Anniversary: The Barnardos National Children's Resource Centre in the heart of Dublin is 10 years old and is targeting parents, writes Sylvia Thompson.
Tucked away in a quiet purpose-built business centre opposite Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin is one of Ireland's most valuable childcare resource centres.
Celebrating 10 years in existence this year, Barnardos National Children's Resource Centre (NCRC) is still unknown to many parents, although it is well-regarded and well-used by childcare professionals.
"I suppose we have concentrated more on providing the service and less on the marketing side of things. We are currently working on the area of targeting parents' needs and connecting with them to increase their access to the centre," says Anne Conroy, NCRC head of services.
That said, the centre fielded over 5,000 inquiries last year, on everything from choosing childcare to parenting courses and where to find counselling for children.
Alongside the well-stocked library of books and journals on childcare, the NCRC publishes research and runs training courses for childcare professionals and parents' groups. The centre itself is a point of contact for parents seeking information (check out the free leaflets on Time Together: a Parent's Guide to Games and Activities for Young Children and Back to School: A Parent's Guide).
On weekday mornings, the NCRC is open to the public, which means any parent can wander in and research an area of interest free of charge.
Membership of the NCRC gives a more personalised service, which includes the right to borrow books, receive the thrice-yearly Childlinks journal, get help with Internet searches, and benefit from discounts on training events and publications.
Parenting courses are now much in demand and Barnardos is often called on to run such courses for parents' councils.
"With all the changes and pressures on family life and the competing demands of work and home, there is a growing interest among parents to sit down and talk to other parents. Interestingly, one school principal noted that when a large number of parents had done a parenting course, the children were more relaxed and calmer in class," says Conroy.
In tandem with its parenting courses and other courses for childcare professionals, the NCRC publishes manuals such as Supporting Quality: Guidelines for Best Practice in Early Childhood Services. A newly produced resource pack, Equality and Diversity: An Anti-Bias Approach, offers childcare professionals assistance in dealing with multi-cultural issues. Fifty per cent of the NCRC's funding comes from the EU Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (administered through the Department of Justice and Law Reform), specifically to support such initiatives.
"The NCRC started as a resource for Barnardos internally. It grew organically as we realised that other people needed the service," says Conroy.
Barnardos information centres also operate in Cork and Limerick and new ones opened last year in Galway and Athlone.
The Barnardos website is also popular. Moves are afoot to make it more interactive and there are some thoughts on establishing a Barnardos website specifically for parents.
"The environment has largely improved for children, and the National Children's Strategy represents Government commitment to children and children's input into policy," says Conroy.
The National Children's Resource Centre is at Christchurch Square, Dublin 8 (tel:01-4549699; fax: 01-4530300; e-mail: ncrc@barnardos.ie).
Regional centres:
River Court, Golden Island, Athlone, Co Westmeath (tel: 0906-479584; e-mail: ncrc@athlone.barnardos.ie).
18 St Patrick's Hill, Cork (tel: 021-4552100; email: ncrc@cork.barnardos.ie).
41/43 Prospect Hill, Galway (tel: 091-565058; e-mail: ncrc@galway.barnardos.ie).
10 Sarsfield Street, Limerick (tel: 061-208680; e-mail: ncrc@midwest.barnardos.ie).
See also www.barnardos.ie
