Specialist support service for early childhood educators and childcare service providers

Meantóir

Meantóir is a specialist support service for early childhood educators and childcare service providers working with babies, young children and their families. With over twenty years’ experience in early childhood care and education including management, academic training and development, CPD mentoring, research and policy – we offer an extensive package of supports to assist you to become a high quality service that provides positive experiences for children.

One-to-one specialist support that provides intensive mentoring, advice and CPD will improve your professional practice through collaborative learning and working. In addition, as identified in Governments First 5 Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-28, participating in ongoing quality development activities will help you achieve enhanced funding by meeting specified quality indicators.

Meantóir offers tailor made supports on a local, personal and confidential basis. Whether it is one to one mentoring to assist you with a specific area of your work or continuing professional development for your team we will respond to your unique requirements. We can also offer HR supports, Policy and Procedure development or help in drawing up a Business Plan for a new venture. So don’t feel that you are isolated or on your own with all the challenges of providing a quality early childhood service – call us to see how we can support you!

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Our Services

Specialist Mentoring Supports

Are you a little stuck in a particular part of your practice? Does your routine seem stale? Do you think you have made progress and are now unsure how to move to the next stage? Do you just want another set of eyes on your documentation to see if you can improve anywhere? Or would you like some guidance following a Tusla inspection to help you improve in specific areas in a short time frame?
Then tailored Mentoring around specific areas of practice could help you greatly. Following an initial consultation meeting, a mentoring plan will be developed specific to your needs, time frame and budget.

View Mentoring Package Options

Continuing Professional Development

Are you new to Aistear or looking to develop your practice in using Aistear further? Either way, Continuing Professional Development in line with the principles and objectives of Aistear the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework and the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide will ensure you and your team are delivering quality early childhood experiences and adhering to professional levels of practice.

Following a consultation meeting, we can identify the most appropriate CPD needs of your team or individuals and take it from there! You may decide to attend a CPD session with other early childhood educators or avail of a private delivery in your own setting with scheduled follow up implementation supports. The choice is yours!

LIST OF CPD PROGRAMMES

Aistear in Practice 0-3 and 3-5 years
Positive Behaviour Strategies for Young Children
Assessment for Learning – The Learning Story Approach
Curriculum Documentation and Planning
Strengths Based Writing Techniques
Meaningful Interactions with Children
Mo Scéal: Moving from Preschool to Primary: Supporting Young Children and their Families with Transition
Developing, Documenting and Implementing and Individual Education Plans
Understanding the Tusla Quality Regulatory Framework

More Information

Tutorial Sessions

Are you a Childminder or mature student undertaking FETAC/HETAC training in early childhood education or training? Are you under a particular time constraint to gain a qualification to access a DCYA funding programme?

Would you like some structured guidance on doing research, completing modules or writing up assignments? Then you may benefit by participating in 1:1 tutorial sessions to support you during your period of study.

Business Supports

We offer a range of supports to Childcare Service Providers to assist them in a range of areas including:

Start Up Supports including a practical research of need and compiling a Business Plan.

Funding Application Support to increase your chances of submitting a successful funding application.

Developing Policies and Procedures for your service

Support to meet Tusla Registration and Compliance.

HR Supports such as interviewing staff, mediating disputes and setting up efficient work systems.

Policies & Procedures Package

As a key part of your quality standards and processes, it is essential that your policies and procedures guide your early childhood service and staff as well as the families who use your service.

Meantóir Policy, Procedure and Statement Packages are specifically developed in line with the Child Care Regulations (The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Amendments) Regulations 2016 and Part II, Article 5(4) Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018.

Each package option is available in electronic PDF format and is personalised with your name, logo and some key positional information which we will ask you to provide following your order. A ‘Statement of Purpose’ document accompanies the policy pack which is fully editable ‘Word’ format so that you can make necessary changes to your details as they arise. Some editable templates are also provided as appropriate (see package options for a full list of contents).

Packages options include a Full Policy package, a Re-Registration package or a School Age Childcare package. Policies can also be bought in singles or as one section of the full package.

Each package provides detailed policies, procedures and statements that will become your ‘go to’ guide on different areas of your practice with children. Each policy is linked to the relevant underpinning legislation, outlines clear processes for good practice and provides staff guidance where necessary.

