A Brief Look at Childminding Ireland’s first in-person AGM since 2019.
Saturday 8th October 2022 Ashling Hotel, Dublin.
Little did we know at our last in-person AGM back in June 2019 what lay ahead for the next 3 years! So, it was great to be back catching up with lots of familiar faces and meeting many new childminders as well. There was a real buzz in the room with over 50 attendees. Being able to hold an in-person AGM was particularly important given the changes facing childminders as the National Action Plan (NAPC) for Childminding is rolled out together with the cost of living pressures for childminders and the challenges facing Childminding Ireland – the National Body for Childminding in in Ireland.
Chairperson Mary Walsh gave the welcome address, highlighted the fact that this is a time of historic change for childminding. The future of childminding will be very different and the Chairperson also emphasised the importance of childminders voices being heard especially at this preparatory stage of the NAPC.
The Chief Executive Report:
The CEO Bernadette Orbinski Burke, gave an overview of the activities of Childminding Ireland from January 2021 to date including representing childminding and the ongoing lobbying of childminding interests. Members were updated on the supports and information made available as well as training and development that has been run. An update was given on outreach, social media and media interviews held in 2021 and 2022 to date. The E-newsletter, articles and interviews have a reach of approx. 12,000. The annual Art Competition is now open for entries.
The political context of CMI’s work was raised including the NAPC launched in spring 2021 and due to be fully implemented by 2028 and the DCEIDY Structural review reported December 2021 –
Childminding Ireland was proud to share that it had co-hosted its first International academic webinar ‘The Childminding Difference’ it was a real success with over 120 online participants and the YouTube video has been viewed more than 1000 times.
The organisations contact database contacts rose to 4,411 childminding contacts in 2021 meaning an 8% increase year-on-year. Research is vitally important in the childminding sector. Childminding Irelands annual research survey ‘Childminding in Ireland’ is the largest childminding survey in the country.
The staff of Childminding Ireland were sincerely thanked for all the work they do.
Rotation of the Board of Childminding Ireland:
A facilitated session followed and in line with the Constitution, a rotation of the Board took place, 1 Board member resigned, 1 Board member stood down for re-election and was reappointed. Four new members were appointed to the Board.
Members Forum:
A lively discussion followed primarily around the future of childminding including Childminding Ireland, and the implications of the National Action Plan for Childminding.
The conversation was wide ranging and lots of points made and recommendations suggested.
All in all the day was a great success with lots of conversations over coffee and lunch, networking and catching up. The ‘Help Yourself’ table was very popular with children’s books and art materials freely available. It was also good to see the raffle for participants enjoyed with 2 sisters among the prize winners – as far as we know the only 2 sisters in the membership?!
Thank you to all those would managed to come along, and fingers crossed looking forward to seeing even more members next year.
