Gasyard Children's Centre Concept

The centre will consist of two separate units, a staff room with entrance hall, the out side area will have a security gate.
The Gasyard Children's Centre has planned an innovative playground area, which will cover key learning experiences that will compliment the key play experiences within the centre.
Liz Mc Corkell Early Years and I are working closely with ' Hags ' (outdoor play equipment specialists) to introduce a new play concept that will be interactive between parent/ adult and child, that will help to enhance the emotional, key learning and social skills derived from outdoor play in a safe, caring and stimulating environment.

Unit One

will provide pre-school care with 27 places from 0-3 years, offering day care, creche, and early years play provision. This is in the form of a Family Model, which will emulate the family home environment. With a living room come play area and sleeping facilitates for very young babies. The improtance of play as a bonding tool between parent and child is regonised as a bridge to emotional linking and will help develop the communications skills and cognative thinking that enables each individual to form choices and develop the necessary skills for adulthood. The provision will provide and support parent skills, return to study groups and homework support, while also providing childcare for other programmes facilitated by the Gasyard Centre. It is hoped that a type of after school care can also be provided, that will offer support to the local community.

Unit Two

will provide an Irish Medium pre-school setting, offering 24 places for 3-5 yrs old with five morning session. This will be extended to afternoon sessions (smaller group) and will include an after school group with homework support. Parent language support will also receive focus as this is vital in helping to achieve a balanced link between language development through play experiences and home life. The key learning experiences will also be enhanced through outdoor play and will provide an holistic approach to help the children to develop their language skills in an interactive and stimulating environment that will prepare them for primary education in IME. (Irish Medium Education). The choice of parents who wish their children to receive Irish medium pre-school provision will be supported and respected within the centre and the staff will encourage and promote this development by assisting and offering support to both children and families.

The Children's Centre will provide a high standard of child care and pre-school provision that will be an asset to the local community and be a focal point that will help to enhance the self worth that a community needs to step forward into the future that belongs to the children. It is the gift that every child needs in the early years, to form and build skills that will carry them through their adult lives.