SICCDA Afterschool Programme Handbook

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SICCDA Afterschool Programme

Handbook

Key information for staff, schools,

parents and guardians

SICCDA Afterschool Programme

90 Meath Street, Dublin 8.

www.siccda.ie

www.facebook.com/siccda

Contact us: 453 6098 - 086 791 2175 - [email protected]

Scoil San Seamus CBS,

Basin Lane,

Dublin 8.

Contact number

086 791 2209

St. Enda’s NS,

Whitefriar Street,

Dublin 8.

Contact number:

086 791 2194

Francis Street CBS,

Francis Street,

Dublin 8.

Contact number:

086 791 2210

Funded by the Irish Government

under the National Development Plan 2007-2013

http://www.siccda.ie/

http://www.facebook.com/siccda

mailto:[email protected]

South Inner City Community Development Association

Afterschool Programme Handbook

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Introduction

Mission Statement

The SICCDA Afterschool Programme seeks to enhance the well-being of children and families

in the Liberties area of Dublin 8, through the provision of high-quality, no-cost, child-centred

afterschool childcare to primary school pupils between the ages of six and twelve.

Programme Outline

Initially launched in 2001, SICCDA’s Afterschool Programmes provide daily afterschool

childcare to approximately 100 children living in the Liberties area of Dublin 8.

Our programmes provide participants with homework support, nutritious snacks and enriching

extra-curricular activities in a warm, caring, child-centred environment. Camps during school

holidays provide participants with fun, meaningful activities which provide continuity for

children, and facilitate working parents’ childcare needs.

We operate in partnership with local schools, and all our participants are referred to us by school

management, who have the lead role in identifying children with the potential to benefit from the

Programme. This means that in order to be considered for a place on the programme, a child

must be a pupil at one of our partner schools:

Scoil San Seamus CBS, Basin Lane

St Enda’s National School, Whitefriar Street

Francis Street CBS, Francis Street

Ethos

The Programme’s aim is to assist in the intellectual, social and emotional development of all

participating children. While the provision of a reliable childcare service is our core duty, staff

and management are committed to looking after the well-being of every child in our care and

doing everything in our power to provide them with a good start in life.

While we hope that all children will attend on a regular basis, it is not compulsory that a child

attend every day. Children with regular commitments such as football training, music lessons etc

are free to leave early or miss days to fulfil them. There will only be a problem if a child is

regularly absent without explanation.

Fees and funding

All schools served by the Programme are DEIS Band 1 Schools, recognised by the Department

of Education as serving a pupil base facing multiple challenges to their educational success. As

such, and in keeping with the ideals of SICCDA as a community organisation, our programme is

available to parents and guardians free of charge.



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The Programme is funded by the Department of Health and Children’s Community Childcare

Subvention Scheme, administered by Pobal, as part of the National Development Plan 2007-

2013.

Staffing

The Programme operates a maximum 8:1 ratio of children to staff. All our part-time staff must

possess or be enrolled upon a childcare qualification at FETAC Level 5 or higher, or have gained

qualifications in a related discipline such as teaching. These part-time staff are supplemented by

Community Employment participants, who are also required to begin suitable training while with

the Programme.

Opening hours

The service is open from Monday to Friday, 52 weeks a year.

In the school term, it is available between 2pm and 6pm. Parents and guardians are generally

advised to collect children fifteen minutes prior to closing.

In the case of a school half day, the service will generally finish three and a half hours after the

school closing time (e.g. on a half day when a school closes at 12 noon, the attached afterschool

will run until 3.30pm.

During school holidays, the service will typically operate from 10am to 2pm. This is subject to

the availability of suitable premises.



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Structure

The Programme is headed by a full-time manager, answerable to the Programme Manager and

the Board of SICCDA. He/she has the support of a part-time administrator.

A Team Leader is present on each site as a point of contact for schools, parents and the manager.

They are not present to supervise other members of staff, who answer directly to the manager.

