Frontline’s Children’s Project was established nearly 15 years ago when it became apparent that clients with children had difficulty in attending appointments due to a lack of childcare, and additional support for them was identified as a need. Initially established with a morning group for children aged 1-6, it was then extended to include an afternoon group for primary school aged children.
The Children’s Project not only facilitates parents attending appointments, but it is also a safe and caring environment and ensures that the children who attend get the best start at life.
The aim of the Children’s Project is to provide a programme that encourages the child’s social, emotional, educational, physical, and creative development. Support is available for the children to help them with issues affecting your lives. This can be provided on a one-to-one basis where the child is encouraged to build on their self-esteem, confidence, and strengths in a safe space.
Water play with the preschool children
The development of the children who attend the morning group is supported and nurtured through the High Scope Preschool Curriculum, and the primary school aged children who attend the afternoon group receive homework support and enjoy regular outings and activities.
FUNDRAISING
Throughout the year, the Children’s Project team of childcare practitioners work with the children on fundraising activities. This work encourages empathy and thoughtfulness towards others, as well as learning and new experiences. Recent fundraising events have included Barnardos Big Toddle – a sponsored walk, National Pyjama Day, and a bake sale for the DSPCA.
The Big Toddle fundraiser
A highlight for the afternoon group in recent years has been a market stall at the Richmond Barracks Christmas Fair. The children make crafts that they then sell at the market and learn lots of important skills in the process such as customer service, sales, and how to handle money.
ACTIVITIES
Within the last year the children have enjoyed a wide range of activities such as Little Fitness – an educational fitness programme, the Intergenerational Learning Project – where the preschool children visit a local nursing home to do activities with the residents, and the National Gallery Art Project – where an artist from the National Gallery visits the children and does activities such as introducing them to a painting and then exploring textures that may be in the painting with them.
A highlight of each year for the morning group is the Hungry Caterpillar Project where the children get to explore the wonder that is the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly with their own caterpillars.
OUTINGS
The morning group have regular outings to the local library and playground and have also been lucky enough to have a mobile farm visit the area, where they got to meet and hold baby animals. An annual trip to Dublin Zoo with their parents and the Children’s Project team is one of the year’s highlights.
The afternoon groups are given the opportunity to visit historic places such as Trinity College Dublin, Glasnevin and Goldenbridge Cemeteries. They also get to explore further afield, with trips outside Dublin to Clara Lara and Splash Valley in Wicklow and the highlight of the year, a holiday to Carlingford Adventure Centre.
Rock climbing at Carlingford Adventure Centre
The annual week-long trip to Carlingford, where the afternoon group and the Children’s Project team travel to the Carlingford Adventure Centre in Louth, gives the children a complete break away from their daily lives. It encourages teamwork, self-confidence and helps the children to build deeper, trusting relationships. The week involves water sports, rock climbing, outdoor activities, axe throwing and restaurant trips.
If you are interested in accessing this service, contact your keyworker or our Childcare Manager.
The Children’s Project is located at Kavanagh House, 135 Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8.