June 24th, 2015

Hope you're enjoying the recent good weather and what is hopefully the start of a great summer.

In this latest issue of our Supporter Newsflash, we update you on our general election campaign and recent submissions to the Inter Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and School-Age Care and Education Services and Department of Education & Skills. We also invite you to an event we are organising with the Children's Rights Alliance and the National Youth Council of Ireland, 'A Manifesto For All Children and Young People' on June 29th. We will be joined by barrister and former political adviser, Noel Whelan. It promises to be a great discussion on how we can best ensure that children and young people remain at the top of the next Government's agenda.

We also update you on some of our work on Family leave and the European Commission's Country Specific Recommendations for Ireland. And we have a quick catch up with our Communications Officer Tressan McCambridge, to wish her the best of luck before she heads off on maternity leave in July.

Have a great summer!

With warm regards

The team at Start Strong - Ciairín, Toby, Lorraine and Tressan

News

General election campaign in full swing

Meetings, mail outs, Oireachtas Committee presentations and events. Our election campaign is up and running at full steam. Be sure to come along to some of our events so you can have your say on the campaign. We really value your support and feedback.

Save the Date June 29th: A Manifesto For All Children and Young People

Start Strong together with the Children's Rights Alliance and the National Youth Council of Ireland are hosting a joint event on June 29th, 'A Manifesto For All Children and Young People' to canvass the views of our members on key asks for children and young people in the next Programme for Government. It's taking place from 10.00am to 1.00pm at European Parliament House in Dublin 2. Hope you can make it. We'd love to see you there!

Submissions to DCYA & DES

We've been busy making submissions to the Inter Departmental Group (IDG) on Future Investment in Early Years and School-Age Care and Education Services and the Department of Education and Skills. We're also close to finishing our Pre-Budget Submission which we plan to circulate very shortly.

Supporting children

Pushing for stronger Family leave policies

Start Strong is continuing to push for stronger family leave policies. We are calling for the introduction of paid parental leave after the existing maternity leave, for a parent to take when a child is between 6 and 12 months old and 2 weeks paternity leave.

EU recommendations on childcare

We were disappointed to see that the recent European Commissions' Country Specific Recommendations (CSR) for Ireland, made no mention of the need to improve the quality of childcare here. Instead, they focussed on the need for "more affordable and full-time childcare".

Working with others to support children

Start Strong believes in working with other organisations that are working for children's rights too. From helping shape training programmes for effective lobbying in Europe to supporting children's rights, we are proud to have been involved in a number of recent initiatives.

People & Events


Spotlight on Tressan We catch up with our Communications Officer and soon to be mum of two, Tressan McCambridge, before she goes on maternity leave. Read more here	Government Manifesto Save the date June 29th and come along to our joint event 'A Manifesto For All Children and Young People' in EU House, Dublin 2. Find out more here.	TheJournal.ie Start Strong Director Ciairín de Buis comments on the recent decision by DCYA to postpone the minimum qualification requirement for childcare workers. Read it here.

Start Strong | +353-1-662-4018 | tressan@startstrong.ie | www.startstrong.ie
Basement, 33 Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2,

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