Afterschool Programme

Manager

SICCDA Programme

Manager

Board of SICCDA

Administrator Team

Leader

Childcare

workers

Team

Leader

Childcare

workers

Team

Leader

Childcare

workers

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Admissions Policy

The admissions policy of each individual programme is designed jointly with the particular

partner school; relevant factors in designing admissions policies include:

Analysis of alternate childcare availability to school community

Specific needs within school community

Demographic targeting

No programme will discriminate against applicants on the basis of any special need for which the

programme can reasonably make accommodation – see the Programme’s Disability Policy.

In the event that demand for places outweighs supply, school management will select those

students it feels most suited to the programme, and a waiting list will be maintained in respect of

any remaining applications.

Application Pack

It is vital that no child commences participation in the programme until such time as the

application pack has been fully completed on their behalf. The timely completion of forms

ensures:

The safety and well-being of all participants

Compliance with parent and guardian wishes

Sustainable funding of the programmes

The application pack includes:

Community Childcare Subvention Scheme Parental Declaration Form which

ensures funding

Registration Form including basic info, health info, parent/guardian/responsible adult

contact information, parent/guardian statement

Photograph and video consent

Participation in outside trips consent

Release Consent – authorized collecting adults, permission to travel home alone

The application pack is in small font in order to accommodate a broad range of information

within a manageably sized document, but this may be daunting to some families. Staff must

ensure that parents and guardians are encouraged to request help as needed, and that all forms are

fully explained. Parents and guardians must be encouraged to fully complete the CCSS Parental

Declaration Form in particular, as this is vital to ensuring the timely funding of child places.

Where possible, meetings should be held at each school in early September at which

parents/guardians seeking a place for their child must attend (or send apologies) in order for the

forms to be fully explained and assistance given in their completion by Programme staff.



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Admissions Period

The primary admissions period is in September. This facilitates a cohort of children starting at

the programme together, becoming accustomed to the routine and behavioural expectations of

the programme.

It is natural that some children will leave the programme over time and in these circumstances

new children may be accepted in their place. However, a child’s place shall only be deemed

vacant after an absence of two consecutive weeks accompanied by a stated desire to vacate their

place. (Experience has shown that many children/families will change their mind within this two-

week window.) New children shall be accepted in accordance with the general admissions policy

relevant to the particular school.

Removal of children from programme

As stated in the Behaviour Management Policy, removal of a child for poor behaviour is a last

resort and the Programme will be extremely reluctant to bar a child from the service for this

reason. As a general rule, only behaviour which puts the safety of the child, other children or

staff at risk will be grounds for removal.

Poor attendance may result in a child being removed from the programme and their place

allocated to another child, but only in circumstances where there is a waiting list for places. It is

understood that children and families have differing requirements and so unless attendance

becomes less frequent than once per week, removal is very unlikely. In particular, regular and

explained absences (e.g. a child does not attend on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays because he

attends soccer training, but is a fixture on Wednesdays and Thursdays) are perfectly acceptable.



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Behaviour management policy

A key part of the work of the SICCDA Afterschool Programme is to support children in

displaying positive behaviours, thus enabling them to enjoy the programme, and get the most

from the activities we provide. When we do this well, the impact can be seen in many areas of

the child’s life.

As a child-centered programme, we understand that while individual children must be

responsible for displaying their best behavior, it is our role as staff to create an environment

which supports this.

What is positive behaviour management?

The following are examples of the positive behaviours which the SICCDA Afterschool

Programme seeks to support in its members:

Being a good friend

Contributing to group wellbeing

Honesty

Enthusiasm

Effort

Respect

Good sportsmanship

Fun

How do we implement positive behavior management in our programmes?

Supporting children to understand the behaviors expected of them

Actively recognizing positive behavior

It is important that positive behavior receives the recognition it deserves, and this is especially

true for children who frequently display negative behaviors.

While certain negative behaviors may require intervention, we believe that recognition, praise

and reward for positive behavior are the most effective ways to minimize negative behavior.

