Sunwind Ab Case Essay Example

Sunwind Ab Case Paper 2) Draw the schematic flow diagram for Sunwind and all Volvo plants. (Draw at abstract level not detailed level). Provides detail of distances and demand (quantity based on 1987 forecast) flow. Ans) Demand of Sunwind is 1250/week = 1250*45 = 56250 units The following table gives us the demand of each plant yearly for the year 1985 Plant|   | Torslando | Kalmar| Ghent| Total| Year| 1985| 17050| 4525| 12090| 33665| | %| 50. 65%| 13. 44%| 35. 1%| 100%| Year| 1987| 32919. 947| 8736. 819| 23343. 23| 65000| Depending on the percentage of share of each plant of the total in 1985, the same percentage is used to calculate the demand of each plant in 1987, as we know the total production of Volvo from all the plants put together in 1987. 3) What are the challenges facing Sunwind? Do they need a change in strategy by Sunwind? Why? Ans The challenges faced by SUNWIND are as follows : The main problem is to meet the increase in the demand from Volvo which is around 650 per week in 1985 to 1200 per week in 1986 * There is also a problem of meeting the quality of the finished products supplied by them, some of the machines like gluing machine had proved particularly troublesome and has increased rejects. * Some other bothering issues would be the off-spec plywood blanks received from Finnish supplier. * The rejection of the batches by Volvo as they haven’t met the quality constraints imposed by them. The demand for the finished goods is around 1400 units/week while the ideal capacity of plant excluding wastages is only 1250 units/week; this mismatch is of a greatest concern for the Sunwind in the present scenario. * The trend of the major manufacturers like Toyota who are working on â€Å"Less† suppliers’ model to increase the efficiency is of a big threat as Volvo might even persuade it. * The system of JIT which is being implemented recently by the Volvo group, the Belgian manufacturer is turning out to be major competitor to Sunwood on this perspecti ve. The batch size if we see for different operations varies from 2500 to 500, such a huge amount of batch size might lead to having no control over the quality issues i. e. in case of any damage done its hard to find out and the who batch has to be set off which is of a huge loss for the plant. * This large batch size might also increases the MLT hence leads to a lot of inventory which has a lot of adverse effects. For the other part of the question whether they need to change the strategy of the Sunwind or not, yes they have to change indeed to so as to protect themselves from Volvo by meeting their demand needs. At the same time the technological aspects of Sunwind are at a ground level, they need to compete with the competitors and have to go for new machinery. Right now they are not following the JIT method while Volvo has gone for it, In that case to meet the Volvo demands it might have to put a huge pile of raw materials instead if it makes itself a JIT system it could save itself from one of the competitors. Their batch size as mentioned before is also very large, hence they need to change this strategy too. There is a quality issue also being faced hence they a need a new strategy which can address all these issues in a very efficient way. ) What are the benefits to implement JIT for Sunwind? How Volvo will get benefited if Sunwind goes for JIT production and delivery? Ans) The benefits to implement JIT for Sunwind are 1. The main advantage would be saving on inventory i. e. there is no need to spend a lot of money in storing the inventory for huge number of days until it is used inste ad JIT takes care of inventory only when needed hence there is no idle inventory. 2. The JIT system will take care of the batch size this will help increasing the frequency and also easy transportation and on time as the batch size is small 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Sunwind Ab Case specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sunwind Ab Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sunwind Ab Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In case of any defects the wastage would be in a small scale 4. The quality issue can be addressed, if we have the batch size to be small there is an every chance to make strict quality checks and reject the rest. 5. This helps in cutting the waste by cutting the excess capacity or inventory and removing the non value-added activities. 6. This will develop a close relationship with their suppliers, in a way they will get suppliers as a partner in the venture. 7. This will also encourage the suppliers to get themselves placed in and around the Sunwood plant so as to deliver the raw materials on time. 8. This system gets an in-plant representative who will be onsite in Sunwind on behalf of the suppliers whose main purpose is to plan and schedule the replenishment of the materials from the supplier hence even the forecasting is also taken care by him. 9. He also helps in designing ideas to help reducing cost and improve manufacturing processes and managing production schedules for suppliers, materials contractors and other subcontractors. 10. It also provides the best organizational structure needed to improve the supplier coordination by integrating the logistics, production and purchasing processes together. The advantages of the Volvo if Sunwind go for JIT is same as the ones enjoyed by Sunwind on behalf of their supplies * This will develop a close relationship with Sunwind. * This system gets an in-plant representative who will be onsite in Volvo on behalf of the Sunwind whose main purpose is to plan and schedule the replenishment of the materials from the supplier hence even the forecasting is also taken care by him. * He also helps in designing ideas to help reducing cost and improve manufacturing processes and managing production schedules for suppliers, materials contractors and other subcontractors. It also provides the best organizational structure needed to improve the supplier coordination by integrating the logistics, production and purchasing processes together. 