Minister Foley announces more than €420,000 for Parent and Toddler Groups

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley is today delighted to announce that 461 Parent and Toddler Groups around the country are receiving funding totaling €421,618.

The funding can be used for a variety of purposes including children’s toys, equipment and books as well as children’s refreshments and snacks. It can also be used for children’s activities such as arts and crafts and music. Parents can also be supported with parenting courses and courses in first aid for children.

This initiative is part of First 5, the Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families. In February, the Minister announced that funding of €350,000 had been secured, which was an increase of €100,000 on last year’s allocation.

However, with the growth in demand even stronger this year, a further additional €70,000 in funding was secured to bring the budget up to €421,000.

This has allowed the allocation of grants to 461 Parent and Toddler Groups this year, an increase of 66 compared to last year when 395 groups received grants.

Minister Foley said:

Breakdown of the Parent and Toddler grants are listed in the table below.