News

Dear Parents,

We are reopening our short survey to gather your feedback on the complaints procedures in schools, perhaps you didn’t get a chance to complete this survey when it was originally open in September or to take part in our recent in-person or online consultations on the complaints procedure.  Whether you have used the procedure or not your voice is important to us. Please fill out this short survey and share it with any other parents who may be interested. If you have already completed the survey there is no need to complete it again.

Click here to take part in the survey: 

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=4HcczmaGBkii7dA6Y4qM6sbc3GRVOu1EhoD0dlUVw4pUQ1kwNFVNMjRGM1NKNDBOWlhYSDFCSjBRVy4u

Kind regards

National Parents Council

Dear Parent,

We are delighted to invite you to the NPC Education Conference 2024: Building Futures Together. This conference will focus on key themes of children’s well-being, resilience, and education, featuring insightful presentations from expert speakers.

 Date: Saturday, 23rd November 2024
 Venue: Kinsale Community School, Ballinacubby, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Directions to the venue
 Time: 11am – 4pm (registration with tea/coffee from 10:30am)

Speakers and Highlights:

• Mr. Shane Martin – Psychologist and expert on mental health and resilience, sharing evidence-based strategies to enhance well-being.
• Mr. John Kearney – CEO of the National Council for Special Education, sharing updates on recent changes in special education that impact students and parents.
• Mr. Billy Redmond – Principal of North Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School, discussing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) for accessible education.
• Professor Peter Etchells – Professor of Psychology and Science Communication Bath Spa University, Bath, UK, looking at the potential positive and/or negative behavioural effects of screen time and will share evidence based data regarding mobile phones and their affects on children’s mental health.
• Dr. Megan Reynolds – Researcher at DCU Anti-Bullying Centre, sharing student perspectives on smartphone bans in Irish schools.

Register Now

Please register your attendance by the 21st November 2024.

We look forward to welcoming you to an inspiring day of learning, discussion, and community. Join us as we work together to build a brighter future for children’s well-being and education.

Warm regards,
Áine Lynch
CEO, National Parents Council

Dear Parents,

The National Parents Council (NPC) wants to know how we can help schools give every child, especially those from families who might struggle financially, a fair chance to do well.

The survey covers areas such as:

• If money problems or other issues make it harder for children to do well in school.
• What schools are doing to help and what more could be done.
• What kind of activities (like sports or trips) and support (like the School Completion Programme or Home School Community Liaison) are available.
• How schools can better support children from families facing tough times.

Take our survey (it only takes about 10 minutes) and add your voice to the conversation.

The survey will close on the 1st of October 2024

Click here to take the survey 

Educational Disadvantage (office.com)

Kind regards

National Parents Council (NPC)

Dear Parents,

We are excited to announce a valuable opportunity for parents of primary school children to participate in a virtual session designed to support and promote positive mental health and wellbeing in your children.The National Parents Council (NPC) in collaboration with St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services offer this essential programme.

To register: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Mental_Health_October2024
The virtual sessions aims to equip parents with the necessary tools and knowledge to foster resilience in their children, enabling them to effectively manage the inevitable stresses of everyday life. By attending this session, you will:

• Explore the various factors that influence your child’s mental health and wellbeing.
• Learn practical strategies for building and nurturing resilience in your child.
• Receive valuable tips on how to best support your child’s positive mental health and wellbeing.

These sessions will be conducted online, providing you with the flexibility to participate from the comfort of your own home. Please note that the sessions will be interactive.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Session Details

Dates: Monday 30th Sept to Friday 4th of October 

Times: 10:00am and 7:30pm

To secure your spot, please register your details by clicking on the following link: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Mental_Health_October2024

Don’t miss out on this invaluable opportunity to enhance your understanding and support of your child’s mental health and wellbeing. We look forward to having you join us for these important sessions.

Dear Parents,

The National Parents Council (NPC) wants to know how we can help schools give every child, especially those from families who might struggle financially, a fair chance to do well.

The survey covers areas such as:

• If money problems or other issues make it harder for children to do well in school.
• What schools are doing to help and what more could be done.
• What kind of activities (like sports or trips) and support (like the School Completion Programme or Home School Community Liaison) are available.
• How schools can better support children from families facing tough times.

Take our survey (it only takes about 10 minutes) and add your voice to the conversation.

Click here to take the survey 

Educational Disadvantage (office.com)

Kind regards

National Parents Council (NPC)

NPC are reaching out to you to hear your views on the current complaints procedure in schools. 

Whether you have experienced the current complaints process or not, your input is invaluable!

Tell us what you think. We want to hear your views.

Join us for an in-person focus group to share your views and experiences.