6) How many varieties of products does the Sunwind manufacture for Volvo? How does this information help to design production and delivery? Ans) Sunwind was the only supplier for the floorlid for the 5-door 700 serie s station wagon. These were offered in several carpet/ colour combinations. The lid comprised of 4 separate items front panel, rear panel, left panel and the right panel. The carpeting could be any of four different colour choices – beige, blue, black and burgundy. The carpeting could be either needle felt or tufted. Thus 32 part numbers were needed to specify a particular part/ colour/ carpet combination 4 parts x 4 colours x 2 carpets = 32 This data of the variety of products being manufacture will give us an advantage of designing the production through JIT. One of the process considerations in lean systems â€Å"Uniform workstation loads â€Å" comes into the picture. This in turn would decrease the big lots there by decreasing the average inventory level. We can follow the production model of â€Å"heijunka† which is the levelling of production load by both volume and product mix. Using this what we can do is to form batches in a way so that each batch gives us 32 varieties of different materials instead of having the same variety in a batch. This would help workers to get acquaintance of all the products and also though there is any wastage in a batch the other batch can cover up for it, if a batch has all the products of same kind it would be a problem if there is any defect or quality issues. Thus this data of the variety of products gives us the division of batches in an efficient way which reduces the extra non value added costs. 8) Provides details of some critical characteristics of one of the Volvo operations (Customer interface point) between Volvo and Sunwind. How does may this information be helpful to get advance intimation to prepare the next JIT delivery? Ans) Sunwind’s interface with Volvo parts at the order placement. Every 4 weeks Volvo send an order form indication the requirement over a 60 week planning horizon. This was broken into seven 4 week periods and one 32 week period. The next interface was at the loading stage of the shipping process. Volvo mandated that it suppliers use Volvo’s wholly owned transport company, use standard containers and ship one part per container. Sunwind ordered transportation and empty containers as required. Post shipping, the next interface would be at the inspection upon receipt of parts by Volvo. If the randomly chosen container did not pass the stringent quality control criteria, the entire shipment would be rejected and the supplier would be called. Sunwind could then either replace the entire shipment ot come to Torslanda to check the rejected shipments and replace the defective parts. Rejected parts were either scrapped or sent back to the supplier at the supplier’s expense. The fault would be officially notified and the next shipment would be subjected to 100% inspection. The interface points are at various stages in the part procurement process. Continuous communication between supplier and vendor enables updation of records on both ends and real time flow of information. The 4 week periodical order placement can help Sunwind plan its production such that they complete production just in time for shipment and the shipment occurs just in time for assembly at Volvo. Shipping is done through Volvo’s own transport system. Knowledge of the production schedules of Volvo in advance will enable Sunwind to request transport and containers in advance so that they arrive just in time for loading. This makes for efficient operations as the production can then be planned to meet the shipment schedule. Inspection procedure is well defined and knowledge of this can help Sunwind optimize its production to avoidrejection upon shipment. Rejection of shipments can be costly and they run the risk of not being able to meet the just in time production schedule. 9) How KANBAN, facilitator of JIT inventory Design be used for Sunwind operations? Show few sample calculations. Ans) In order to avoid the stock outs or overproduction Kanban can be used as a facilitator of JIT system. According to Kanban system, there is a card which contains the requirement or the supply of units written on it. Once if the card reaches the supplier depending on the requirements the desired date the supplier manufactures or prepare the goods and then they will be put in the same box with the card in place. The same process is done when the units reach the ordered company it will crosscheck the number of units in the box with the required in the card, once it matches it will then proceed to the operations. The best use of this comes when the manufacturing process has lots of operations involved in it with different batch sizes and cycle time and lead time. For example if we take Sunwind it has 8 operations with different batch sizes hence by using this it can send the Kanban cards at will according to the lead time to the respective suppliers and they can receive the desired goods right on time and can verify it also accordingly. The basic formulae to calculate the number of Kanban cards is Kanban quantity = Daily Demand x Lead time (in days) x Safety factor Container quantity Here the daily demand can be calculated as we know that the demand per week is 1250 and there are 5 working days per week thus the daily demand is 250 units The lead time here as it is not mentioned clearly anywhere in the case we have taken the sentence† the production is planned two weeks before†. Using that we can get the lead time as 2 weeks i. e. 14 days (including working and non-working days) Safety factor: we are taking a standard 10%(assumption) hence the whole quantity is multiplied by 1. 