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Parenting Kids News
Ruairi Quinn lends support to school cost reduction campaign
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 16/05/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has lent his support to a campaign aiming to limit the cost of school books and to bring down the price of uniforms.
Mr Quinn said he backed the expansion of school book rental initiatives and would like to see the replacement of uniforms with school badges being considered by primary school boards of management, the Irish Independent reports.
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Search for a Dry bed campaign launches new research
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 15/05/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Almost a third (27%) of parents of children who wet the bed say their child “misses out” on summer activities such as sleepovers with friends and family (60%) and camping trips (24%) due to wetting the bed, according to new research published today by the Search for a Dry Bed campaign and bedwetting.ie, a website that ... click to read full post & commentsFirst phase of new afterschool childcare scheme launched
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 24/04/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
The Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton T.D., and Frances Fitzgerald T.D., Minister for Children and Youth Affairs have today (24 April 2013) announced that the first pilot phase of the new afterschool childcare scheme will begin on 29 April.In this first phase, up to 500 childcare places will be made available to people who have been ... click to read full post & comments
Government confirms First Communion grant cancellation
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 11/04/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Thousand of families in Ireland could be affected after the government revealed it is to put a stop on First Communion grants.
It has been confirmed by the Department of Social Protection that exceptional needs payments (ENPs) will no longer be made for religious ceremonies in 2013, the Irish Independent reports.
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Parents 'could face school places lottery' following admissions changes
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 03/04/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Proposed changes to admission policy rules in Ireland could result in parents facing a lottery when it comes to which school their children can attend.
These alterations have been put forward by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn and, if implemented, would lead to admission controls for primary and secondary schools being tighter than ever before.
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Monaghan 'is cheapest for childcare costs'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 27/03/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Monaghan has been found to be the cheapest county in Ireland with regard to childcare costs.
According to a nationwide survey carried out by Newstalk 106-108fm, creches in the region are charging an average of 138 euros a week per child, which is below the national average of 162 euros a week paid by Irish parents.
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Parents 'are worried about online bullying'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 19/03/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Parents in Ireland are growing increasingly concerned about the issue of cyberbullying, new research has suggested.
Commissioned by the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD), the survey revealed almost one in five respondents believe their son or daughter has been the victim of online bullying, while more than half admitted to checking their child's internet activity on a weekly basis.
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'Worst case of truancy' leads to fine for Dublin mother
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 27/02/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
An officer from the National Education Welfare Board has described a case of truancy in Dublin as the worst ever seen by the board.
Speaking at Dublin District Court, the representative detailed how a 15-year-old girl skipped 89 out of 114 days in a school year - a total that has resulted in the teenager's mother being fined 300 euros.
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Irish teens 'continue to receive lots of pocket money'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 25/02/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Teenagers in Ireland are still receiving lots of pocket money, despite their parents facing considerable financial pressures.
This is the finding of new research carried out by the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) - the representative body for 487 credit unions in Ireland - and Youth Work Ireland, which showed 51 per cent of youngsters are regularly given a personal allowance, with 25 per cent being handed between 20 and 25 euros each week.
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Court convictions secured for poor school attendances
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 20/02/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
A total of 30 court convictions were secured against parents in Ireland last year due to the poor school attendance records of their children.
Taken by the National Educational Welfare Board - which was set up in 2002 under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 - these cases illustrate the importance of parents making sure their kids go to school on a regular basis and only miss lessons when there is a valid reason for doing so.
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Primary school children banned from using certain words
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 07/02/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
A primary school in England has banned its pupils from using certain words.
The initiative - which could lead to schools in Ireland following suit - has seen parents issued with a list of words their kids should be discouraged from saying, the Daily Telegraph reports.
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Parents 'unaware of online bullying'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 04/02/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Knowledge of cyber-bullying among parents in Ireland is low, new research has found.
Conducted by Dr Brian O'Neill and Thuy Dinh from European Union (EU) Kids Online and Dublin Institute of Technology, the study revealed almost seven in ten mums and dads did not know their child had been victimised online, the Irish Independent reports.
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Training for parents to spot cyberbullying?
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 30/01/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Training courses could be set up for parents of schoolchildren in Ireland in a bid to tackle cyberbullying.
The recommendation forms part of a new national action plan on bullying and Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn has given the proposal the green light, the Irish Independent reports.
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Mother jailed for keeping kids off school
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 18/01/2013.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
A Dublin mother has been sentenced to 28 days in jail for failing to ensure her three children attended school.
The woman, who has not been named, allowed her children to miss more than one-third of the school term since September.
