Teresa Heeney

Zappone details ‘unprecedented €1.38bn’ spend allocated for Department of Children

Early Childhood Ireland says more childminders need to be brought into the scheme

Children are failing to develop basic physical skills that are the blocks on which to build a lifetime of fitness and sport, due to lack of active play

Scheme announced by Minister for Children Katherine Zappone to begin next month

Oireachtas committee hears of precarious financial situations of childcare services

Katherine Zappone says benefits for ‘squeezed middle’ depend on level of investment

Second year of free pre-school ‘too difficult’ to deliver, warns Early Childhood Ireland

Childcare centres say they are not ready for the extension of the free preschool year

Changes to qualifications and registration but no mandatory policy for child protection

Many children with disabilities unable to access early childhood care and education

Schools will be encouraged to make greater out-of-hours use of their facilities

Industry boss expresses concern over ‘populist’ proposals in government deal

Is it time to have the Christmas play unplugged?

Extended programme worth an average of €1,500 for the parents of young children

Many children with disabilities currently unable to access early childhood care and education

Free preschool measures not expected to be introduced until September 2016

Care must be taken in drawing lessons from Quebec study linking subsidised childcare to crime rates

The free preschool is for every child, so why is there a lack of support for those with special needs?

‘Grey-area’ children, who are not physically developed, may underperform in the classroom

Childcare group warns on timeline as Ibec raises concerns about costs to business sector

Direct subsidies would improve affordability and improve services, high-level body to be told

Raising a resilient child: future happiness lies in learning to cope with adversity, says Sheila Wayman