Governance News

DAERA have announced that their Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme (RMCGS) is now open for applications and will close midday on Monday 22 of June 2026 only RURAL groups can apply.

Strong committees are at the heart of every successful community and voluntary managed early years setting. However, with committee membership often changing from year to year, ensuring new volunteers feel confident and supported in their role can be a challenge.

Conflicts of interest are a normal part of governance, particularly in community based early years settings where committee members are often parents, relatives or staff or have other connections to the setting.

This week Early Years is joining in with the theme of volunteers’ week to say get involved in recognition of the volunteers who work in the early years sector.

DAERA have announced that their Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme (RMCGS) is now open for applications and will close midday on Monday 22 of June 2026 - only RURAL groups can apply.

Annual General Meetings (AGMs) can sometimes feel like just another date in the calendar, but they’re a really useful opportunity for early years settings to take stock and plan ahead.

A number of settings have recently asked us for support to develop, review or change their staff terms and conditions also commonly called staff contracts. 

From April 2026, new National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) rates have come into effect across Northern Ireland.