Minister
Launches major evaluation report
21st
April 2005
Mr.
Brian Lenihan, Minister of State at the Department of Health and
Children, will officially launch the Evaluation Report of The
Community Playgroup Initiative 2001 -2004.
The launch will take place in the Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny
on Friday 22nd April at 11.30 a.m.
The
Community Playgroup Initiative (cpi) was established and funded
by the Katharine Howard Foundation (KHF) in partnership with the
former South Eastern Health Board, now Health Service Executive
South Eastern Area (HSE SEA), and with assistance from the Equal
Opportunities Childcare Programme.
A three-year programme was developed to assist community
playgroups to deliver a high-quality sessional service and to
identify and evaluate the impact of funding and support on the
quality of service provided to children and their families.
Among the objectives of cpi were that children and families
would benefit, that staff and committees would have
opportunities to put ideas into operation and that new skills
acquired would have a lasting impact.
Both
the KHF and the HSE SEA value community playgroups as a means of
family support. They recognise that parents often take part in
adult education and personal and community development as a
consequence of being involved in community playgroups, It was
agreed that KHF would take the lead role in the employment of a
co-ordinator and the overall management and supervision of cpi.
An inter-agency expert advisory group was then established to
assist in the development of cpi and the ongoing work.
The
cpi formally began in 2001; a fund was created from which five
selected community playgroups could each avail of up to
€45,700 over a three-year period, from 2002 to 2004.
The playgroups selected to participate were:
*
Askea Community Playgroup, Askea, Carlow (Carlow/Kilkenny
Community Care Area)
*
Slieverue Community Playgroup, Co. Kilkenny (Waterford
Community Care Area)
*
St Oliver’s Community Playgroup, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
(South Tipperary Community Care Area)
*
Teach na bPáistí Community Playschool, Ferns, Co.
Wexford (Wexford Community Care Area)
*
The Rower Inistioge Pre-School, The Rower, Co. Kilkenny
(Carlow/Kilkenny Community Care Area)
The
evaluation report evidence points to many improvements in the
quality of provision as a result of cpi. It is clear that the
immediate aims and objectives of cpi have been met. The benefits
to the five participating playgroups, the playgroup committees,
the communities and, most importantly, to the children and their
parents have been extensive. One playgroup described the change
as:
“a complete transformation of the group, which would never
have been achieved without the money and support; a much higher
quality service is now offered” (staff and committee, final
evaluation).
The
cpi evaluation report has demonstrated that, with developmental
support and modest funding, community playgroups can support
families and deliver high-quality services that give children
positive social interactions and opportunities for active
pre-school learning.
Peter
Kieran, Regional Coordinator of Child Care Services, HSE SEA
says, “The initiative was built on a core belief in the value
of good community support systems for the child and his/her
family. Both the KHF and the Health Service Executive value the
role that community playgroups have as a means of family
support, providing early childhood care and education at low
cost through a community service.”
Noelle
Spring, Development Officer for the Katherine Howard Foundation
stated, “This is an important time in the development of
policy regarding the provision of high quality early childhood
care and education. There is widespread recognition of the
benefits of quality early years interventions that assist young
children to reach their potential and nurture their love for
lifelong learning. We believe that cpi confirms that community
playgroups are an important part of early years provision in
Ireland and offer a robust and viable option to parents in
seeking childcare for their children. We intend to build on this
success and continue to advocate for the inclusion of playgroups
in the provision of community based services for children.”
Ends
Notes
for Editors:
The
Katharine Howard Foundation (KHF) is an independent grant-making
Foundation whose particular emphasis is on the support of
community projects and initiatives. KHF was established in 1979
by the late Katharine Howard and is operated through a voluntary
Board of Trustees and small support staff.
The
Foundation supports organisations and projects related to work
in disadvantaged areas throughout Ireland, with Co. Wexford and
South Wicklow (where the late Miss Howard lived) given
particular consideration.
The
Trustees are keen to support the formation and development of
community groups by those who live in the area, especially where
this will lead to building co-operation and community spirit at
a local level. The Foundations provides grants for community
groups throughout Ireland. As part of its grant’s schemes the
KHF has concentrated on giving small grants to community
playgroups and parent and toddler groups for the past nine
years.
This
grant scheme has been complemented by development work that
seeks to identify the issues of concern for community
playgroups. The Foundation works along side other independent
funders and the statutory, community and voluntary sectors in
order to increase its capacity and impact on this work. KHF also
documents the lessons arising from their work to inform policy
at a local, regional and national level. Working in partnership
with the HSE SEA and the involvement of many other agencies in
the Community Playgroup Initiative 2001-2004 and the production
of the evaluation report is evidence of the approach taken by
KHF to provide funding and support to community playgroups.
Contact
details: Noelle Spring, The Katharine Howard Foundation, ISFC,
10 Grattan Crescent, Inchicore, D 8. 01 4531861, 087 2361963
info@khf.ie <mailto:info@khf.ie>
