ABOUT Offaly County Childcare Committee

Aims of the County Childcare Committees
Role of the committee
Members - Offaly County Childcare Committee

Mission statement of Offaly County Childcare Committee

Offaly County Childcare Committee support the development of quality, affordable, inclusive, accessible childcare and family friendly services for all children in every part of the county

Offaly County Childcare Committee has been meeting since May 2001 and is made up of representatives from the statutory sector, social partners, community groups, voluntary groups, the Community and Voluntary Forum, National Voluntary Children's Organisations, providers of childcare and parents, all who have a vested interest in childcare provision in the county.

Aims of the County Childcare Committees

• To develop a co-ordinated strategy for childcare provision in the county
• To increase the supply of childcare services and facilities
• To support and develop local networks of providers
• To update the baseline data provided in the National Childcare Census
• To develop an information strategy concerning the provision of childcare in the county
• To establish and maintain effective links with the appropriate structures i.e. County Development Board, Local Area Partnerships, Health Boards etc.

Role of the committee

Offaly County Childcare Committee has three main roles:
1. To support the roll out of the ECCE (free pre-school place) in the county

2. To support the roll out of the CCSS (commuity childcare subvention scheme) in the county

3. To support the support the development of the childcare sector in Offaly through working with the various types of Childcare settings such as:

• Playgroups (both private and community)
• Montessori schools
• Full day care - Nurseries & crèches
• Naionrai
• Traveller Pre-schools
• Steiner Kindergartens
• Childminders
• Employer based childcare services
• After-School Services
• Parent & Toddler Groups
• Drop-In Centres
• School aged Childcare

Members - Offaly County Childcare Committee

SECTOR	REPRESENTING	COMMITTEE MEMBER
Childcare Providers	Community Pre-school Provider Representative	Amy Lynch
	Private Pre-school Provider	Mireille Passchier (Secretary)
Parents	Parents Representative (School Aged Children)	Nathalie P. Watts (Treasurer)
	Parents Representative (Pre-school Children)	Fiona Dunford(Treasurer)
Community and Voluntary	National Voluntary Childcare Organisation (NVCO)	Vacant
	National Voluntary Childcare Organisation (NVCO)	Peggy Walker
	County Offaly Community Forum	Con Carter & Nora Lavin
Local Development	Offaly Local Development Company	Sarah Behan(Chairperson)
	County Enterprise Board	Vacant
Statutory Agencies	Health Service’s Executive	Ann Spain (Vice Chairperson)
	Community and Enterprise Office, Offaly County Council	Edel Boyd
	FÁS	Joanne Darcy
	Department of Social and Family Affairs	Vacant
	County Offaly V.E.C	Mary McLoughlin
	Department of Education and Science	Vacant

Offaly County Childcare Committee is currently impelementing a three year Strategic Plan 2007 - 2010 which was developed in late 2006 / early 2007. The strategy follows and builds on the experience of the previous 2002 - 2006 Childcare Strategy for Offaly. During this time considerable progress has been made in terms of promoting quality in childcare services and in supporting childcare providers to avail of training, information and funding.

For more information contact Offaly County Childcare Committee