1 Container quantity is given in the case as 20 units Hence Kanban quantity = 250*14*1. 1 = 192. 5 20 Thus using this estimate this will give us a forecast of how many Kanban cards are in place for the JIT beforehand and would make the process efficient enough. 1) Repeat Q10 for Volvo’s Kalmar and Ghent plants. Write only short discussion and detailed calculation and diagram is not expected as in Q10. Ans) The distance plays a major role when it comes to Kalmar and Ghent plants as for us to make a JIT delivery of 4 times a day, the transportation including all logistics plays the deciding factor. Similarly if we look into th is case the distances are shown below Save to Kalmar 179. 82 Miles or 289. 39 KM (Source : http://www. mapcrow. info) Save to Ghent 1284 KM (source : Google Maps) For both the plants if we see there is no feasibility to do the JIT supply 4 times a day as the distance is so large that the transportation becomes a problem and even though if pains are taken and the things are meeting the deadline, the efficiency decreases as this will in no way an add on for the current existing process in terms of the ROI ( Return on Investment ). Q 5 ) Draw the process flow diagram of Sunwind operations. Perform capacity analysis Sunwind’s operations. Is the capacity at plant sufficient to meet the requirement (Demand and any other) of all VOLVO plants? How would you interpret the capacity calculations? (Consider a batch size and process time information in Exhibit 8). What is the Manufacturing Lead time? Do you think it is right or a long MLT in line with JIT requirement? If it is short or long, what is cause of such short/Long MLT? Ans. Operation 2- Painting Cycle time: 1. 15 min Operation 34-batterns, riveting inserting studs Cycle time: 6. 85 min mins Operation 1-Shaping plywood panel Cycle time-2. 8 min Raw material (plywood) Operation 7- Attaching metal and carpet fixtures Cycle Time: 2. 2 min Operation 6-Gluing Carpet Cycle Time: 4. 25 min Operation 5-Mounting hinges Cycle Time: 0. 95 min Operation 8-Assembly of left and right units Operation 3 is the bottleneck with maximum cycle time of 6. 85 mins. So it becomes the cycle time for the entire process. The working time for a personnel/week = 40. 7 hours. So, effective working hours/day= 8. 14 hours. Therefore, total no. of units produced/ day=8. 14*60/6. 85= 71 units. ( considering 100 % capacity utilisation) So at 100 % utilization,output/week= 71*5= 355 units/ week Monthly production= 1420 units. Starting from January 1985 Volvo’s maximum demand per month till July was 1115 units. So Sunwind was able to meet the demand . In August 1985 when demand of Volvo’s three plants surmounted to 4000 units / month Sunwind was unable to supply the required quantity. In 1986 when the forecasted demand of Volve stands 1387 units/ week present capacity of Sunwind ( 355 units/ week) is not sufficient to meet the demand . Direct labor content ( parts fabrication + operations 1-9 ) =18. 8+25. 2+5. 15= 49. 15 mins/ shirt (excluding set up time) If we consider batch sizes of 500 (operation 6 has the minimum batch size of 500) the changed cycle time for each operation are as follows: Operation 4 with zero set up time still remains the bottle neck time and hence the cycle time. So the batch size does not influence the process cycle time. To meet the average forecasted demand of 1400 units/week in 1986 the cycle time of the entire process should be 1. 4 min assuming the plant operates at 80 % efficiency level. Since different operations have different WIPs( according to batches as shown below): Manufacturing lead time is given by MLT= WIP * Cycle time At current plant capacity, considering lids are produced in batches of 500 MLT= (2500+1500+1000+1500+500+500)* 6. 85 = 51375 mins =856. 25 hrs= 21 weeks (considering working hours of 40. 7 /week as bottleneck operation is run in 1 shift only) The lead time is very high and the primary cause for this is large lot size used for production. A high MLT cannot go hand in hand with JIT production. The JIT philosophy is timely delivery of customer order . To meet the delivery deadline for a JIT e need to start the production as soon as the order is booked. For this we need to maintain a minimum Manufacturing Lead Time as products are produced in batches. Q 7) Should Lars Olav were to design a JIT programme at Sunwind, what should be its elements? Give details about the current status and future requirement of few essential ingredients of JIT/Lean elements requiring improvement/change in Sunwind. Please suggest/show your improved/chan ged version of the Sunwind operations process to meet the requirement (Demand and any other) to all Volvo plants. Hint: You may like to meet the new demand (1987 forecast) by balancing the capacity of Sunwind operations. Ans. The elements of a JIT programme would be as follows: 1) Make to order strategy and not make to stock. This will reduce over production which not only creates excessive lead times and inventory but also makes it difficult to detect defects. 2) Reduction of inventory level so as to identify quality issues more promptly and effectively thereby correcting at source instead of creating rejections at end. ) Setting a plant layout such that the distance between adjacent workstation is minimum. This will reduce material handling cost and time. Excessive movement of products can at times cause damage and deterioration of product quality. 4) Manufacturing lead time to be minimum so as to reduce waiting time for starting production when an order is booked. 