Legislation: Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it. (Another source of law is judge-made law or case law.) Before an item of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill, and may be broadly referred to as “legislation” while it remains under consideration to distinguish it from other business. Legislation can have many purposes: to regulate, to authorize, to proscribe, to provide (funds), to sanction, to grant, to declare or to restrict.
The Law covering pre-school childcare services (e.g. playgroups, crèches and some Childminders) is contained in the Child Care Act (1991) which directs that these services must be regulated and inspected by the Health Service Executive. The requirements are set out in the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No. 2) Regulations 2006.
Sale of goods: Under the terms of act 1980, the consumer has the following rights: Goods must be of merchantable quality. Goods must be as described. The buyer must be given enough time to examine the product.
A good day care centre should have a welcoming, friendly atmosphere and be known for its nurturing environment. A trained, qualified staff Day care centre employees should be educated, with at least two years of college, a background in early childhood development. It’s important for a centre to be flexible letting you pick up and drop off your child at different times, for instance — but it should also have clearly established regulations for everything from operating hours to how to handle emergencies. The centre should be able to supply you with a written copy of its policies. A good centre is clean and sanitary. Floors, walks, walls, and the kitchen area should be clean, food preparation areas should be far from toilets and diaper changing stations, trash shouldn’t be left sitting unemptied, and the building should be adequately heated, lit, and ventilated. Staff should wash their hands regularly, and after every diaper change.
Data protection: Data protection is the safeguarding of the privacy rights of individuals in relation to the processing of personal data. The Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003 confer rights on individuals as well as responsibilities on those persons processing personal data.
Here are the 8 rules: You must …. 1. Obtain and process the information fairly 2. Keep it only for one or more specified and lawful purposes 3. Process it only in ways compatible with the purposes for which it was given to you initially 4. Keep it safe and secure 5. Keep it accurate and up-to-date 6. Ensure that it is adequate, relevant and not excessive 7. Retain it no longer than is necessary for the specified purpose or purposes 8. Give a copy of his/her personal data to any individual, on request. You should develop an overall Data Protection Policy. This will outline what information you collect and for what purpose, who has access to it, how is it stored/recorded, how and when it is disposed of. All staff and families should be made aware of this policy. You should then have individual policies on more specific areas where personal information is recorded or collected, for example if your service uses CCTV cameras, you should have a very specific policy around this. Consumers Association
The Consumers’ Association of Ireland is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation, registered with charitable status and working on behalf of Irish consumers
By law, pre-school childcare facilities must be notified to, and be inspected by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Some childcare options may be distinguished simply by their opening hours or management structures, and others by the curriculum of education that they use. Staff training can also determine the type of service available, as can the general needs of parents in your area.
Ombudsman: The office of the Ombudsman complaints from members of the public who feel they have been unfairly treated by certain public bodies.
The Ombudsman for Children’s Office will occasionally publish an investigation it has undertaken if it feels that there is some learning to be had from it. The Office has published the following Investigations since 2004. they also provide a number of sample cases in order to illustrate the variety, processes and outcomes of this important aspect of our work. Health
Education Children and young people in State care School transport Local authority housing Bullying < www.oco.ie>
Data protection commissioner: Data protection is about your fundamental right to privacy. You can access and correct data about yourself. Those who keep data about you have to comply with data protection principles.
The welfare of children is of paramount importance. Children have a right to be heard and taken seriously. Taking account of their age and level of understanding, they should be consulted and involved in relation to all matters and decisions that affect their lives. Early intervention and support should be available to promote the welfare of children and families, particularly where they are vulnerable or at risk of not receiving adequate care or protection.
National standards for advertising: All marketing communications should be legal, decent, honest and truthful. All marketing communications should be prepared with a sense of responsibility both to the consumer and to society. All marketing communications should conform to the principles of fair competition as generally accepted in business. Day care advertising is easy when you notify neighbours, co-workers, family and friends. There is no better form of day care marketing than to have satisfied parents tell others about you. Run your child care home like a professional, keeping both children and parents happy.
Parents who referred other parents accounted for half of the children in my care. When you are first starting out however, your day-care marketing campaign will have to be creative. Siolta:Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education, was developed by the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. It was published in 2006, following a three-year developmental process, which involved consultation with more than 50 diverse organisations, representing childcare workers, teachers, parents, policy makers, researchers and other interested parties.
Early childhood is a significant and distinct time in life that must be nurtured, respected, valued and supported in its own right. The child’s individuality, strengths, rights and needs are central in the provision of quality early childhood experiences. Parents are the primary educators of the child and have a pre-eminent role in promoting her/his well-being, learning and development. Responsive, sensitive and reciprocal relationships, which are consistent over time, are essential to the wellbeing, learning and development of the young child. Equality is an essential characteristic of quality early childhood care and education.
Quality early childhood settings acknowledge and respect diversity and ensure that all children and families have their individual, personal, cultural and linguistic identity validated. The physical environment of the young child has a direct impact on her/his well-being, learning and development. The safety, welfare and well-being of all children must be protected and promoted in all early childhood environments. The role of the adult in providing quality early childhood experiences is fundamental. The provision of quality early childhood experiences requires cooperation, communication and mutual respect. Pedagogy in early childhood is expressed by curricula or programmes of activities which take a holistic approach to the development and learning of the child and reflect the inseparable nature of care and education. Play is central to the well-being, development and learning of the young child
Aistear: Aistear is the new early childhood curriculum framework for children from birth to six years in Ireland. Because early childhood marks the beginning of children’s lifelong learning journeys, this framework is called Aistear, the Irish word for journey. Aistear has four elements:
1. Principles and Themes. The principles summarise the characteristics of good practice in supporting children’s early learning and development, while the Themes describe the ‘WHAT’—What are the types of learning and development that are important for children at this time in their lives? 2. Guidelines for Good Practice focuses on the ‘HOW’ of children’s early learning and development—How as an adult, can I help children to learn and develop at this young age? In responding to this question, Aistear focuses on four key aspects of practice—partnerships between practitioners and parents and families; learning and developing through interactions and through play; and supporting children’s learning and development through assessment. 3. User Guide gives practical information about starting to use Aistear. Key Messages summarises important points from research used in developing Aistear.