Free specialised sign language training for 75 local childcare professionals
By Mary Dennehy
FREE sign language training is being offered to 75 childcare professionals in South Dublin County to ensure that all children can access local services, reports Mary Dennehy.
The move is part of a €500,000 investment to ensure that children with disabilities can attend free pre-school services, with sensory integration training also being provided to childcare professionals.
The €500k allocated this week to free sign language and sensory integration training has been delivered under the Government’s Access Inclusion Model (AIM), which was launched 18-months ago and has to date targeted around 5,000 children.
Announcing the new places this week, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone said: “If we are to develop truly accessible affordable quality childcare then it must be open to every child in Rathfarnham, Tallaght, Citywest and our other communities.
“Since the introduction of AIM we have made great strides to ensure children with disabilities can participate in free pre-school education alongside their friends…now we are taking another important step.
“We are offering free specialised training to the practitioners who deliver childcare in our communities, a total of 75 places are being provided locally.”
Minister Zappone added: “There will be training in Lámh – the manual sign system used by children and adults with intellectual disability and communication needs in Ireland.
“In addition training is being provided on the internationally renowned Hanen Learning Language and Loving It Programme.
“This programme was designed to help all children in the classroom build language and social skills, no matter what their learning and communication styles are, including children with additional needs.
“There will also be online training in sensory integration.
“These courses together with further developments in the AIM programme, which I will confirm shortly, represent a significant investment in improving the quality and accessibility of childcare.”
For further details visit www.aim.gov.ie.
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