5) Close ties with supplier making sure they are located in close geographic proximity in order to promote strong partnerships and better synchronise product flows. Current status and requirements for adopting JIT in Sunwind: 1) High raw material and WIP inventory level. High batch sizes don’t allow problems to surface immediately. This hinders quality check at source. Few of the quality control procedures were followed in practice. Processes were not monitored formally. Defects were inspected by customers after delivery instead of identification in-house. Defective materials were rejected by eliminating the problem but no summary statements were available in Sunwind concerning the rejects. Sun Wind needs to reduce its inventory level and present MLT so as to identify defects at source thereby reducing cost as rejection rate comes down. 2) Presently in Sun wind due to extended delivery lead time of some items (eg. Carpeting) the purchasing department uses a 3-6 months planning horizon. On the contrary the production planning department focuses on first four weeks of delivery schedule which unnecessarily increases the inventory level. As a result raw material inventory unnecessarily goes up. Sun Wind should ask it supplier to reduce this lead time as it is planning to go for JIT. The benefits of a successful JIT can only be realized if your inventory levels are low. Considering suppliers as partners in venture can build long term profitable relationship wherein there is a win-win situation for everyone. 3) Sun Wind is presently operating in moderate batches which is giving a very high Manufacturing lead time which is not acceptable for a JIT . To meet the increased demand for Volvo Sunwind needs to improve its cycle time as well as reduce its MLT by reducing batch size. Only operation 6 has a significant set up time which has to be reduced for going to JIT by enacting machine controls or preparing for changeovers while a job currently in production is still being processed. 4) In Sunwind the workstation load at different operations is not uniform. The cycle time at different processes vary considerably. As a result there is inventory pile up at workstations with high cycle time. Capacity planning and line balancing are to be used to meet the changed requirement of Volvo plant in 1987. In 1987, Volvo needs 65000 units of 700 series 5-door station wagons. To meet this demand Sunwind needs to produce =65000/52= 1250 units/week. At current capacity Sunwind can only produce 350 units/week. To meet the demand Sunwind needs to produce=1250/5=250 units/day. We propose change in number of workers and number of shifts to meet the required demand(considering Save plant of Sunwind alone will be producing for all Volvo plants) as shown below. Present Situation Proposed Capacity Planning and line balancing to meet new requirement In this changed line balancing the bottleneck operation is Operation 6 with a cycle time of 2. 83 mins. Since operation 6 has got maximum set up time and Sunwind is producing 32 combinations of part/color/carpet, we assume Japanese concept of heijunka for a JIT, a batch of 32 each wherein all the varieties will be there per batch. Assuming a reduced set up time of 15 mins /batch for JIT achieved by machine control , we get a cycle time of 2. 83+0. 47= 3. 3 mins. Since this operation is run for two shifts the daily production will be = 2*8*60/3. 3= 290 units/day. Operation 7 which has a lower cycle time becomes the bottle neck as the process is run for 1 shift only. No of units produced /day = 8*60/1. 3=262 units. Hence we can say the actual bottleneck is operation 7 with a cycle time of 1. 83 mins which run for single shift. Hence this becomes the cycle time for the entire batch process. To meet this requirement 3 additional workers at Sun wind’s Save factory are needed as per changed capacity planning. In this scenario of JIT an operational efficiency of above 95 % will be need ed to meet the demand requirement of 250 units/day or 1250 units/week (assuming 5 days week) If each batch of JIT is 32 units, in that case per day no of batches produced will be =250/32=7. Hence a JIT will shorten the Manufacturing lead time thereby reducing the inventory level and lumpy requirements on different workstations. This will help identify defects immediately and strengthen quality control measures and help achieve higher efficiency. MLT for JIT= WIP* Cycle time = 32*6*1. 83=351. 4 mins=5. 86 hours. Q 10 Assuming that Sunwind is now ready for JIT delivery (hope so, based on your Q1 to 9 analysis and suggested improvement), how to synchronize the delivery of product 4 times a day to Volvo’s Torslanda Plant? For this you may require the one day demand of Torsdland plant) Ans. The actual demand of 5 door model 700 for Volvo’s Torslanda Plant is 1985 is 17050. The total demand for Volvo isn 1985 is 33665. So Torslanda plant produced around 51 % of total Volvoâ €™s production. Considering the same percentage production of total Volvo’s requirement, by using the overall forecasted demand of Volvo plant in 1986, Torslanda plant will require to produce =51% of 62400= 31824 units annually. Hence per week demand is calculated to be=31824/52= 612 units. Since Sunwind runs 5 days a week, daily production requirement will be=612/5= 122 units. Considering new Capacity planning and line balancing for Sunwind as in Q7, our cycle time is 1. 83 mins ( bottleneck process 7 running for single shift). As the bottleneck operation is for single shift, in order to synchronise the delivery of products 4 times a day to Volvo’s Torslanda plant we need to have an MLT which will be atleast= 8*60/4= 120 mins. Considering the previously arrived cycle time of 1. 83 mins in Q7 There will be WIP of equal size at 6 different work stations (Operation 1 to 7) where processing will be done in batches. Hence maximum batch size that can be allowed so as to make a just in time delivery of new order booked 4 times a day =120/(6*1. 83)=11 Lot sizes of 11 units if produced in JIT system can enable us to deliver products 4 times a day, if the product criteria and combination is known beforehand.

