The Pathway Fund are pleased to announce that online applications for the Pathway Fund for 2025/2026 and provisionally 2026/2027 are NOW OPEN.
We are also delighted to announce a new funding Stream C for Childminders and Approved Home Childcarers (AHCs).
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Early Years Membership
Our members are the heart and focus of what we do. We represent early childhood carers and educators who are part of the mission to be a strong voice for thousands of children on the island of Ireland and beyond.
Our members depend on us to be a strong, sustainable outcomes-focused and evidence-led organisation for young children. What role will you play in moving the sector and early childhood practice forward?
Children and families are physically and emotionally well and resilient.
Have a read through our annual report to see what we have been up to this past year.
Join the conversation with earlyyearsorg online community, choose where you want to jump in!
Early Years call upon the Executive to agree an investment strategy for early learning by Q4 2024. Northern Ireland should invest 1% of GDP (£485m) per annum in early learning and care by 2030.
Early Years is the largest organisation in Northern Ireland working with and for young children. We are a non-profit making organisation and have been working since 1965 to promote high quality childcare for children aged 0 - 18 and their families.
Our goal is to advocate, mobilise and influence early years’ policy developments that are rights-based, evidence-informed and appropriately resourced, to support the rights of young children and deliver outcomes for young children. Over the past 50 years with our members we continue to speak up for children, their family and the early childhood care and education sector.
Early Years focus is evidence-based practice throughout the early childhood care and education sector. We draw from research and academic studies to develop innovative quality programmes which support services within the sector.
Our members ensure that children are immersed in active learning environments, while we support them with their learning and the provision provided through Early Years specialist mentoring and support, committee management, salary and disclosures services, financial support and advice and guidelines on new legislation within the sector.
Early Years is passionate in supporting the movement for peace that draws on the power of early childhood development. We engage in a number of international networks and projects to support practice and research innovations.
Early Years delivers a wide range of training, programmes and professional learning events that continue our drive to improve practice by applying an appropriate play-based curriculum. We facilitate the roll out of the Reggio approach in Northern Ireland by inspiring reflective communication within a diverse Learning Community, to bring about change for children and communities.
We focus on meeting the needs of the early childhood care and education providers, promoting available funding opportunities and offering support for members when applying for these. Early Years is currently administrator of the Pathway Fund, Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme and ASPIRE.
HighScope is a quality approach to early childhood care and education which has been shaped and developed by research and practice over a fifty year period. A curriculum used internationally in a variety of settings including daycare, créches, playgroups, nursery and primary schools.
A Trusted Framework for Early Years Excellence. Access the 2024-2025 HighScope training calendar. Available to Highscope and non-Highscope Settings!
Hear from Audrey Rainey, Early Years Director of Services, as she shares who can apply and where to find all the details.
The Pathway Fund is delighted to announce the opening of three funding streams.
The GREENCODE project partners met in Rijeka (Croatia) to discuss the first developed project results in a two-day working meeting - Higher Education Curriculum for Pre-primary Education Units and Digital Handbook on Inquiry-based learning) as an eco-friendly learning practice using simple coding and educational robotics activities in pre-primary education.
ASPIRE application deadline has been extended to 27th November 5pm
Early Years is delighted that the Pathway Fund will open for applications on Monday 25th November for 2025/2026 and provisionally 2026/2027.
Early Years - the organisation for young children are delighted to be offering this course for all practitioners who work with children and their families.
We are pleased to announce the launch of ASPIRE project application for Pre-Schools.