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Impact of potential tax on child benefit revealed
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 02/01/2013.Tags: Education And Politics Parenting Kids
Plans to tax child benefit could cost families up to EUR640 per child, according to figures released by the Department of Finance.
The Department of Social Protection is required to make cuts of around EUR500 million to its annual budget and the Irish Times reports that introducing taxation on child benefit at the current income tax rates would account for approximately 80 per cent of these savings.
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Four out of five smartphone apps for kids 'could record data'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 21/12/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
An alarming report has revealed that 80 per cent of the smartphone applications designed for children do not reveal if they are recording data such as the user's location or phone number.
The research was carried out by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and is especially worrying as many children will receive new phones or tablet devices this Christmas.
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Parents to be allowed further leave to care for young children
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 19/12/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
The amount of time that parents can take off work to look after their children will be increased in the new year, Justice Minister Alan Shatter has announced.
Following a directive from the European Union (EU) in 2010, the new Family Leave Bill will raise the minimum amount of unpaid leave that parents of children under eight years old are entitled to from 14 to 18 weeks. The EU Directive must be transposed into law by March 8th 2013, the Irish Independent reports.
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Irish parents 'highest spenders in Europe' on toys
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 10/12/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Parents in Ireland are set to spend more on toys for their children than those in any other nation in Europe, a new survey has found.
Research by eBay Ireland revealed mums and dads will shell out an average of €278 on presents for their offspring, the Irish Independent reports.
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Maternal smoking leads to child behavioral problems, report finds
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 13/11/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are 1.4 times more likely to display behavioural problems in the classroom.
This is according to a new report from the Economic and Research Institute that was conducted by Dr Cathal McCrory and Professor Richard Layte.
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More sleep leads to better school behaviour, study finds
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 18/10/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
New research has proven that primary-aged children who get at least the recommended ten hours sleep a night behave better in school.
A study led by Reut Gruber of Montreal's McGill University and Douglas Research Center revealed that the more shut-eye a child gets, the less likely they are to be restless throughout the day.
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Parents warned about online bullying
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 02/10/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Parents have been warned about the dangers of online bullying by the father of a young girl who took her own life.
Jonathan Pugsley spoke to the Irish Independent about the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of his daughter Ciara.
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Major changes announced for First Communion
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 01/10/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin is set to announce changes to how children are prepared for First Communion in Dublin, with an announcement to be made later today (October 1st).
Under the proposals, there will be greater parental involvement, as the responsibility for preparing youngsters moves from schools to parents and the parish, the Irish Times reports.
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Kids too embarrassed to read, study finds
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 07/09/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Embarrassment is preventing children from reading in their spare time, according to new research.
A study carried out by the National Literacy Trust in the UK revealed just 30 per cent of youngsters read every day, which is down from 40 per cent seven years ago.
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Appeal for shops and pubs to clamp down on underage alcohol sales
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 13/08/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Premises selling alcohol have been told to be vigilant this week ahead of the release of Leaving Certificate results this Wednesday.
An appeal by drinkaware.ie has asked for shops and pubs to be extra careful when checking young people's ID to ensure they only serve alcohol to those over 18, The Journal reports.
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Childcare costs more expensive than mortgages, study finds
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 07/08/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Covering the cost of childcare is now the largest monthly outgoing for families, eclipsing mortgage payments.
A survey conducted by the Irish Independent revealed parents are having to fork out up to €1,100 per month for a creche place for one child.
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Parents' activity levels influence kids, study finds
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 03/08/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
The amount of time a parent spends exercising has a direct effect on a child's attitude towards activity, according to new research.
A study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health revealed that when adults increase their daily exercise, offspring will also boost theirs.
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Parents going without food to afford back to school costs
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 01/08/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
New research has revealed a number of parents are going without food in order to ensure they can afford back to school costs.
A study by children's charity Barnardos revealed some individuals are also forgoing paying household bills as they struggle to meet the expense of back to school clothing, the Journal reports.
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Quinn supports review of costly uniform practices
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 26/07/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Schools have been urged to review their policies on forcing parents to pay over-the-odds for uniforms when cheaper options are available.
The Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, anti-poverty group St Vincent de Paul and the National Parents Council's (NPC) primary division told the Irish Examiner the practice needs to be examined.
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Film sex scenes 'influence teenage behaviour'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 20/07/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Hollywood sex scenes can have a negative impact on a teenager's attitudes towards relationships, according to new research.
A study conducted at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire revealed watching love scenes could "fundamentally influence" sexual behaviour.