*Please note that if more than one edit is required to personalise your pack beyond a few personal amendments, an extra cost will be incurred. These packs are not particularly suitable for sole operators with unique arrangements as they are written with a team approach in mind.

VIEW PACKAGE OPTIONS

Our Consultants

Avril McMonagle

Lead Consultant

Avril has dedicated her working life to early childhood care and education and possesses a diverse skills-set consisting of practical, academic and policy experience and expertise. She has a comprehensive understanding and working knowledge of the early childhood sector in Ireland from a variety of perspectives over the past 20 years.

Avril is an accomplished and respected expert in the field of early childhood care and education. She has consistently promoted a professional quality agenda for early childhood as a core component of her work over the years. The legacy of her work and being at the forefront of a range of pioneering initiatives to enhance early childhood education locally, regionally and nationally; is well evidenced.

Not least she worked as an Education Officer with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment as part of a four-person team responsible for the development of Aistear the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. This was the first curriculum framework for early childhood education in Ireland. She worked as Manager of Donegal County Childcare 2008-2018 bring forth and developing a range of legacy projects and initiatives to enhance the work of the early childhood sector locally and nationally.

Avril was awarded a State Appointment and served as the nominee of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs on the Council of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment from 2015-18.

She holds an MEd from Queens Graduate School of Education and a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies from Queens University Belfast. She fulfilled a lifelong ambition by setting up Meantóir in January 2019 and the company is going from strength to strength. Meantóir is currently part of The ACORNS Programme a peer-led network designed to support female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.

Over the years, my education and career has had a sustained and consistent focus on early childhood care and education. I have always possessed a clear understanding of the critical nature of early childhood – who we are now, how we cope with life, how we treat others and our vulnerabilities and self-image are all imprinted upon us in childhood. I love the quote ‘It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men’ … This philosophy has shaped my choice of third level education, the care of my own children (and now grandchildren), my career and myself as a person.

On a personal level, I feel that I can make a unique contribution to this role as I have experienced many of the perspectives of the various people who make up the early childhood sector. I have walked in the shoes of a mother working to gain professional qualifications to enter the workforce following child rearing commitments. I have been a mature student juggling study, family and work commitments. I have progressed from a ground up perspective and believe that I have worked hard to make a contribution to how we educate young children.

‘Meantóir’ is the next step on my journey – I am excited about the future, grateful for the opportunity and I look forward to sharing it with you.

In her earlier career, Avril gained her practical experience and knowledge base by working directly with young children and managed a community based early childhood centre in Derry. She took the lead in applying for Peace and Reconciliation Funding and successfully developed a new, increased capacity early childhood centre. Working as the Project Manager for the new facility provided her with a wealth of community development and hands on experience.

Once qualified as an Early Years Specialist, Avril developed her training and mentoring proficiency through providing mentoring support, training facilitation, academic programme development and student assessment for adult learners in Northern Ireland.

Avril joined Donegal County Childcare as a Development Officer at a time when the infrastructure was being developed and alongside this development work, she quickly identified and addressed a gap for early childhood professional development. She subsequently developed and delivered a variety of training programmes for the early childhood workforce in Donegal and beyond.

Recognised for her expertise in early childhood, Avril joined the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment as part of a four-person team responsible for the development of Aistear the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, which was the first national curriculum framework for early childhood education in Ireland. Avril was also part of the research team on NCCA’s Early Childhood Portraiture Study which was the first piece of consultative research carried out with pre-school children in Ireland.

Following the completion of Aistear, Avril took up the role of Manager of Donegal County Childcare. In subsequent years, Avril’s vision, dedication and hard work, witnessed many achievements to support the early childhood sector locally and nationally.

A Leading Expert

Over the years, Avril’s vision, dedication and hard work earned her a reputation as an expert in her field. She has authored of a range of publications, articles and submissions to academic journals not least OMEP Ireland– An Leanbh Óg and Education Matters Yearbook – NUI Galway. She has also developed a range of academic modules for the Early Childhood Degree programmes and has participated on numerous academic programme review panels on both sides of the jurisdiction. Her range of in-house training and CPD programmes and publications are closely aligned to the national frameworks Síolta and Aistear. The most successful of these programmes is a 10-week training programme on meaningful assessment for early learning called ‘Building Pictures of Learning’ which she developed and authored. In addition, her educator’s handbook, entitled Professional Pedagogy for Early Childhood Education, remains in high demand and has been reprinted 3 times since its initial publication.

