PlayBoard provide tailored support programmes to School Aged Childcare providers based on their needs that builds their capacity to meet the minimum standards required for their service.
The support offered to groups frequently covers the following areas;
Compliance to the minimum standards, thereby helping groups address issues arising from previous Social Services Inspections, or help prepare for up and coming Inspections
Sharing of resources relating to both the running of the business and the provision of quality play opportunities for children
Relevant bespoke training in the Playwork approach; in staffing issues; or in working with parents.
PlayBoard’s programme is supported by the local Childcare Partnerships and groups are referred by Social Services, but any group can buy in our services.
A Commitment To Quality
For children, play and childcare services provide them with space to play freely with friends, to relax and to participate in a wide range of activities if they wish to do so. Parents will benefit from School Age Childcare services that have been assessed and recognised as providing a quality provision. The peace of mind they receive from knowing their child is being cared for in a safe, stimulating and welcoming environment is immeasurable.
PlayBoard’s Pathways to Excellence resource is currently under review as we align the resource to Minimum Standards for Childminding and Daycare. Our new toolkit will set out clear and defined standards of quality for all aspects of School Age Childcare services; including legislative requirements as identified in Minimum Standards – Quality of Care; Quality of Staffing, Management & Leadership; Quality of the Physical Environment; Quality of Monitoring & Evaluation and Policies and Procedures. The resource will support practitioner self-evaluation and critical reflection.
The aim of “Pathways to Excellence” is to create and maintain an infrastructure of quality in School Age Childcare that ensures the holistic, healthy development of children, taking account of the varied, highly complex and multifaceted play needs of children.
It is anticipated the scheme will greatly assist ongoing registration and inspection processes and support best practice in play based School Age Childcare settings.
Latest Quality Improvement Programme News:
Leadership In Childcare – Webinar
Date: Wednesday 31 March Time: 10:00 – 11:00am or 7:00 – 8:00pm Platform: Zoom This webinar is suitable for leaders, managers and committee members in School Age Childcare settings. Good leadership helps to create not [...]
Focus On Youth@Play
PlayBoard’s Youth@Play programme launched in early 2020. The programme, funded by the Department of Education through the Education Authority, builds on the capacity of youth workers to facilitate play in youth centres for their younger members. The pilot programme [...]
Playday 2021 Theme Announced
Playday is the national day for play in the UK, traditionally held on the first Wednesday in August. Playday 2021 will be celebrated on Wednesday 4 August. The theme for this year’s Playday is … Summer of Play. The Playday 2021 [...]
Weir Announces Further Measures To Support Childcare Providers
Education Minister, Peter Weir today (09/03/21) announced an additional £11.8million funding to support childcare providers. This is the second phase of the Covid-19 Childcare Sustainability Support and is for the period of 1 January to 31 March 2021. The [...]
Springers Play Audit
Springers Afterschool is based in Forthspring on the Springfield Road, Belfast. Springers recently availed of support rolled out by PlayBoard NI to help play providers involved in the Bright Start scheme achieve and maintain settings that provide a fun [...]