Details:

Venue: The Morrison Hotel, Ormond Quay, Dublin 1, D01 K5X5

Date: Saturday, 21^st September 2024

Time: 10am to 4pm

What to Expect at the Event: 

• An Overview of the Current Complaints Procedure: Understand the steps involved
• Group Discussions: Share your own experiences, concerns, and suggestions in small groups facilitated by our team. 

• Expert Insights: Hear from the Ombudsman for Children on the importance of a child-centred approach.
• Find out about what others are doing: Learn about best practices from other countries

Why Should You Attend? 

At this event, we want to hear directly from parents like you about the strengths and challenges of the current school complaints process. Your participation is crucial in helping us understand what works and what doesn’t in the current system.

How to Register: 

To register for the consultation, please click this link Consultation session on the Complaints Procedure in schools Survey (surveymonkey.com) 

Registration is free, but spaces are limited, so be sure to secure your spot today! 

We look forward to seeing you on 21st September 

Dear Parents,

National Parents Council would like to invite you to our upcoming FREE online Anti-bullying sessions for parents of children in primary school, designed to equip you with valuable insights on addressing and preventing bullying. This is an online training programme designed by National Parents Council (NPC) to enable you to support your primary school children with any concerns that you might have regarding bullying and to also inform you about the Anti-bullying Procedures in primary schools.

Register now by clicking this link:

Why Attend? 

• Learn effective ways to prevent and address bullying.
• Gain valuable tips on supporting your child through bullying situations.
• Understand anti-bullying procedures in schools, including insights on cyber-bullying. 

When?

• 10am and 7:30pm Sessions : Monday 9th to Thursday 12th of September 2024
• Morning at 10am: Friday 13th September 2024

Where? These engaging sessions will be hosted on Zoom.

Limited Spaces! Secure your spot by registering here

Act fast—spaces are limited and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Feel free to share this opportunity with other parents of primary school children who might benefit!

Dear Parents,

We are excited to announce a series of FREE online information sessions on “Supporting your child’s positive mental health in the early years” hosted by the National Parents Council (NPC).

Why Attend?

The first five years of a child’s life are crucial for their long-term positive mental health. Our programme, developed in partnership with St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services, aims to equip you with the knowledge and tools to support your young child’s mental health at home.

Session Details:

These sessions will be held online via Zoom, offering you flexibility to join from the comfort of your home during the week of the 24th of June 2024.

Dates and Times:

• Monday 24th: 7.30pm
• Tuesday 25th: 10am & 7.30pm
• Wednesday 26th: 10am & 7.30pm
• Thursday 27th: 10am
• Friday 28th: 10am

What You Will Learn:

• Meeting your child’s needs: Understanding how everyday life impacts mental health.
• Coping with challenges: Helping your child manage emotions and overcome obstacles.
• Nurturing relationships: Developing a strong, positive bond with your child.
• Building resilience: Supporting your child to become resilient.
• Children’s Rights: Ensuring your child has the opportunity to live a mentally healthy life.
• Five Ways to Wellbeing: Practical tips for maintaining mental well-being.

How to Register:

Secure your spot now for free by clicking here

Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your parenting skills and support your child’s mental well-being. We look forward to seeing you online!

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

This program is designed to empower parents with valuable insights on supporting their children’s mental health through everyday interactions. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and skills in supporting your child’s mental health journey.

Warm Regards,

National Parents Council

Dear Parents,

We hope this email finds you well.

National Parents Council (NPC) would like to hear your views as parents on how the Government can best support the provision of the Irish language in:

• Irish speaking Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC), and in
• English speaking Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC).

The Government is creating a plan to support the Irish language in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC).

The plan aims to:

• Ensure children in Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) areas can attend Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) in Irish.
• Provide Irish language support for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) where many children are learning through Irish.
• Support the role of the Irish language in English speaking Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC).

How to Participate: Please take a few minutes to fill out our survey by clicking here

Thank You! We appreciate your time and effort and your views will inform NPC’s submission to the Government.

Best regards

National Parents Council

The survey will close at 9am on the 4th of July 2024

Dear Parents,

At National Parents Council, we understand that the transition from pre-school to primary school is a significant milestone for both you and your child. To support you during this crucial period, we are delighted to announce that we will be hosting two free, interactive online webinars on this topic next week.  

To register for the session at 7pm on Tuesday the 11th of June visit this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NPC_Louth_Transition_June2024

To register for the session at 8pm on Thursday the 13th of June visit this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NPC_Laois_TransitionJune

These webinars will cover various aspects of the transition process and provide valuable insights and strategies to help you support your child’s smooth transition from pre-school to primary school. The success of this transition can have long-lasting benefits for your child, both socially and educationally.

Please note that these sessions will be interactive, allowing parents to participate actively. Therefore, places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

We encourage you to register as soon as possible to ensure your participation in these valuable webinars. We look forward to supporting you and your child during this important transition.