In the moment – individual children

High Five

Warm eye contact

Verbal Praise

Announcement to class

On-the-spot sticker

In the moment – whole group

High five your neighbor

Announcement that this is the type of behavior that earns rewards



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Group pat on the back

An additional group privilege

Daily

Use of reward chart system

Parental notification cards – “Your child did something great at homework club today”

Verbal notification to parents

Prize draws

Every child has strengths and displays some positive behaviours. It is our job to actively seek

positive behaviour, especially with the children in whom it is most difficult to recognize.

Planning against opportunities for negative behavior

When children are bored, confused, tired, or hungry they are more likely to engage in negative

behaviours. As staff, we can encourage positive behavior by carefully planning our programme

schedules to ensure that such situations do not arise. Additionally, it may be necessary to deviate

from the planned schedule in order to accommodate children’s needs, or to make adaptations to

accommodate the needs of an individual child.

While it is preferable to ignore negative behaviours rather than to reward them with attention,

certain behaviours do require active intervention.

Intervention options

It is important to always choose the least serious intervention suitable to address the negative

behavior. Each intervention should be proportionate to the negative behavior displayed by the

child or children concerned. A variety of less serious interventions must be tried before

proceeding to the more onerous sanctions such as speaking to a parent/guardian or suspension,

which is always a last resort.

Suitable interventions

Eye contact indicating dissatisfaction with behavior

A verbal command to alter the behavior – while this can be in an authoritative voice it is

NOT appropriate to shout unless the behavior is placing the child or other children in

imminent danger

A warning about withdrawal of privileges

The withdrawal of a privilege for a specified period of time

“Time out” to consider inappropriate nature of behavior

Completion of a written reflection or “thinking sheet”

Conversation with parent/guardian

Request to parent/guardian to collect the child early

Suspension from the programme for a specified period of time



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Unsuitable interventions

No form of physical punishment is ever appropriate; such action is grounds for

immediate staff dismissal

Shouting

Humiliation

Belittling

Cynicism

Threats which will not be followed through

Making an example of a child

Removal of privileges without fair warning, and without having given the child the

opportunity to adjust behaviour

No child will be removed from the programme for negative behavior, other than in situations of

extreme and enduring negative behavior which:

Disrupts other children’s capacity to benefit from the programme, and

Has been subject to concerted positive behavior management, and school-based

behaviour management support



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Child Protection Policy

SICCDA maintains a comprehensive child protection policy which covers all aspects of our

work with children. All staff members are expected to be familiar with this document and are

provided with relevant training at least once per year. A copy is available for inspection at all

programme sites, and will be made available to any parent or guardian requesting it within 3

working days.

SICCDA’s designated Child Protection Officer is Michael Conlon (453 6098 – 086 791 2229)

The child protection policy covers the following areas:

1. South Inner City Community Development Association Commitment to Child Protection

2. Promoting Good Practice in our Work with Children and Young People

3. Code of Behaviour Between Staff and Children and Young People

4. Recruitment and Training

5. Keeping Parents and Guardians informed

6. Photography/Video Recording of Children

7. Internet Usage Policy

8. Procedures for Travel Involving Children/Young People

9. Activities involving Overnight Stays Away from Home

10. Working in Partnership with Other Agencies

11. Dealing with Challenging or Disruptive Behaviour

12. Bullying

13. Accidents and Incidents

14. Dealing with a Disclosure of Abuse

15. Role of the Child Protection Officer

16. Reporting Procedure in respect of Child Abuse

17. Action to be taken when an Allegation is made against a Staff Member

18. Complaints Procedure in relation to Child Safety and Protection

19. Record Keeping

20. List of Appendices



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Disability Policy

Making provision for children with disabilities is vital in ensuring that such children benefit from

the Afterschool Programme. The Programme also recognises its responsibilities under the CCS

scheme to make reasonable accommodation as per the Equal Status Acts 2000-2008.

A child has a disability, for the purposes of this policy, if he/she would come under the

protection of the Disability Act 2005 or the relevant provisions of the Equal Status Acts 2000-

2008.

General statement of policy

As a general principle, no child shall be denied a place on the SICCDA Afterschool Programme

by reason of a disability for which reasonable accommodation can be made.