riding the rails essays

riding the rails essays The Depression caused hard times for everybody, but I think it was especially difficult for men since they were the ones responsible for making the money for food and things for the families. This forced many of them to leave their homes in search of work, most just rode the railroads in search of work. These men were dubbed the name "Hobos". One story that I read was about a guy named Henry Koczar, from East Chicago. He was 19 years old when he left his family. Being part of a big family mad it hard on his parents to put food on the table every day. Especially because his father was now suffering from stomach ulcers and to top it off out of work. Henry wanted only for his family to have it a little bit easier and felt he was old enough now to start working on his own. So in September of 1932 he took off on a train in hopes of lightening the burden on his family. Now not all of the hobos were out of high school and ready for work. Some of them were just kids when they started life on their own. The ones I'm going to talk about were only 11, 12 and 13 years old! Berkeley Hacket was one of those kids that didn't enjoy school too much. One day he just ran away on his way there. The year was 1929, he was 13 years old. Dials and Emmy, I think, were smart. They kept each other company along the way. The two left their Seattle home in 1929. When they reached Auborn Yards it was near 2:00, shortly after they began their eight hour haul over the Cascade Mountains. Emma was 11 and Dials was 12. Claude Franklin simply said his lust to wander was all it took for him to run away. Leslie E. Pauls had kind of an ironically coincidental situation, he happened to be the son and step-son of railroad men. He keeps vivid memories of his Duluth home, sittin' back in the summer time on the porch he grew up on. That was when he left, in the summer, it was 1933 and he had just graduated from high school ...

Determining If a Number Is Prime

Determining If a Number Is Prime A prime number is a numeral that is greater than 1 and cannot be divided evenly by any other number except 1 and itself. If a number can be divided evenly by any other number not counting itself and 1, it is not prime and is referred to as a composite number. Factors vs. Multiples When working with prime numbers, students should know the difference between factors and multiples. These two terms are easily confused, but factors are numbers that can be divided evenly into the given number, while multiples are the results of multiplying that number by another. Additionally, prime numbers are whole numbers that must be greater than one, and as a result, zero and one are not considered prime numbers, nor is any number less than zero; the number two is the first prime number, as it can only be divided by itself and the number 1. Using Factorization Using a process called factorization, mathematicians can quickly determine whether a number is prime. To use factorization, you need to know that a factor is any number that can be multiplied by another number to get the same result. For instance, the prime factors of the number 10 are 2 and 5 because these whole numbers can be multiplied by one another to equal 10. However, 1 and 10 are also considered factors of 10 because they can be multiplied by one another to equal 10. This is expressed in the prime factors of 10 as 5 and 2 since both 1 and 10 are not prime numbers. An easy way for students to use factorization to determine if a number is prime is by giving them concrete counting items like beans, buttons, or coins. They can use these to divide objects into ever-smaller groups. For example, they could divide 10 marbles into two groups of five or five groups of two. Using a Calculator After using the concrete method as described in the previous section, students can use calculators and the concept of divisibility to determine whether a number is prime. Have students take a calculator and key in the number to determine whether it is prime. The number should divide into a whole number. For example, take the number 57. Have students divide the number by 2. They will see that the quotient is 27.5, which is not an even number. Now have them divide 57 by 3. They will see that this quotient is a whole number: 19. So, 19 and 3 are factors of 57, which is, then, not a prime number. Other Methods Another way to find if a number is prime is by using a factorization tree, where students determine the common factors  of multiple numbers. For instance, if a student is factoring the number 30, she could begin with 10 x 3 or 15 x 2. In each case, she continues to factor- 10 (2 x 5) and 15 (3 x 5). The end result will yield the same prime factors: 2, 3 and 5 because 5 x 3 x 2 30, as does 2 x 3 x 5. Simple division with pencil and paper can also be a good method for teaching young learners how to determine prime numbers. First, divide the number by two, then by three, four, and five if none of those factors yields a whole number. This method is useful to help someone just starting out to understand what makes a number prime.

