Early Childhood Ireland's Podcast
Early Childhood is the leading national children’s advocacy and membership organisation. We work in partnership with Early Years, School Age Care and Childminding settings to ensure that every child is thriving and learning. We advocate for an effective and inclusive system which values, supports and invests in childhood, children and services.
Our Vision is that every child is thriving and learning in quality Early Years and School Age Care in centre-based and Childminding settings.
Our Mission is to champion quality for children in Early Years, School Age Care and Childminding settings, through our work with our members and on the system.
Episodes
93 episodes
Updated Aistear: Sustainability, with Dr Marlene McCormack
Today, 22 April is World Earth Day. To mark this important day we were delighted to chat about the enhanced focus on Sustainability in the Updated Aistear, with Dr Marlene McCormack, from Dublin City University. In this episode Marlene discusse...
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39:22
Early Childhood Ireland - Group Insurance Scheme, with Grahame Brown
This week we chat with Grahame Brown, Account Director at Arachas Insurance. Grahame takes us through what a Group Insurance scheme is and outlines the benefits contained in the Early Childhood Ireland scheme which is underwritten by Allianz an...
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17:09
Updated Aistear: Principles, with Fiona Kelleher
In a new series of Early Childhood Ireland's podcast, we are exploring the recently Updated Aistear. In this episode, Fiona Kelleher, from Early Childhood Ireland tells us about the consultation process carried out with babies, toddlers and you...
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25:42
Women Shaping the Future, with Sheila Nunan and Teresa Heeney
In a special episode of Early Childhood Ireland's podcast to celebrate International Women's Day we invited the Chair and the CEO of Early Childhood Ireland Sheila Nunan and Teresa Heeney to have a conversation. In the episode we explore leader...
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44:24
Barometer 2025, with Frances Byrne
In this episode of the podcast, we delve into the findings of the eighth annual Barometer, with Director of Policy Frances Byrne. This opinion poll is conducted for Early Childhood Ireland, by Red C and explores public attitudes to Early Years ...
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35:56
Eco-Emotions Update, with Milica Atanackovic
This episode of Early Childhood Ireland's podcast provides an update on the Eco-Emotions suite of materials and resources. Guest, Milica Atanackovic, tells us how Eco-Emotions was created to support educators to develop a deeper appreciation of...
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26:44
Aistear, Updated, with Dr Sharon Skehill
Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework has been updated. In this episode we chat to Dr Sharon Skehill from the NCCA about some of the key developments and changes in the Framework. You can find the Updated Aistear here
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40:11
A Look Back at General Election 2024 with Frances Byrne and Emily Clarke
For our first episode of 2025, and as the final stages of government formation are taking place, we chatted with Frances Byrne and Emily Clarke of Early Childhood Ireland about our policy work during the recent General Election campaign.
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33:10
Ensuring Child Safeguarding, with Laura Dagger
In this episode we are delighted to be joined by Laura Dagger, from the National Child Safeguarding Office. She discusses the legal responsibilities of Early Years, School Age Care and registered Childminding settings in relation to Child Safeg...
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35:26
Eco-Emotions in Action, with Johanna Davis and Mary-Ellen O'Sullivan
In this episode we have a conversation with two passionate educators about children thriving outside in nature. Johanna Davis and Mary-Ellen O'Sullivan, from Seedling Nature Schools in Limerick share their experiences of children developing sel...
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35:27
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Eco-Emotions: Exploring the research, with Muireann Ranta
Muireann Ranta, from the South East Technological University joins us for this episode of Early Childhood Ireland's podcast. We discuss how we can encourage children to develop a sense of wonderment about the natural world from their very earli...
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36:12
Introducing Eco-Emotions, with Milica Atanackovic
Early Childhood Ireland is delighted to have launched our newest member resource, called Eco-Emotions, funded by National Pyjama Day. In this episode of Early Childhood Ireland's podcast we chat to Learning Strategy Manager, Milica Atanac...
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25:24
Childminding: Exploring the research literature, with Dr Suzanne McCartney and Liz Kerrins
In this episode we discuss the findings and implications of the recent research carried out by Stranmillis University College on behalf of Early Childhood Ireland. We chat with Dr Suzanne McCartney, from Stranmillis and with Liz Kerrins from Ea...
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49:00
4 Asks for Children; Budget 2025 with Frances Byrne
In this, the first episode of our new season, we tease out the 4 Asks for Children to Elevate Early Years and School Age Care to the Status of Primary Education which are at the centre of our Budget 2025 Submission. We are delighted to b...
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39:10
Inclusion and children's rights, with Prof. Emer Ring
In the final episode of the series shining a light on children's rights, we chat with Prof. Emer Ring, Dean of Education at Mary Immaculate College. We discuss the elements we need to think about as we seek to develop a shared understandi...
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37:56
Global Citizen Education, with Dr Sheila Long
Continuing our series on Children's Rights, in this week's episode we talk to Dr Sheila Long, from South East Technological University about Global Citizen Education. We discuss what Global Citizen Education is and how we can support this in se...
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34:49
Play: a fundamental right, with Prof. Nóirín Hayes
Tuesday, 11 June 2024 has been designated as International Day of Play, recognising and celebrating that play is a fundamental right for children. In this bonus episode of Early Childhood Ireland's podcast, we asked Prof. Nóirín Hay...
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7:55
Exploring Children's Rights, with Prof. Nóirín Hayes
In this new series of Early Childhood Ireland’s podcast, which focusses on Children’s Rights, we are delighted to be joined by Prof. Nóirín Hayes, Visiting Professor at the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin. In the episode we discuss ...
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34:33
OWLET: your questions answered, with Dr Christina Egan Marnell
In the fourth and final episode of the OWLET series of Early Childhood Ireland’s podcast we ask our Early Childhood Specialist, DR Christina Egan Marnell some of the questions posed to us about using the OWLET resources. Have you wondered how t...
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26:25
Using the OWLET lullabies, with Mairéad Gallagher
In this week's episode of Early Childhood Ireland's podcast Mairéad Gallagher, music teacher and director of Wriggletto discusses how the OWLET lullabies can be used throughout every day by educators and parents in simple ways to support childr...
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45:56
Music: a universal language, with Leah Ahern de Leastar
In Early Childhood Ireland’s podcast this week we chat to Leah Ahern de Leastar, Early Years educator and lecturer about music. We discuss how music is a universal language and how we can weave music through the day. Leah also reminds us that i...
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31:53
Introducing OWLET, with Dr Christina Egan Marnell and Maria Cleary
In this episode we chat with Dr Christina Egan Marnell and Maria Cleary from Early Childhood Ireland about our beautiful new member resource called OWLET: Lullabies of the World . This resource supports babies and young children...
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21:18
Early Childhood Ireland Barometer 2024, with Frances Byrne
In this episode of our podcast we chat with Frances Byrne, Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland. We tease out the findings of Early Childhood Ireland's Barometer 2024. Now in its seventh year, the Barometer is an annual opinion poll, c...
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22:55
What is Practitioner Inquiry, with Dr Lynn J McNair and Kathleen Tuite
In this episode of Early Childhood Ireland’s podcast Dr Lynn J McNair, from the University of Edinburgh and Kathleen Tuite from Early Childhood Ireland outline what Practitioner Inquiry is and how becoming a Practitioner Inquirer supports the b...
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34:48
My experience of introducing real tools, with Dairíona Ní Mhuirí
In this final episode of our Delving into Adventurous Play series, Early Childhood Ireland member Dairíona Ní Mhuirí outlines her approach to Adventurous Play and how children in her Naíonra (Irish language preschool) use real tools and fire. S...
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28:41
