Thousands of Inclusion Coordinators (INCOs) across Ireland will be offered an opportunity to further expand their knowledge and skillset with free online CPD.
The Leadership for INClusion in the Early Years (LINC) Consortium is launching a new continuing professional development (CPD) programme aimed at graduates of its Level 6 Special Purpose Award—a qualification designed to support early childhood teachers in leading and creating inclusive ELC settings, where all children are enabled to flourish and achieve their potential.
The Consortium is led by Mary Immaculate College (MIC), and includes Early Childhood Ireland and Maynooth University-Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education.
The development of the CPD programme, which will run for graduates until 2023, is part of a tender awarded to the Consortium by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth last October. The tender will also see the Consortium continue to deliver its Level 6 Special Purpose Award for new entrants.
Welcoming the launch of the CPD programme, Dean of Education at MIC, Professor Emer Ring, said, "We are delighted once again here at Mary Immaculate College to be working with our colleagues at Early Childhood Ireland and Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education – Maynooth University in developing a programme of continuing professional development that we hope will support our LINC programme graduates as they continue their exceptional work in creating early learning and care settings, where difference is celebrated and where all children are enabled to flourish and achieve their potential. The CPD programmes builds on the multi-award winning LINC programme and is located in contemporary research and practice in creating inclusive ELC settings."
Commenting on the launch of the CPD programme, Shirley Heaney, National Coordinator of the LINC Programme added, "I am delighted that the LINC Consortium was awarded this tender to develop a CPD programme for Inclusion Coordinators. The LINC Programme students and graduates promote an inclusive culture, practice and pedagogy in their ELC settings daily, and it is fantastic that the LINC Consortium can now provide further support to Inclusion Coordinators who deliver high-quality inclusive early childhood experiences for all children."
The CPD Programme will consist of six continuing professional development packages that will complement and expand the learning within the original LINC Level 6 Special Purpose Award. The first package, Communities of Practice in Early Learning and Care, will be released in May.
The registration process for the new programme will open on Monday 1 March 2021 at 9am. Graduates will only be able to register for the CPD programme online on the LINC Programme website www.lincprogramme.ie. For further information see www.lincprogramme.ie or email linccpd@mic.ul.ie.
