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, take 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:
START Tackling Treats At Home
Recent research from safefood has discovered that junk food is now the second-most eaten food group by children in Northern Ireland, with almost a quarter of children’s daily diets consisting of ‘junk’ foods such as crisps, biscuits, cakes, sweets [...]
PlayBoard’s Annual Conference – 2019
PlayBoard’s Annual Conference will take place on 20th November 2019 in the Crowne Plaza, Shaw's Bridge, Belfast. The 20th November is Universal Children's Day, marking the 30th anniversary of the UN General Assembly adopting the Convention on the Rights [...]
Nurturing Children’s Mental Health Through Play
With mental health in focus recently following Mental Health Awareness Week the Play Matters project has produced a new information flyer looking at nurturing children’s mental health through play. Download Flyer Play is crucial to children’s [...]
Weekend Of Fun At The IPA NI Play Gathering!
PlayBoard staff had a fun-filled weekend, attending the International Play Association Northern Ireland (IPA NI) Play Gathering at the beautiful Clandeboye Estate in Bangor. Over two days we enjoyed great company, great food and great craic! Friday [...]
Playday 2019 To Focus On Play Builds Children
This year Playday will be celebrated on Wednesday 7 August. We are delighted to announce that the 2019 theme is Play Builds Children. The Playday 2019 theme aims to highlight the many ways in which play is beneficial to [...]