Paradoxical Nature Of Organizational Culture, As Incorporating Essay

Paradoxical Nature Of Organizational Culture, As Incorporating Elements Of Both Stability And Change - Essay Example These paradoxes, according to popular opinion are a consequence of socially constructed management discourses, whereby concepts such as change and flexibility, centralization and decentralization, flexibility and control etc., tend to co-exist, and at times, encouraged and perceived as inevitable elements for organizational success. For the purpose of this study, the predominant and widely recognized organizational paradox of change and stability, will be discussed at length. Change and flexibility, with regard to organizational environment, are perceived as two of the most inherent and crucial tools of achieving organizational growth and success. Companies, all over the world, constantly use these elements to drive their organizations towards growth and ensure long-term sustainability in the marketplace, particularly in situations whereby the external environment is characterized by strong competition or when the companies are caught in the midst of a crisis. This paper aims to disc uss the paradoxical nature of organizational culture, with regard to incorporating the widely popular albeit highly contradictory elements of change and stability. ... , managers today, encourage continuous innovation, improvement and change within organizations in order to address the challenges posed by the economic environment. The management is faced with the persistent challenge of adapting to the continuous innovations taking place in the external environment and devise and implement appropriate change management policies within their organizations, accordingly. It is on account of this very reason that various authors and researchers have concluded that change takes precedence over stability in contemporary corporate environment (Daft, 2010). It is a widely established fact that in order to survive in this highly dynamic corporate environment, the firms are required to include elements of innovation, flexibility as well as change from time to time. However, at the same time, they are also required to ensure stability and reliability (Farjoun 2010). The existence of this duality of change and stability, is one of the most widely popular and e ssential paradoxes in the field of organizational management (March & Simon, 1958; Thompson, 1967; Weick, 1979) which has received widespread attention and recognition in the field of management research, over the years (Farjoun, 2010; Gupta, Smith & Shalley, 2006; Leana & Barry, 2000; Lok, 2006; Nelson & Winter: 1982; Schultze & Stabell, 2004; Smith & Lewis, 2011). Literature review There is a high level of awareness within the field of management, regarding the existence of paradoxes ultimately leading to a rise in complexity and ambiguity (Farson, 1996; Handy, 1994; O’Connor, 1995). Most of these terms are widely popular and predominant in changing organizations wherein change is given crucial significance (Lewis, 2000). Van de Ven and Poole (1988), hence, making the concept of

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Case Study Example The government wanted to establish a knowledge-based economy and technology-oriented, efficient and well-equipped libraries were one of the main pre-requisites for building such an economy. The advance in information search technologies was rendering the old libraries defunct, thus the call to upgrade them to meet the present and emerging needs of library users. The change was massive in that there was an overhaul of the entire management style from hierarchical to team-based approach. The culture of the library was also changed. From strategic standpoint, the change was aimed at increasing the competitiveness of public libraries by making it customer-centric, which would be equated to profit maximization in for-profit organization. The Singapore library system’s â€Å"customer† is the general public, which includes students, people with small business enterprises and individuals of various ethnic backgrounds. The â€Å"product† offered by the library include books and other collections that facilitate learning and promote cultural heritage. Initially, service delivery was through queuing for services and there was a lot of inefficiency. In order to reduce the lines for services, a self-service system was implemented in which self-checkout machines were used. Unlike the traditional libraries, the change ensure that Singaporeans accessed the libraries anytime and from anywhere by making available electronic information to users, which they could remotely access. The traditional service delivery remained unchanged. This is because the aim was to use technology to improve rather than replace traditional service delivery system. The retention of the traditional service delivery system was not a change failure, but an intentional move by the NLB. The major components of the change effort included the government, the community, the management and the entire staff of public libraries. The government provided financial support required for the

Charles Dickens Exposes the Dangers and Horrors of Victorian London in

Charles Dickens Exposes the Dangers and Horrors of Victorian London in Oliver Twist All of Charles Dickens novels are set in the period he wrote them in and contain certain points of social and political beliefs that he highlighted with the desire to change his audience's views, on mainly the poor, but also all those that were treated unjustly because of laws and stereotypes. 'Oliver Twist' is the story of a young orphan who is the illegitimate son of two good people. It shows the attempts of a collection of villainous characters to break his hereditary kind-heartedness and innocence. This is to benefit them through his considerable, unknown inheritance that they have found out about. However, behind the story Dickens hides messages raising the issues of the terrible conditions of the workhouses and the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, the abuse and exploitation of children, poverty, crime, inequality, prejudice towards different religions and nationalities and ignorance to the existence of some physical disabilities and mental illnesses. The poor law act was a typical example of a whig-benthamite reformation legislation of the Victorian period. That is to say it follows Bentham's theory of segregation. It gained general parliamentary support and was passed with considerably less consideration and discussions as was normal when new laws are proposed. It ensured that conditions in the workhouses were as vile and uncomfortable as possible so that only the truly destitute would even consider submitting. It also implied that the poor were only in that state because they were lethargic and were therefore named the 'undeserving poor' w... ...angry as he is enraged by his crime. As his terror leads him to his rage he strikes out on the disfigured body. That description tells us that his emotions are out of his control. His temper is unrestrained and he is liable to act in a way that relieves his anxiety. With people like Sykes in London it is worrying to think what may happen. After studying 'Oliver Twist' the reader gains understanding of the true horrors that exist in Victorian London. They discover key facts about the behaviour of the underworld inhabitants through Dickens techniques such as similes, pathos, adjectives, and choice of words. These techniques helped in showing the reader why life was so horrific in that time by building up images so the reader can almost see and smell and use other sense to understand the world that Dickens lived in.