Avril’s expertise and presentation abilities was endorsed when she was peer selected to represent Childcare Committees Ireland as a County Expert at a Peer Review on the provision of quality early childhood services in Prague in November 2015, where she shared the progress Ireland had made in recent years.

Avril has also researched and presented a range of academic papers on early childhood education at national and international conferences including NEYAI Evaluation Conference, Mansion House, Dublin; CECDE’s International Conference at Dublin Castle; the European Early Childhood Education Research Association Conference in Prague, Czech Republic and the EECERA 16th Annual Conference on Democracy and Culture in Early Childhood Education in Reykjavík, Iceland.

• Through a state board appointment, Avril is currently the nominee of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs on the Council of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. The NCCA advises the Minister for Education and Skills on curriculum and assessment for early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools.

• Avril was the lead person in one of 11 national demonstration projects as part of the National Early Years Access Initiative, a three-year Government led initiative set to inform and influence early childhood policy in Ireland. This involved designing, implementing and evaluating a bespoke programme of professional development and mentoring supports to enable quality improvement in early childhood services participating on the project.

Avril held the lead role in the design, development and implementation of a bespoke initiative called The Professional Pedagogy Project (PPP). This was a framework of professional development and supports encompassing a training programme and a variety of follow-on mentoring supports aimed at enabling early childhood educators to make steady, quantifiable changes and improvements to their practice. The programme involved a baseline assessment of quality in the service and a range of performance measures to monitor progress along the way.

• Avril was the lead person in commissioning an independent research report on childcare for working families and implications for employment titled: ‘Supporting working families – Releasing a brake on economic growth’ launched in December 2013 by the then Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald, TD. The proposal offered an examination of policy options to address childcare obstacles which may exist to increase employment and included a full cost benefit analysis. The report put forward key policy initiatives which could be undertaken to reduce barriers to employment arising from the cost of childcare for a targeted group of families and bears many similarities to the new Affordable Childcare Scheme. Avril co-presented the report to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children.

• Avril has actively contributed to the development of child and family political strategy and policy in the form of Pre-Budget Submissions, Private Members Business, Policy discussion papers, Manifestos and advisory submissions on a cross party basis. She has delivered presentations to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children and delivered thematic presentations to cross- party Think-ins and information briefings.

• Avril is an active contributor to radio interviews and debates, press articles, news features, podcasts and voiceover commentary on issues including the cost of childcare and the impact on working families, child poverty, special educational needs and early childhood care and education. Avril acts as a strong voice for supports for children with special educational needs – successfully advocating against planned cuts to services for local children in Donegal.

Testimonials

Great News for Quality Supports in Childcare
Avril McMonagle has many years’ experience in supporting childcare providers both in the Community & Private sector to strive for Quality, Affordable and Sustainable childcare for all.
A leading expert in the early childhood development and a specialist on the Irish childcare scene especially in her native Donegal, Avril’s grasp and understanding of Government policy and its implications both positive and negative is second to none. Having a Mentor with a wide breath of knowledge and experience is a great development for the childcare sector. Wishing this new venture every success.

Clare Cashman (Vice Chair National Forum of Family Resource Centres)

Vice Chair

I would like to wish Avril every success in her new venture. Avril’s knowledge and expertise in the early childhood sector are second to none and I have every confidence in recommending her to anyone thinking about employing her as a mentor.
I worked with Avril for 3years and I found her to have a knack getting the best out of people.
Avril helped me to believe in myself and my abilities and encouraged me to think outside the box and think creatively. This enabled me to reach a higher potential and complete tasks that I never thought possible.
Avril was an amazing mentor for me and I’m confident she will inspire others in her new venture Meantóir too.

Donna Murray

I have worked alongside Avril for the best few months of my working career. She is always happy to help no matter how small or big the problem. Her passion for helping childcare services to achieve the best for our children really did blow me away. I know you are going to do well. I wish you every success with your new venture.

