Kildare County Childcare Committee

23/12/2025

23/12/2025

💛🎄 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 – 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁, 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆

The week before Christmas is the wobbly one — especially for kids.
School routines change, excitement is sky-high, everyone’s tired, and emotions run a bit closer to the surface.

Here’s a gentle reminder for this stretch between the 18th and the 22nd:

💛 Kids get overwhelmed easily this week
They’re tired. They’re overstimulated. They’re trying to manage big feelings with small bodies.

💛 Take the pressure down at home
Keep things simple: easy dinners, slower evenings, lowered expectations.
Your calm helps their calm.

💛 Keep things soft and steady
A cosy film, a quiet chat, a short walk, a cuddle on the couch — grounding moments matter more than ever.

💛 Connection first — everything else can wait
Not every job needs doing.
Not every plan needs keeping.
What your child needs most this week is you: patient, present, and steady.

If you’re finding it all a bit much yourself — that’s normal too.
One slow evening can reset everyone. 💛

22/12/2025

Nurturing Skills website outlines the qualifications required to work with children as an early years educator. Explore the qualification pathways and learn how to take the next step in your professional journey.
For more information visit: www.nurturingskills.ie

19/12/2025

🐝NCS Maintenance – End of Year 2025

As it is coming up to the Christmas holidays and the end of 2025, it may be necessary to make important changes for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) on your Early Years Hive.

As such, the following points are covered in this announcement:

🐝NCS service calendars (adding closures)

🐝NCS weekly returns

🐝NCS bridging payments

🐝Grace periods

For guidance on adding closures to your NCS service calendar, please see the ‘How to add a Closure’ heading of the NCS Service Calendar Guide: https://earlyyearshive.ncs.gov.ie/how-to-guides/how-to-guides-ncs/service-calendar/

18/12/2025

“Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan” sets out the Government’s approach to building an affordable, high-quality, and accessible early learning and care and school-age childcare system.

Learn more at https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/shaping-the-future/

18/12/2025

All Early Years services are legally required to renew registration every three years. This is a requirement under the Child Care Act 1991 and relevant regulations. You can register your Early Years Service on the Tusla portal here: https://portal.tusla.ie

Tá dualgas ar gach seirbhís Luathbhlianta de réir dlí athnuachan a dhéanamh ar chlárú gach trí bliana. Is riachtanas é seo de réir an Achta um Chúram Leanaí 1991 agus rialacháin chuí. Is féidir leat do Sheirbhísí Luathbhlianta a chlárú ar an tairseach Tusla anseo: https://portal.tusla.ie

18/12/2025

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley - TD has today published two action plans for the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector.

Read our press release: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/press-releases/minister-foley-publishes-two-new-action-plans-for-the-early-learning-and-care-and-school-age-childcare-sector/