Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth, Roderic O'Gorman, today launched the Parent and Toddler Group Grants Initiative 2023. The Minister has secured funding of €250,000, which will be allocated to Parent and Toddler Groups nationwide through local City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs). From today, Parent and Toddler Groups are invited to make an application for funding under this Initiative through their local CCC.
This year the emphasis will be on supporting Parent and Toddler Groups that offer a welcome to families who are newly arrived in Ireland.

Following from the success of the additional funding streams in last year’s Initiative, the Parent and Toddler Group Grants Initiative 2023 will again offer three streams of funding:

1. Funding of €800 for existing groups and €1,100 for the establishment of new groups.
2. Funding of up to €300 is available to establish and operate Buggy Walking Groups. These Buggy Walking Groups are organised social walks for parents/guardians and young children. The grant is open to any existing or new organisations or groups who wish to offer a minimum of six organised walks within their community
3. Additional funding of up to €300 is available for new or existing Parent and Toddler Groups to provide a second session to meet demand.

Conditions apply and the CCCs are available to discuss requirements with new and existing groups. In announcing this year’s Parent and Toddler Grant Minister O’Gorman said:

“Parent and Toddler Groups provide a great meeting place for parents/guardians with young children to relax and chat together in a supportive environment while their children play. I want to thank all the groups that are offering a welcome and friendship to parents and children in their communities as well as those newly arrived to Ireland. I am delighted to be able to support this work.”

Groups, including many Family Resource Centres across the country, have opened their doors to families from Ukraine.  Kenmare Family Resource Centre runs a weekly successful and inclusive Parent and Toddler Group. Máire Ui Leime the Centre’s coordinator shared some feedback from Ukrainian parents using the group:

“Ukrainian parents have told me that they find it great to come to the Parent and Toddler Group as it is so welcoming and they can either sit quietly or take part.
“’We can forget the war’; ‘we can leave our troubles outside the door’ and ‘it is great to hear the children laughing while playing with other children’ are some of the other positive comments.”

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