In all cases, decisions on the Programme’s suitability for a particular child will be made with

reference to staff accreditation and experience and in consultation with the school from which

the child has been referred.

Where, by liaising with relevant agencies or availing of external funding, the SICCDA

Afterschool Programme can avail of the special skills, resources or facilities needed to

accommodate children with a specific disability, every effort shall be made to do so.

Every effort shall be made on the part of staff to ensure that children with a disability are made

to feel part of the group. Children with disabilities shall, insofar as possible, participate in

activities to the same extent as other children and shall not be assumed to be incapable of

participation merely on the grounds of their disability.

All children taking part in the Programme shall be encouraged to interact appropriately with any

child with a disability.

Categories of disability

Children with learning difficulties and behavioural problems are routinely integrated into the

Programme.

Children with autism or related conditions will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, in

consultation with school management.

Children with physical disabilities will be afforded access to our facilities where practicable.

Unfortunately the physical accessibility of our programmes is often limited by existing school

facilities. Where necessary, the SICCDA Afterschool Programme will provide suitable transport

facilities to accommodate participation on trips and outings, in concert with specialised agencies.

Children with sensory disabilities will be accommodated where staff possess the necessary

expertise to provide suitable assistance.



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Emergency Procedure

In the case of an emergency such as a gas leak, fire or bomb scare, staff will act in accordance

with the following procedure:

Remain calm at all times and ensure the safety and well-being of children as the first

priority

Evacuate the building an orderly manner and gather children at the relevant gathering

point for each site, provided that this is safe in the circumstances.

Take a headcount and check against attendance sheet

Check for injuries and apply first aid if necessary

Call the emergency services

Contact parents/guardians and request that they collect the children

If necessary, gather the children in another building until they can be collected

Contact the Programme Manager



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Healthy and Safety Policy

Smoking

There is no smoking within any programme site, including yards or outdoor areas to which

children have access. Cigarettes should only be used outside the building and out of the view of

children and parents/guardians.

Illness

It is the general belief of the Programme that a sick child is best off in his/her own home. Any

child arriving to the afterschool feeling unwell should have their parent/guardian informed

immediately and be collected as soon as possible. The same applies to any child who develops

signs of an illness while in our care.

No medication should be administered to any child in our care without prior written permission

from a parent/guardian.

In the case of a child in our care being diagnosed with a serious, contagious illness, the Manager

should be informed immediately. The parents of all other children on site at the time should be

informed at the close of that same day. The Manager will consult with the HSE and provide

parents/guardians with any relevant medical information. If necessary the site may be

temporarily closed so as to guard against the spread of disease.

Injury

Ideally all staff members will be certified to administer basic first aid, but at least one member of

staff so qualified should be on site at all times. Training in first aid is a priority and will be

organised regularly.

The parent/guardian of any child to whom first aid has been administered while at the afterschool

must be informed when the child is collected.

The Programme will arrange for an ambulance for any child who suffers a serious accident while

in our care, and inform the child’s parent/guardian immediately.

Head lice

The Programme will operate the following procedure in the event that a child in our care is

discovered to have head lice:

First, a general note to all parents/guardians reminding them of the importance of regular

checks for lice

In the event that the problem is not remedied within three days, we will make a phone

call or send a note home to the parent/guardian of the child in question, asking them to

arrange treatment as soon as possible and to keep the child out of the afterschool group

until treatment has begun



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If this is not effective, the Home School Community Liaison Co-ordinator at the relevant

school will be contacted and asked to intervene

Premises

At present all our programmes are situated within school buildings or purpose-designed childcare

premises, and as such are generally provide a safe environment for children. However, staff

should ensure that they are aware of any existing defects or hazardous areas on their own

particular site, and be vigilant for any potential dangers. Potential issues include:

Doorways

Steps

Pillars

Sharp kitchen equipment

Scissors

Trailing wires

Cookers

Electrical faults should be notified to the Manager immediately.

