At the end of January the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald announced that in 2012 Ireland will see the development of Irelands first National Early Years strategy for children ages 0-6 years.  The primitive years are the most important for the development of children and Minister Fitzgerald stated "Early-intervention in childrens lives and quality childhood experiences are cruticial to a childs emotional, cognetive and social development". 

Over the years Portobello Institute has dedicated a lot of time working with charities in India spending time with slum children in schools and orphanages.  Denise Flood, Head of the Early Years Department has visited Pune many times devoting her time to street children and accessing how she could make a change to the quality of their lives using her years of experinece within Montessori and Chlidcare.  Her empathetic approach towards these children has led her to further develop education facilites and with this in mind 2012 will see Portobello Institute embark on a new project in India by setting up a Montessori school in Pune.  Experiencing first hand Denise has seen how spending quality time with the children ensuring they are stimulated in every day skills has steadily improved their cognitive and social skills.  In the short time she spend in Pune she saw a dramatic improvement in some of the childrens responses.  In these poor slum areas many children are sent out to beg on the streets as familes are extremely poor.  Portobello Institute aim to open a school which will be able to provide a warm and welcoming environment for these children.  Using the Montessori method Denise and her team will set about encouraging learning and developing the individual childrens potential.

As part of their Child Health and Wellbeing module the second year Montessori Teaching students have set about researching health and fitness for the pre school years.  It is extremely important that young children include light exercise in their daily routine and that they are provided with a healthy and nutritional diet in the early years.  Portobello Institute have their own Montessori school that facilitates over 20 children throughout the day.  The students were fortunate to be given the task of devising and implementing a health, nutrition and fitness programme for the school and the children.  This is a fantastic opportunity for our students and they are really looking forward to the fun task which will see them working closely with both the children, staff and management of Portobello Montessori school.  Initially the students set up some simple excercises for the children in the school such as hop scotch and putting hoops around cones.  The students also carried out an arts and crafts session with pictures and painting of fruit and vegetables. Movement and balance are important at this stage of childhood encouraging freedom, balance, activity and most importantly fun.

Denise Flood and Sinead Matson from our Montessori and Childcare department were fortunate to visit Pen Green training centre in Northamptonshire in March.  The centre specialises in training and research for the early child years   Their vision is for the research base to be an important resource for those working in the early years field.  In doing so the centre is able to help practicioners and childcare professionals learn and improve their services.

There are many obstacles facing people with intellectual disabilities including communication.  Sign language aids the gap for communication between adults and children giving both parties a tool in which to understand each other and form a converstaion.  LAMH is an Irish sign language which has been around since the 80's and has proved to be an invaluable asset to parents with children to have hearing or intellectual disabilities.  LAMH is taught at St Michaeals House and this week a representative from the organisation took the time to deliver a guest lecture to our Childcare and Special Needs students informing them of this advantageous form of signing with young children.  The simple signs in LAMH were developed to allow practitioners and families to communcate with their children until the child learns to speak.  Many preschoolers find it is an excellent tool within thier settings for children with lots of different learning delays.  Signs can be used a primary method of communication.  Many LAMH signs have been adapted from Irish Sign Language (ISL).  However, LAMH uses a smaller number of signs than ISL and the hand positions are complex.  Many of our students who go on to work with children with intellectual disabilities will find LAMH a fundemental tool when working in this sector. 

Are you part of a parent and toddler group or are looking to set up a group in the Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown area but are struggling with equipment or training costs?  Dun Laoghaire - Rathdown County Council Childcare Committee are inviting existing groups as well as parents who are looking to set up a group to apply for a grant under the  Parent and Toddler Group Initiative 2011.  Small grands from €100 to €600 are availalbe for various areas such as toys, equipment, arts & crafts, music, or indeed help towards insurance, rent or training.  Application are available on-line and should be submitted by 8th April 2011

Childrens charity Barnardos came into the college at the end of last year to deliver a guest lecture to Portobello's Montessori students.  Enlightented and enthused by the charities notable and continued work the students took it upon themselves to raise some money to contribute to the charity.  The students organized two hampers packed with goodies to raffle just in time for Christmas.  Raising over €2,000 the students proudly presented the cheque to a Barnardos represetative earlier in the month.

Barnardos launched a new publcation this week to support those working in pre-schools in creches, Montessori schools, after school clubs and summer camp settings.  The book acts as a guide for careers to understand their responsibilites regarding child protection and to maximise the safety and welfare of the children while in their care and to report child protection concerns in accordance with the Government's protection guidelines Chilldren First.