and Early Learning and Childcare Services Severe Weather – Be Winter Ready. The information includes important details for services on being prepared, keeping informed of weather updates and advisories and decision making on possible service closures.

Kind regards,
Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Division

https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-defence/publications/schools-and-early-learning-and-childcare-services-severe-weather-be-winter-ready/

20/10/2026

Free Autism webinar for grandparents, which may be a valuable resource for families attending early years and school-age childcare settings across your county.

The webinar has been developed to help grandparents better understand Autism and how they can support, connect with and celebrate their Autistic grandchildren.

Watch the free webinar here: https://youtu.be/cbFoBPsw0Y0?si=nhtoCRbq5sVK0kA4

It begins with a gentle, accessible introduction to understanding Autism, followed by a personal family story shared through the experiences of my three Autistic sons, Conor, Jack and Max. We then hear from their Granny and Grandad, who share their experiences of being grandparents to Autistic children, along with practical advice and reflections on the importance of understanding, acceptance and family support.

The webinar is completely free to access and is available on our YouTube channel, making it easy for families to watch at a time that suits them.

Autism & Grandparents: Understanding Autism Through Our Family Stor...

20/10/2026

Department of Children, Disability and Equality

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality has developed a suite of compliance supports on child attendance records for the Early Learning and Care (ELC), School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector.

Child attendance records are an important part of the day-to-day operation of services. Maintaining accurate attendance records supports the safety and wellbeing of children and assists services in meeting child attendance record requirements.

The resources include:

A Video Demonstrating a Range of Child Attendance Recording Scenarios that May Arise Within a Service
A Child Attendance Record Infographic
A Guide to Formatting Child Attendance Records

These resources aim to support consistent and accurate record-keeping practices across the ELC and SAC sector.

Both English and Irish versions of the resources are available and can be accessed using the links below:

Compliance Supports: Child Attendance Records
Tacaíochtaí Comhlíontachta: Taifid Tinrimh na Leanaí

https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/compliance-supports-child-attendance-records/

https://youtu.be/xuKlEbaqbWw?si=kCFh4IhOQK65PmZi

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