Activities

Risk assessment should be carried out when any new activity is planned, or prior to carrying out

a regular activity which is associated with hazard. Examples of activities for which risk

assessment should be carried out include:

Cookery. Care should be taken during cooking that children are closely monitored and

kept away from boiling kettles, hot equipment, sharp knives etc.

Sporting activities. Appropriate safety gear should be worn during sport, particularly

those such as hurling or boxing.

Swimming. The level of ability of participating children should be ascertained in

advance. During swimming staff should monitor the children closely and ensure that the

lifeguard on duty is doing likewise.

Outside trips

Extra care should be taken where children are being taken off-site. When walking from place to

place, children should preferably be in pairs and members of staff must be at the head and rear of

the group at all times. When travelling by bus, this must come equipped with seat-belts. When

taking public transport, staff should ensure that plenty of time is left to complete the journey, as

rushing for trains/trams/buses may lead to accidents.

A first aid kit and contact details for parents/guardians must always be taken on any outside trip,

and regular headcounts carried out.



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Healthy eating policy

The provision of healthy, nutritionally balanced snacks is of primary importance to enhancing

the well-being of participating children. The Programme provides participants with the highest

possible quality of snacks which financial and practical resources allow.

Participants are actively encouraged to enjoy fruit and protein offerings.

Our programmes seek to encourage healthy choices through a variety of avenues including, but

not limited to, snack provision and cookery classes.

Programme-based snacks

The main snack provided on a daily basis to children may include:

Fresh fruit (banana, apple, grapes, oranges, kiwi fruit)

Protein (one of: sliced meat, cheese, yogurt or fruit-flavored fromage frais)

Buttered toast

Plain biscuits (Rich Tea or similar)

Dilute orange/blackcurrant drink (no added sugar)

Where facilities allow, hot food options may be prepared. Approved options along these lines

are:

Flavoured noodles

Baked beans

Participants are provided with a packed lunch for outings which resembles as close is a

practically possible the programme-based snack. Children should be discouraged from bringing

their own food and drinks.

Chocolate, crisps, sweets, fizzy drinks, pizza etc must not be purchased or given to children

unless prior permission is granted by the manager. This includes such items brought from home

by staff. Such permission will be given on an occasional basis and only to reward good

behaviour.

Cookery

Wherever facilities allow, the Programme incorporates cooking into its activities schedules.

While it is important that cooking classes include recipes attractive to children, and which create

excitement around the learning of food preparation techniques, such classes should favour and

promote healthy recipes.

Cookery class recipes should favour:

High quality ingredients

Low salt and sugar recipes

Food pyramid references

Fresh fruit and vegetables



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Homework policy

The incorporation of time for homework completion and support is essential to meeting our

commitment to the total development of the child. However, the Programme notes the

conclusions of the National Childcare Co-ordinating Committee’s 2004 report, Developing

School Age Childcare, in which the working group argues that homework support should not be

the core activity of a school age childcare service.

In all cases, the preferences of parents as to the level of support offered should be ascertained.

General rule

All children should spend some portion of their day engaged in the completion of their

homework unless strictly stipulated otherwise by a parent. While flexibility is permitted, in

general no more than 1 hour per day of programme time should be spent on the completion of

homework.

Creating the right environment

Staff should create calm and quiet in order to enable children to pay full attention to the

completion of their homework. Pencils, rubbers, sharpeners, rulers and colouring pencils should

be readily available.

Staff should encourage children to adopt a positive attitude to homework, offering plenty of

praise for each item completed.

Children who finish their homework early should be provided with books or worksheets so that

they can be occupied in a quiet way while they wait for the other children to finish.

Homework completion

SICCDA afterschool programmes care for children with a wide range of abilities. Some children

will require a lot of time and support to complete their homework; others can work unsupervised

and/or present as academically above the average. While priority will be given to those

struggling, staff shall try to ensure that all children are supported and encouraged.

Where a child has not completed their homework within the time allocated, their parent or

guardian should be notified at collection time.

Staff should not provide children with answers; instead, they should support the child to arrive at

the correct answer.

Parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to re-check homework when the child arrives home,

as the primary role of afterschool staff is to provide the right environment for work, rather than

to engage in supplementary teaching.



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Consultation

Programme staff may liaise with class teachers in order to ascertain a particular child’s needs or

abilities, or to raise a concern about a child’s progress. However, where possible they should

discuss any such issues with a parent/guardian first.

Staff shall at all times be aware and respectful of teachers’ expertise in their field. In particular,

they should strive to implement any teacher-led style of learning designed for a particular pupil.



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Parental Involvement Policy

As part of a community organisation, the Programme strives to involve parents and families in its

programmes. This is important because:

Increased communication between parents and staff leads to more successful programmes

and happier children

Parents can bring diversity and new perspectives

Children can feel proud of their parents’ participation

Parents witness their child’s positive behaviour and achievements

Parental involvement may be achieved through:

Family days

Performances

Coffee mornings

Information events

Participation on committees

Fundraising

Communication

Some parents and families have had negative experiences of schools and service providers, or

may feel shy or uncomfortable talking to staff. Staff are encouraged to speak to parents regularly

at collection time or over the phone to let them know about the progress of their child. If a child

is progressing well in the homework club and not experiencing any problems, this positive

message should be communicated as well, rather than parents being spoken to only when there is

a problem.

The Liberties is a close-knit community, and often staff will know parents personally. It is

important that staff do not allow their personal relationships to interfere with their professional

relationships with parents.

As the service is often affected by early school closures and holidays, it is important that parents

be contacted regularly to update them of any changes. The Programme will use both text

messaging and notes on yellow paper to keep parents up to date. Parents should make sure to

pass on any changes in their contact details to afterschool staff, and to check their child’s bag for

notes.



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Photography and recording policy

The induction pack for all children and young people will include a photograph/video consent

form. The form will ask for:

Consent to include children in photographs

Consent to display photographs within the service setting, for example within an

Afterschool Club

Consent to use photographs or video for marketing purposes, including in printed

materials such as the SICCDA newsletter, and on the SICCDA website

Only official SICCDA cameras, or the cameras official photographers contracted by SICCDA,

will be used to record photographs or video of children or young people.

Mobile phones will not be used to record photographs or video of children or young people. As

part of their induction, SICCDA staff and volunteers are informed that it is not permissible to

take photographs of children or young people participating in SICCDA programmes, other than

with official SICCDA cameras.

Staff who do take photographs of children using their own cameras or mobile phones are subject

to disciplinary procedures, up to and including dismissal.



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Physical Activity Policy

The provision of quality opportunities for physical activity is of primary importance in realizing

the Programme’s commitment to the total development of the individual child. As such, all

SICCDA Afterschool schedules should provide daily opportunities for physical activity.

All participants are actively encouraged to participate in and gain enjoyment from physical

activity and sports opportunities. A variety of sports and physical activity options should be

included in each schedule in order to cater for the widest possible range of tastes and abilities.

Sports and physical activity sessions must include an emphasis on fun and good sportsmanship.

For those sports which require children to change into particular clothing or uniforms, child

protection guidelines should be taken into account.

Risk assessment should be considered for high-risk activities. Where safety equipment is

necessary, it must be worn by all participating children e.g. helmets for hurling. For high-risk

activities, participants should be reminded of safety guidelines at the outset of each session.

Examples of suitable sports and physical activities include:

Gaelic Games

Soccer

Basketball

Tag Rugby

Table Tennis

Tennis

Karate

Outdoor free play

Obstacle courses

Athletics & races

Yoga and pilates

Dance

Drama and movement

When planning trips, outings and rewards, sports and physical activity opportunities should be

considered. For trips to local parks, sports equipment should be brought along for use in those

areas which permit games.

Where outing destinations are within walking distance, and offer routes which include only

controlled road crossings, walking should be favored over bus transport.

Where participants show particular sporting promise, programme staff should encourage the

pursuit of formal participation with the relevant body or team, in line with the child’s wishes.



