Nine innovative childcare projects in Northern Ireland were awarded grants of more than 400,000 by the New Opportunities Fund last week under its Building Quality Childcare programme. The projects in Coleraine, Derry, Limavady, Fermanagh, Ballycastle and Belfast include a new family centre in Ballycastle. A 131,131 grant will enable Pobal An Chaistil to incorporate an existing Irish language pre-school childcare facility in a new building, as well as provide after-school childcare once the project begins. In Newtownabbey, near Belfast, the charity SENSE has been awarded a grant of 70,975 to extend care for children who have special needs. The grant will enable it to offer more childcare to more children with multiple and complex difficulties. Colette Gray, SENSE's Northern Ireland services manager, said the charity was 'delighted' to receive the grant as it would now 'be able to develop a playgroup for children with disabilities that prevent them from accessing mainstream education'.
Nine innovative childcare projects in Northern Ireland were awarded grants of more than 400,000 by the New Opportunities Fund last week under its Building Quality Childcare programme. The projects in Coleraine, Derry, Limavady, Fermanagh, Ballycastle and Belfast include a new family centre in Ballycastle. A 131,131 grant will enable Pobal An Chaistil to incorporate an existing Irish language pre-school childcare facility in a new building, as well as provide after-school childcare once the project begins. In Newtownabbey, near Belfast, the charity SENSE has been awarded a grant of 70,975 to extend care for children who have special needs.
The grant will enable it to offer more childcare to more children with multiple and complex difficulties. Colette Gray, SENSE's Northern Ireland services manager, said the charity was 'delighted' to receive the grant as it would now 'be able to develop a playgroup for children with disabilities that prevent them from accessing mainstream education'.
