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Parenting Positively: Parenting Skills for Parents of Children between 6 and 12
No full textBookletBeing a parent is probably the most important job we can do in our lives. To parent positively we need to understand what it takes to do the job well. The more we understand about a child’s development and needs, the more we can be aware of what it takes to create healthy environments for children to thrive. Throughout human history, people have lived in small, close-knit communities, but today not all parents have relatives nearby to support them and give guidance in child raising. In some ways we intuitively know how to make good and wise decisions about parenting, but sometimes the stresses and mixed messages of the world can make it difficult. Therefore, we need to take every opportunity to learn more about what it takes to parent effectively
Parenting Positively: Coping with a Parent's Problem Drug or Alcohol Use; for Parents of Children between 6 and 12
No full textBookletThis booklet is one in a series on Parenting Positively. Parenting is a very rewarding job but one which can be difficult at times, especially when parents are faced with challenging situations. The aim of this series is to provide information and guidance to parents of children between the ages of 6 and 12 to help create a positive, loving and supportive relationship between you and your child. The series covers general parenting skills as well as complex life issues such as bullying, bereavement, separation, parental drug and alcohol problems, and domestic abuse. There are booklets for parents outlining children’s understanding of the particular issue and how you can support them. There are also booklets for parents to read with their children, which may help your child to better understand what is happening and help you as a parent to answer any questions they might have. Each booklet also gives further resources that you can follow up for more information and help on the issue covere
Note: This is a Legacy Copy of this Publication. Protecting Children: A Child Protection Guide for Early Years and School Age Childcare Services (2nd Edition)
No full textBookChild protection is everybody’s concern. Those working with children in early years services and in school age childcare have both a professional and a moral responsibility to ensure that their services are managed in such a way as to maximise the safety and welfare of the children attending them. Early years and school age childcare services have responsibilities under Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. Barnardos provides training and consultancy on child protection to the sector and is aware of managers’ and practitioners’ concerns about competencies, policies and procedures in this area. The need for services who work with children to understand their obligations under Children First and to have in place appropriate policies and procedures is necessary, not only for the protection of children, but also for the protection of staff. Protecting Children is primarily aimed at managers and practitioners working in centre-based early years and school age childcare services. It will also be useful for any services that work with children and to development/support staff who might be working in a training or support capacity with services working with children. The aim is to provide a comprehensive guide to child protection for early years and school age childcare services covering relevant legislation, the policy context, principles and procedures. There is also guidance in relation to best practice for working with children, parents and other agencies. A key message of Protecting Children is that safeguarding children needs to be part of the organisational culture of all organisations who work with children. Protecting Children aims to cover two key areas:
1. The promotion of positive practice, which incorporates the protection and welfare of children.
2. Guidance in relation to dealing with concerns about suspected or actual child abuse or neglect.
The guide aims to be accessible and practical rather than a theoretical book, however it is informed by Irish and international research and by Barnardos’ extensive experience in this area. While Protecting Children is not a training manual, it includes materials such as templates and scenarios which we hope will act as a resource for practitioners and managers seeking to implement best practice in relation to the protection and welfare of children in their care
Parenting Positively: Coping with Separation; for Children Aged 6 to 12
Get PDFBookletThis booklet is for children whose parents have decided not to live together any more. If you are going through this in your family now, or if it has happened already, you probably have lots of questions. The booklet was written to help give you some answers
Parenting Positively: Coping with a Parent's Problem Drug or Alcohol Use; for Children Aged 6 to 12
Get PDFBookletThe information in this booklet is meant to help children who are living with harmful parental drug or alcohol use. It is hoped that you will be helped to understand what is happening in your family and that some of your questions about drugs and alcohol will be answered. You may want to read this booklet alone or with a parent or adult you trust. We hope you will get clear information and find out how to talk to other people who can help you. Children are never to blame when a parent drinks too much or takes drugs. It is not your fault
Parenting Positively: Helping Teenagers to Cope with Bullying
Get PDFBookletThis booklet is for parents of teenagers who may be experiencing or be involved in bullying. It will help you to: Know the tell-tale signs of bullying; Understand the effects of bullying – short term and long term; Find ways to support your teenager through bullying; Find ways to communicate with your teenager if they are involved in bullying behaviour; Find out where you can get help and support. ‘Bullying is repeated aggression, verbal, psychological or physical, racial, sexual or relational, conducted by an individual or group against others.’ Cool School Anti Bullying Programme Bullying is an anti-social behavioural problem which affects thousands of Irish teenagers on a daily basis. It can take the form of verbal bullying, sexual bullying, exclusion bullying, physical bullying and cyber bullying. It may involve physical assaults, harassment or verbal abuse, theft, blackmailing, spreading rumours or deliberately excluding someone from a social group
Note: This is a Legacy Copy of this Publication. Parenting Positively: Helping Teenagers to Cope with Death