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Outside trips policy and procedure

Outside trips represent an important opportunity to provide participants with new enriching and

educational experiences, and to reward excellent behaviour. The programme will plan outside

trips as frequently as is reasonably practical, taking into account financial and planning

resources.

Typically a trip will be open to all children in a given programme, but in situations where trips

are used as a reward, participation may be limited.

Factors to be taken into account when planning outside trips

Where possible, trips that could be replicated by children’s families should be favoured

Trips should balance educational and purely recreational destinations

Any trip planned by the Programme should be free, or incur minimal expense to families

– no child will be excluded from a trip because of parental inability to pay

Activity-based trips must be checked against the Programmes insurance policy

Where destinations are within safe walking distance, bus travel should be avoided

The use of public transport should be encouraged where appropriate

Where private bus hire is used, only buses with seat belts should be engaged

Procedures for outside trips

Only children for whom an outside trip consent form is on file can participate in outside

trips

Parents should be notified by means of a note provided to children in advance, or by text

message, and given the following information:

o Destination

o Cost (if any)

o Pick-up time and location

o Any special clothing requirement

A roll must be taken prior to leaving the programme site, and this should form the basis

for frequent headcounts

Staff should consider in advance any dangerous road crossings or other danger points and

take extra care when approaching these

Parent/guardian contact details, a first aid kit and the programme phone must be packed

Depending on the nature of the trip, staff must decide whether or not it is necessary to

provide children with copies of the Programme mobile phone number, in order to contact

staff should they become lost

In order to avoid financial pressure on parents/guardians, children should be informed in

advance of the trip that they will not be allowed to visit gift stores or sweet shops



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Outside visitors

The Programme is fortunate in being able to welcome volunteers, students and professionals

from external agencies to enhance the quality of the Programme and enrich the experiences of

participating children. In many cases, they provide skills, equipment and ideas that regular staff

cannot; in this spirit, visitors are positively encouraged. However, no outside visitor is permitted

to engage with children in our care except under the scope of this policy.

General rule

All visitors, regardless of age or gender, should be known to staff or management in advance, or

be vouched for by a sending agency. Any person attending programme sites on a regular basis

(i.e. weekly or monthly on three or more consecutive visits) must undertake Garda vetting, either

through SICCDA or the sending agency.

All visitors must sign in to record their presence on the form provided for this purpose.

At the discretion of management and with reference to SICCDA’s child protection policy, such

visitors may be permitted to sign a declaration indicating that no relevant information will arise

from the vetting process, and commence work in advance of Garda clearance.

Parents or guardians arriving to collect children from the site are not “outside visitors” for the

purposes of this policy, but they must be asked to wait either outside the relevant building, or

within the programme site in a designated waiting area.

Sending agencies

The SICCDA Afterschool Programme is fortunate in its relationships with external professional

and voluntary agencies, particularly the Trinity College VDP Society and An Garda Siochana.

Visitors from these and any other organisations with which co-operation has been in place over a

period of years are presumed suitable to work with children in our care, but may nonetheless

need to undertake Garda vetting depending on the frequency of their visits.

An independent reference should be obtained in respect of visitors from agencies with which

there is no long-standing relationship, where that visitor is not known to staff or management.

In all cases, on-site visitors must comply with the SICCDA Child Protection Policy in addition to

any policies implemented by a sending agency. In the case of any conflict, the policies and

procedures outlined in the SICCDA Child Protection Policy shall be followed.

Staff supervision

There should always be at least one SICCDA staff member in attendance for activities involving

outside visitors. It is not acceptable for staff to leave the care of children solely to outside

visitors, however trustworthy.



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Record-keeping and Data Protection policy

The Programme is aware of its responsibilities under the Data Protection Acts and takes the

confidential handling of data regarding programme participants very seriously. All sensitive

information is kept securely in our head office on Meath Street, while basic contact and medical

details may be kept on-site in the white binder in the charge of the Team Leader.

Any parent or guardian wishing to inspect the information held in respect of their child should

contact the manager who will make arrangements to open the files within a reasonable period.