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Facebook 'creating gambling problems among kids'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 18/07/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Children that play gambling games online using virtual money could become addicted to the pastime as adults, according to new research.
Experts believe roulette, slot machines and card games that can be accessed through sites such as Facebook could lead to youngsters becoming habitual or even "problem" gamers.
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Tablets help promote reading, parents claim
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 13/07/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Providing children with tablets and e-readers helps encourage youngsters to spend more time reading, according to a new survey.
Research carried out by the Reading Agency revealed that just under half of all parents believe Kindles, Sony Readers and iPads help promote the pastime.
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Harmful online content viewed by 1 in 4 children
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 11/07/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
A new study from the EU Kids Online project has revealed youngsters rarely report distressing content they witness online.
The Towards a Better Internet for Children report found only one in ten individuals will highlight any issues, while one-third find the tools to do are inadequate.
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New student loan scheme announced by TCD
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 10/07/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has launched a new scheme in conjunction with the Bank of Ireland that will help parents cover the cost of fees.
The student loan programme is designed to help individuals afford the €2,250 annual Student Contribution Charge for undergraduates.
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Drivers 'should be punished for car seat errors'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 06/07/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
A leading paediatrician has called for drivers to be punished with penalty points if they fail to correctly install car seats.
Head of paediatrics at University College Dublin Professor Ronan O'Sullivan said not fitting child seats properly could mean the difference between life and death, the Irish Independent report.
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Parents want more time to read to kids
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 22/06/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
A new survey has revealed 43 per cent of parents wish they had more time to spend reading to their children at bedtime.
Bord Gais Energy Book Club asked more than 4,700 parents about their reading habits, with 47 per cent admitting they read to their offspring each night.
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Half of all parents have raised concerns about bullying, study finds
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 18/05/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Complaints about bullying have been made by half of all parents, with a third claiming they were unhappy with how the school handled the issue.
A survey conducted by the National Parents Council Primary (NPCP) found concerned adults believed 30 per cent of education establishments failed to follow the complaints procedure, while a further 36 per cent said the process was not conducted correctly, the Irish Examiner reports.
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Disability funding cuts 'will leave school leavers stranded'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 14/05/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Hundreds of children with intellectual disabilities face being turned away from essential services when they finish school next month.
This is according to the Irish Times, which reported on the planned funding cuts to such services announced via the Health Service Executive's (HSE's) service plan for 2012.
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Sex education improving, study finds
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 11/05/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Teenagers that receive sex education at home or in school are 1.5 times more likely to use contraception than those who received education from other sources.
This was one of the findings reported in the Irish Contraceptive and Crisis Pregnancy Study 2010, which has been published by the Health Service Executive.
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Many Irish children 'hit by deprivation'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 27/04/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Three out of ten young people in Ireland are growing up in deprived households, a new report has found.
The Economic and Social Research Council's study, which is based on its Survey of Income and Living Conditions, revealed single-parent families and those where adults are out of work and have few qualifications are most likely to suffer from poverty, the Irish Times noted.
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Financial pressures fail to reduce Communion spending
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 18/04/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
The average amount spent on a First Communion is expected to increase by €75 this year, despite many people facing financial pressures.
New research by the EBS building society found the total spent on clothes, parties and presents by most families comes to €554 per child, the Irish Times reports.
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Science and maths 'most feared questions' by parents
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 20/01/2012.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Maths and science are the subjects most parents dread when their children ask for help with homework assignments, a new survey has found.
It revealed two-thirds of adults are frequently puzzled by questions on these topics, with a quarter admitting to feeling frustrated or embarrassed when they are unable to answer.
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Under-2s 'get no benefit' from educational TV
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 20/10/2011.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Parents looking to encourage their children's development from an early age may be surprised to hear that educational TV programmes aimed at youngsters aged under two have been claimed to be ineffective.
This is according to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which stated such shows are not beneficial to kids of this age as they are not old enough to understand the content.
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Financial pressures lead to rise in calls to parenting line
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 17/10/2011.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Many more parents in Ireland may have been looking for help with raising their children in the past year due to the impact of the recession.
This is according to statistics from parenting advice service Parentline, which show more than 4,000 families turned to its phone line for assistance over the past 10 months, the Irish Times reports.
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Many young people 'at risk' though internet activities
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 12/10/2011.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Many children in Ireland could be putting their safety at risk by not adequately protecting themselves when using the internet.
This is according to a new report from the ISPCC, which found a quarter of older children failed to use privacy settings on their social networking accounts, while over a third of primary school-age youngsters did not know how to do this.
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