Get PDFBookletEvery person has some experience of death at some point in their lives and teenagers are no exception. They can come into contact with death in their family, in their school and in their community. In addition to experiencing death as a result of illnesses like cancer and heart disease, teenagers are often directly affected by sudden and traumatic deaths like suicide and those resulting from road traffic accidents and fights. Parents cannot shield young people from the reality of these deaths or from the pain of loss but they can help and guide their teenager on their journey through grief with support, information and encouragement. This booklet provides guidance to parents in helping their teenage children. There is information for teenagers on coping with death on www.barnardos.ie/teenhel
ChildLinks Issue 1: Language Development in the Early Years
No full textBarnardos journal ChildLinksThe recent Supreme Court ruling on the 31st amendment to the Constitution of Ireland finally passed the Children’s Referendum. The insertion of an article enshrining children’s rights into Ireland’s Constitution ushers in a new era of support and protection for all children. We look forward to seeing the real impact of this historic amendment in the coming months and years: improved support and protection for children in our laws and policies, and young people who feel truly valued members of the Irish society. In this issue of ChildLinks we look at the issue of language development. Language acquisition is a skill that we largely take for granted, despite the fact that it is estimated that 1 in 10 children have speech and language difficulties and are at serious risk of social isolation and real educational disadvantage. Language and communication are central to the development of social, emotional and academic development. While the majority of children acquire language without difficulty, there are some who struggle to develop language and may regularly experience frustration and even failure in their communication. Research points to a very high incidence of speech, language and communication needs in lower socioeconomic groups. All those interacting with babies and small children play a role in the development of their communication skills. The creation of communication-friendly environments is therefore essential in all early years settings. In her article in this issue of ChildLinks, Speech and Language Therapist Patricia Curtis outlines the growing demand for support in encouraging language development for all children and the role of the speech and language therapist in providing this support in early years settings. Máire Mhic Mhathúna of Dublin Institute of Technology then looks at the value of fostering positive attitudes towards all languages, including Irish, local English and children’s other home languages, and the increasing emphasis on the importance of developing children’s oral language in government documents. The following three articles present a number of initiatives in Ireland that support language development in young children: The Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapy in the disadvantaged area of Tallaght West; The Language Support Initiative in The Dublin South West Inner City Parent and Child Hub; and Happy Talk, a language development project that works in the areas of The Glen and Mayfield in Cork City. The final article in this issue looks at the long-term impacts of speech, language and communication needs and how these impact of other aspects of a child’s development, highlighting the importance of early intervention
ChildLinks Issue 2: Play
No full textBarnardos journal ChildLinksInvestment in children in Budget 2016 is a positive first step towards building a fairer future for children in Ireland. Extra investment to extend childcare services, including an earlier start date for joining the free preschool year, paid paternity leave and an increase in child benefit will be welcomed by tens of thousands of Irish families. However, these measures must be followed up with sustained investment and action for it to have a true and lasting impact on those families who have spent years struggling against poverty and inequality. In this issue of ChildLinks we look at the issue of Play. Play is one of the key features in how a child learns and is an important factor in their social, emotional and cognitive development. Play situations give young children the opportunity to explore the world around them, learn new skills and build connections with others, both socially and emotionally. Play can also be a means through which a child copes with difficult situations and emotions. While stress, change and upheaval cannot always be avoided, it can make a great difference to a child to be able to play in a way that helps them to deal with feelings such as frustration, fear, bewilderment, confusion, hurt and loss. This issue examines children’s play stories and the importance to children of being included in play with others. It also looks at play in Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education in Ireland, and the need for early years educators to have an understanding and knowledge of both child development and the stages and types of children’s play in order to provide appropriate play opportunities and materials. This issue of ChildLinks also examines the therapeutic value of play and how play therapy can provide children with an opportunity to ‘play out’ their thoughts, feelings and problems in a non-directive way, and in a safe environment with a caring therapist. Two further articles give information on research studies. One study looks at the play interactions of infants under two within the home physical environment. The study explores and identifies ways in which young children develop and learn to negotiate objects and spaces of everyday life in the home. The second study explores how fathers and mothers interact with their babies and toddlers, and how different styles of interactions are related to characteristics of the mothers, fathers, and the children themselves. It asks questions such as, Do parents systematically interact differently with boys in comparison with girls? Do fathers engage in higher levels of physical play than mothers
Addressing the Housing Crisis - Is Enough Being Done?
Get PDFSheetEveryone needs a place to call home to instil security, safety and familiarity in their lives. The absence of this affects a child profoundly, leading to feelings of uncertainty, fear, helplessness and anxiety as they see their parent(s) under huge strain. It has an impact on their educational, social and emotional development. The housing crisis came to ahead in 2014 due to a severe deficit of affordable appropriate housing both in the private rented sector and social housing. It led to large numbers of low income families being at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Has anything improved