The Programme currently maintains the following information regarding children in our care:

Name, address, medical conditions, parent/guardian contact details

Permission forms for photographs, outside trips and collection

Attendance data

Status of any CCS funding application

Incident reports in respect of accidents or serious misbehaviour

Bi-annual reports on each child’s individual progress, development and needs

Photographs of children for display or to help advertise the programme

The Programme does not maintain a record of child or parent PPS numbers. These are submitted

to the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs as part of the CCS funding

application and then destroyed.

Cameras and photographs

Parents/guardians are asked to give permission for their child to be photographed and recorded

when registering their child each September. The form used for this purpose must state any

potential uses of the resulting image as clearly as possible. This permission may be withheld

without prejudicing that child’s place on the Programme.

Each Programme site is issued with an official SICCDA camera. No photographs are permitted

to be taken on the programme site with any instrument other than this camera, which must be

locked away when not in use.

Parents/guardians may take photographs of their own child while at a Programme site, but should

consult with the Team Leader before doing so.



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Staff conduct

SICCDA Afterschool Programme staff pay and working conditions are governed by their

contract of employment. However, the following points should be additionally noted:

Staff are expected to be familiar with the policies outlined in this document, as well as

the SICCDA Child Protection Policy, which is issued separately, and to strive to achieve

the goals set out in it.

Staff should be aware that the programme operates a maximum 8:1 ratio of children to

staff. Anyone finding themselves in sole charge of a larger group should seek assistance.

Conversely, members of staff should never be alone in a room with a child.

Staff must sign in and out of the premises each day, using the forms provided in the white

folder.

Annual leave must be requested, using the forms provided in the white folder, at least

two weeks in advance. Annual leave which is requested at short notice, or that clashes

with another member of staff’s request, is more likely to be turned down. Annual leave

must be taken by the date of contract expiration – days cannot be “saved up” for use in a

new contractual year.

Illness leading to sick leave must be reported to the manager by 10am on the day in

question, or earlier if possible. Staff members who are ill should under no circumstances

report to work as this may put the health of the children at risk.

Compassionate leave may be granted, at the discretion of the manager, in circumstances

where a relative or immediate family member is seriously ill or has passed away. The

period of leave granted will vary with circumstances, but the maximum period of

compassionate leave that can be granted is 5 days.

Medical appointments must be scheduled outside of working hours. If necessary, the

programme manager will provide a letter indicating your working hours for the benefit of

the hospital/doctor.

Personal mobile phones should not be used during working hours. Staff are free to

distribute the programme phone number in order to receive urgent calls, and to use that

phone to make urgent phone calls.



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Toys, games and book policy

As the Programme caters for children with a wide range of abilities, talents and interests, it is

important that we provide a variety of play materials suitable to meeting the needs of all children

in our care.

Suitable toys and games

Appropriate toys and games could include:

Board games for group and pair or individual use

Group games which build team skills

Vocabulary building games such as “Don’t say it”, “Eureka” or “Scrabble”

Numeracy building games such as “Monopoly”

Physical activity games such as “Charades”

Games which build fine motor skills such as “Mouse Trap”, “Donkey”, or “Jenga”

Quiet activities such as jigsaw puzzles

Toys which nurture inter-cultural understanding

Unsuitable toys and games

Certain toys and games conflict with the ethos of the Programme, particularly toys that promote

violence or materialism.

Inappropriate toys include:

Computer games which are based around war or fighting

Toy guns, swords or other weapons

Dolls which promote unrealistic body type expectations, or unsuitable clothing norms

Toys which require batteries

Suitable books

The Programme is committed to promoting literacy amongst its participants, and key to meeting

this commitment is the provision of interesting and attractive reading materials. It is important

that our participants do not see Programme-based reading as an extension of school work. Fun,

accessible reading materials could include:

Fantasy books

Pop-up books

Popstar or sports annuals

Comic books

Reference books on space, science, history and animals



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Last revised September 2011

The Programme is grateful for the assistance of Dublin City Childcare Committee and the Park

Academy in providing material helpful in the drafting of this document

Documents

SICCDA Afterschool Programme Handbook