As Childhood Services Week 2025 draws to a close, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made the week such a meaningful and inspiring celebration.
To our dedicated staff, passionate educators, community partners, families, and supporters—thank you for your unwavering commitment to nurturing, educating, and empowering children. Your hard work and enthusiasm made this week a true reflection of the education, care and collaboration that define our profession.
Whether you participated in arts events, shared your stories, attended CPD webinars, supported behind the scenes, or simply helped spread awareness—your contributions made a difference. Together, we celebrated the vital role childhood services play in building brighter futures. Here’s to continuing the momentum and working together every day to support our youngest learners.
We have all been inspired and enthused by the organisations who have supported our theme and the arts in general this year. To Patricia Forde, Laureate na nÓg who opened Childhood Services Week 2025 with such a wonderful video with messages of encouragement and support, to DCDE, Better Start, LINC, County/City Childcare Committees, the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations, Lifestart Services, Early Years – The Organisation for Young Children and Playboard (N.I) who helped us spread the messages of ‘shaping your dreams’ across the island of Ireland.
Our deepest thanks and appreciation to The Ark, Music Generation, National Gallery of Ireland, Kid’s Own, Children’s Books Ireland, Ceol Connected, Oran Leong, Imelda Graham, Jolene Ni Uidhir, Dr Rita Melia ATU, ATU Mayo/Galway, Museum of Childhood Ireland, author Muireann Ní Chíobháin and artists Mags Harnett and Róisín White for their wonderful contributions to the continuing professional development of educators and the children’s workshops throughout the year.
A special work of thanks to Ballybane Library in Galway for hosting Into the Rainbow with dance artist Monica Munoz. Presented in Partnership with Atlantic Technological University, The Arts Council, Galway Childcare Committee and Ballybane Library. Also, to The Museum of Childhood Ireland for hosting a special recorded read-along and draw-along with Tarsila Krüse on their website.
Thank you all for providing the wonderful workshops that thousands of children have engaged in right across the island of Ireland.
We are truly grateful to Dr Glenda Walsh from Stranmillis University College, who provided a stimulating and outstanding keynote address for us all on creativity and playfulness which helped and supported our reflection and interactions with children and families.
Finally, a special tribute goes to the staff of the National Childhood Network for all their contributions behind the scenes which helped make Childhood Services Week so successful.
Thank you to everyone who inspired us this week, together we will keep ‘shaping our dreams’. We hope to see you back again next year for more fun and creativity! 🌈🎨📚 🩰🎶💃🕺