Toni Sumner

On both a personal and a professional level Avril, I wish you the absolute best with Meantóir. As an advocate for the early childhood sector, you are able to articulate the needs of the sector in a way that few other people can. Your knowledge about and for the sector is second to none which you have always kept to the fore in so many creative ways.
I’ve learnt so much from you over the years in relation to quality practice for the early childhood sector and I have no doubt that you will once again be trailblazing in no time at all!

Louise Toner

Avril you have always provided us with invaluable support and guidance, encouraging us on our journey from the beginning. We truly wish you the very best of luck for the future and we look forward to having a Mentor here in Donegal that is committed, on our side and one who wants to help childcare services be the best they can be.

Susan McColgan

Having had the privilege of working with Avril over the years I am truly delighted to see that she is fulfilling her ambition of providing a variety of supports to early years settings who are embracing and delivering quality practices. I have no doubt that this will be a highly successful venture as Avril is extremely innovative and motivated to create a service that is dedicated to meeting the diversity of needs of all of the clients she engages with. Wishing you every success with Meantóir Avril.

Catherine Cullen

I personally as an early childhood educator have received support and advice for our service from Avril and her colleagues over the years, I found her to be professional and I always got what I needed from my many phonecalls when the chips were down and I needed direction, I received practical and professional advice to get me through. Avril is honest, direct and passionate about early childhood care and education and I wish her the best in her new venture and every success.

Rosaleen Breslin

I’ve worked with Avril for up on 13 years or so. She is the most informed person I know when it comes to the Early Years sector. Her passion for quality care and education of young children is to the fore. She has always been ahead of her time – among the first to spot issues as they arise, assesses and has potential solutions ready, before most are even aware an issue exists!
With her easy engaging manner and common sense approach, I have no doubt she will provide an excellent mentoring and support service both to childcare services and those educators working there, here in Donegal and beyond (as her advice and input was oftentimes sought by those in other counties).
Wishing you every success in your new venture Avril!

Maud McClean

I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to receive excellent training from Avril, her wealth of knowledge in the early years sector along with taking the time to ensure you really understand the subject is invaluable. Wishing you every success in the future Avril

Patricia Mc Kevitt

Avril is one of those advocates that I had the pleasure of working alongside who is passionate about the importance of good quality early years educational experiences. Avril’s experience of supporting early years educators and services that deliver on the ground will be invaluable. Congratulations on your new venture ‘Meantóir’ which will be a wonderful support to the sector with you at the healm.

Irene Cafferky

Hi Avril, I am delighted to see you are embarking on this new venture. I have known you as a colleague and friend for many years and have every faith in your ability as a Mentor and Trainer I recall one time when you delivered early years training for me, the participants commented that “it was like a light bulb moment” when you explained the subject matter it made sense. So I have no hesitation in recommending you as a Mentor and Trainer. I wish you great success in the future, you have chosen the right path.

Claire Woods

It’s NOT the job you DO, It’s HOW you DO the job.” You have always believed passionately in what you do, and never knowingly compromised your standards and values. Good luck with the new venture.

Rosemary Lyons

There is no better champion for early years education, I am delighted this skill, experience and commitment via Meantoir will be available from early next year.

Martin O'Rourke

Avril’s skills and expereince will be an invaluable assest to early learning and care services. A more informed, enthusiastic and passionate mentor would be hard to find

Áine Brummell

My friend of many years. A great advocate for child care and the nurture of all little ones and their individual needs. I wish you well Avril in your new venture. I have no doubt it will be a great success.

Mairead Cooke

Specialist support service for early childhood educators and childcare service providers

Meantóir

Our Services

Specialist Mentoring Supports

Continuing Professional Development

LIST OF CPD PROGRAMMES

Tutorial Sessions

Business Supports

Policies & Procedures Package

Our Consultants

Avril McMonagle

Lead Consultant

A Leading Expert

CPD- Learning Stories & Planning for Children’s Interests Event

Compliance Policies, Procedures and Statements Package

CPD – Emergent Curriculum Course. April 2019

Tina’s Tots Pre-School, Redcastle

Testimonials

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Meantóir News

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