'Include Us' network

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The first platform meeting for the Childcare Inclusion programmes ‘Include Us’ Network was held on 28th November, 2007 in the Sanctuary, Stanhope Street, Dublin 7. The meeting was well attended by a range of participants who had completed the CIP training, policy seminars and parents workshops. Thanks to all who came along and participated so energetically throughout the morning!

The focus of the platform meeting was to finalise details for the Network and also to plan the sub group meetings for 2008. A huge amount of interesting ideas had been generated at all three planning sessions which took place in June 2007, in Tallaght, Ballymun and the City Centre. Primarily, people had expressed the idea that they would like to organise themselves into area based subgroups, meeting a number of times a year, with the three groups coming together on an annual basis for a Skills Development day. This idea was accepted at the platform meeting and the three groups were formed, based in North Dublin, the Tallaght area and the City Centre.

To kick off the platform meeting, the ideas and suggestions generated at the planning sessions were presented as possible areas of focus within each of the subgroups. Following this presentation, each of the subgroups spent an hour working together organising their groups and planning their first meetings. The subgroups worked out initial terms of reference for their groups, set dates for their first meeting and discussed the focus of their group and what they would like to achieve within the first year. Again, many different ideas emerged, however the idea that the subgroups would provide support and information to each other around inclusion was a common theme within all three groups. Members also expressed an interest in inviting more parents to become members of the network.

Meetings in 2008 have now taken place and Network groups are working on their own projects and ideas.  If you are interested in attending one of the subgroup meetings or finding out more about the Network, please contact the DESSA office on 01 4163548

 

Discussion Forum

The Childcare Inclusion Programme has set up a discussion forum which can be accessed here on the DESSA website. This was one of the ideas arising from the planning meetings as a way for training participants to stay in contact with each other, support each other and share information. However, the discussion forum is open to anyone looking for support or  information around the inclusion of disabled children. We encourage you to 'log on' and use this useful resource.

The discussion forum can be accessed under the childcare Inclusion Programme, it is called the CIP Forum.

Or log onto www.dessa.ie/caint/index.php.

To register with the discussion form:       

  1. Click on:  Register (top right hand corner), this will bring you to      Dessa Forum - Registration Agreement Terms
  2. Agree to the Registration Agreement Terms that suits you
  3. Fill in the DESSA forum index, which is your details and what you want to appear when you write into the forum.
  4. When you submit the form, an email will be sent to the email you provided; this is a security measure to ensure people are real who are logging on.
  5. When you receive this email (which should be immediate), click on the link and you are then registered with the forum.

Manual of Best Practice

The Manual of Best Practice, A guide to including disabled children in childcare and play settings has been developed and was officially launched on the 6th November. The manual is intended to be a useful guide to childcare and play providers on all aspects of inclusive policy and practice, including: Accessibility of the physical environment; Staff structures which support Inclusion; Inclusive communication strategies; Managing challenging behaviour.  Included in the Manual are checklists for self- assessment, as well as a list of useful web-sites.

If you would like a copy of the manual of best practice.....

If you would like a a copy of the manual of best practice or if you would be interested in accessing a workshop on how to implement the manual in your childcare or play setting, please fill in the form below. If you would like to submit some details on what your organisation is involved in, please feel free. 

Some Useful Resources

  • Spot Goes to School – A National Deaf Children’s Society sign language book, Eric Hill
  • Pick & Mix- a selection of inclusive games and activities, Di Murray, Kidsactive Development Associate
  • Zoom, Istvan Banyai
  • Voice and Minicom, Dorothy Dowling, 18Blackstock Drive Sheffield S14 1AG
  • Follow That Chimp, Philippe Dupasquier
  • The Huge Bag Of Worries, Virginia Ironside & illustrated by Mark Mackenzie-Smith
  • Adventure Holiday, Sue Brearley, photographs by Jenny Matthews
  • The Day we met Cindy, Anne Marie Starowitz
  • New Playwork- Play and Care for Children 4-16 Fourth Edition, Annie Davy & Jane Gallagher
  • Playwork, Take 1 the video, Cheltenham & Gloucester- College of Higher Education
  • Playwork- Theory and Practice, Edited by Fraser Brown
  • The Dream Catcher- Keep your happy dreams- forever!, Jasmine Brook and Lianne McCabe, illustrated by Helen Cann Hasta Lueg, San Diego, Jean F. Andrews