Historical Development Of The ECCE Sector In Ireland Essay

As part of this assignment I will write about the historical developments of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) sector in Ireland, History of ECCE provision in Ireland Pre-school education did not really exist in Ireland apart from a few exceptions until the 1980s and 1990s. This was largely due to the fact that until quite recently the majority of Irish women did not work outside the home. Even if they did the childcare was usually provided by family members or childminders located in the community known to the family. Irish policy discouraged women from working outside the home. The ‘marriage bar’ meant that women working in the public service had to leave their jobs as soon as they go married and become stay at home mothers and wives. This ban was lifted in 1957 for primary school teachers, but it was 1973 before the ban was lifted for other women in the public service. Until resent years in Ireland, very few mothers worked outside the home. Therefore , there was little focus on pre-school education in Ireland until the late 1980s and 1990s Most of the progress in the area of pre-school education in Ireland has come from the privet rather than public sector. Outside the state –funded primary school system, investment in pre-school provision was traditionally targeted to support children in need of specific interventions, including educational disadvantage and children with special needs. The ECEC needs of babies, young children and their families were met instead by a broad range of community, voluntary and private enterprise. ECCE service provision was unregulated until 1997. When the Child Care (Pre-School) Regulations 2006 came into effect, no stipulation was made regarding qualifications necessary to deliver such service, especially those provided by community and  voluntary sector relied heavily on volunteer staff. Even in the private sector, salaries were low and conditions of employment poor. Opportunities for employment in state-funded services were very limited excluding primary teachers in infant classes and similarly characterised by low status and low wage. Working in childcare was not generally viewed as a desirable choice. One important initiative came from the public sector in 1969, with the opening of a state –run pre-school in Ruthland Street Dublin. The Department of Education worked with Van Leer Foundation – an organisation that promotes the early education of children living in  economically disadvantaged areas. Together they set up the pre-school in Ruthland Street as a template for other such pre-schools around the country. These pre-schools were known as Early Start pre-schools. A total of 40 pre-schools opened nationally – all of which are still open today. The aim of these pre-schools is to combat the effects of economic and social disadvantage on educational achievement. This is archived by giving children a good start to their education. In 1992 Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This helped to bring public consciousness the rights of children. And in 2000, the Department of Health and Children published the National Children’s Strategy. This set out ten-years plan for improvement of children’s lives in Ireland . The strategy document stated that its vision was for: An Ireland where children are respected young citizens with valued contribution to make and a voice of their own , where all children are cherished and supported by family and the wider society; where they enjoy a fulfilling childhood and realise their potential. (DoHC 2000 10 ). One of the goals of the National Children’s Strategy is that children will receive quality  supports and services to promote all aspects of their development (DoHC 2000:30) The strategy aims to fulfil this by providing quality childcare services and family – friendly employment measures. National Forum on Early Childhood Education (1998) The National Forum on Early Childhood Education was established in 1998 by then Minister for Education and Science, Micheal Martin. The forum brought together organisations and individuals with an interest in early childhood education , and in this way it created a ‘think thank’ from which a number of very worthwhile initiatives came one being the White Paper  on Early Childhood Education , Ready to Learn (DES 1999 ). National Voluntary Childcare Collaborative (1999) The National Voluntary Childcare Collaborative (NVCC) was first established in 1999 which today comprises of seven national non – government agencies dedicated to the promotion of ECEC in Ireland. While the organisations involved are non-governmental, the NVCC can receive government funding. The seven organisations involved in the NVCC are Barnardos Childminding Ireland Children in Hospital Ireland Forbairt Naionrai Teo Early Childhood Ireland Irish Steiner Kindergarten Association. St Nicholas Montessori Society of Ireland White Paper on Early Childhood Education, Ready to Learn (1999) The purpose of this White Paper was to set out government policy on all issues relating to early childhood education. Quality of provision was the key theme of the White Paper. It recognised that while there was much quality provision in the ECCE sector, there was also a need to standardise provision. These findings led directly to the Child Care Pre- School Regulations (DoHC 2006) Siolta (CECDE 2006) and Aister (NCCA2009). All three of these initiatives are concerned with standardisation and quality of provision. Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (2002) The Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE) was established by Dublin Institute of Technology and St Patricks College, Drumcondra . It was launched by the Minister for Education and Science in 2002. CECDE aimed to achieve the goals set out in Ready to Learn (1999) . The organisation was disbanded in 2008, when it was seen by government to have achieved everything it was set up to do. Among other things, CECDE produced Irelands first quality framework entitled Siolta . The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (2006). Child Care (Pre-School) Regulations 2006 Child Care (Pre-School Services) (no2) Regulations 2006 was produced by the Department of Health and Children. This document set out pre-school regulations and put statutory basis ECEC services provision in Ireland. The regulations clearly list all the requirements that must be met by organisations or individuals providing ECCE services to children aged 0-6. The regulations cover such issues as first aid, management, staff –child ratios, behaviour management, fire safety measures, premises and facilities, heating, ventilation, lighting, facilities for rest and play. Fulfilment of the requirement of these regulations undoubtedly put much work and expense on ECEC providers , particularly those providing services from premises that were not purpose built. However many people believe these regulations have done more than any other initiative for the improvement of ECEC services for children. This is because they are on a statutory footing and they enforced by HSE inspectors. Siolta The Department of Education and skills published Siolta The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education in 2006. The Siolta framework was developed by CECDE in a  process that took over three years and involved 50 different organisations representing childcare workers , teachers , parents , policymakers and researchers. Siolta aims to define , assess and support the improvement of quality across all aspects of practice in ECEC settings that cater for children aged 0-6. Settings covered by Siolta include full- and part-time day care, childminding services and sessional services e. g. Montessori classrooms and infant classes in primary schools. The inclusion of infant classes in primary schools represented a new departure for ECEC in Ireland. Up until the publication of Siolta (and Aistear in 2009) , pre-school and primary school children were treated very differently. It is now understood that children aged 0-6 require a developmental-based (as opposed to subject based) curriculum regardless of whether the child is in pre-school or primary school. Since December 2008 after CECDE was disbanded, the Early Years Education Policy Unit in the Department of Education and Skills has been responsible for the implementation of Siolta. Aistear (2009) Up until recent years, the curriculum followed by pre-school settings was largely undirected and unregulated. This has inevitably resulted in variation in the quality of the curriculum provided by settings. In 1999, the NCCA published the Primary School Curriculum, which did direct and regulate the curriculum followed in infant class. However, in 2004 the OECD conducted its Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy in Ireland. This review found that education provided in infant classes in primary schools in Ireland was too directive and formal (OECD 2004:58). In 2009, the NCCA published Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. The ultimate aim of Aistear is the development of the whole child. This is in contrast with the  previous Primary School Curriculum, which was more subject based. Infant classes in primary schools must now follow the Aistear curriculum. This is a huge departure for ECEC in Ireland. For years, Scandinavian countries have been using curriculum similar to Aistear and it is now understood that introducing children to formal, direct education at too young an age is counterproductive and can suppress children’s natural enthusiasm and curiosity for learning. American educator John Holt (1923-85) devoted much of his time researching this topic. It is important to note that Aistear is inspected in primary school settings only. It is not  inspected in pre-school settings , which may have reduced its impact. Free Pre-School Year Programme In 2010, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs introduced the Free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education Programme. Before this, it was only children in disadvantaged areas who could avail of free or subsided pre-school education. The Free Pre- School Year Programme recognises that all children benefit from quality pre-school education. The programme recognises that because pre-school education in Ireland usually comes from private providers, it is expensive and therefore not available to all children, e.g. parents not working outside the home. Under the programme, pre-school providers are paid per child enrolled . The provider must meet certain criteria before entering the scheme, e. g. staff qualifications. This has had the effect of incentivising providers to meet criteria, which in turn has increased the quality of provision. ECEC Services Currently Available in Ireland The types of ECEC services currently available in Ireland can be organised under these headings : Sessional services, which provide ECEC services for a set period of time during the day e. g. 9am 1pm. Full –time services which provide ECEC services throughout the day Part-time services which provide ECEC services for a total of more than 3. 5 hours and less than 5 hours a day . It may include a sessional pre-school service for pre-school children not attending the part-time day care services. Up to 80% of services in Ireland, whether sessional or full time, are owned and operated by the private sector. All registered services regardless of who operates or funds them must comply with the Child Care Pre-School Regulations 2006 and they must follow the Siolta and Aister frameworks. Sessional Services Playgroups  Playgroups operate in a range of settings and are usually open approximately three hours per day. Children usually attend playgroups from the age of two-and-a-half until they go to primary school. Some playgroups are privately owned. Community playgroups are primarily funded by government and run by community members. Many community playgroups are staffed by individuals on government employment schemes like Community Employment Scheme (CE). These staff members are encouraged to undertake further education and training. Montessori Schools Usually, Montessori pre-schools are privately owned and they operate for approximately  three hours per day. Some Montessori schools run two sessions’ morning and afternoon, with children attending one session per day. Montessori pre-schools are run according to the principles and educational methods of Maria Montessori. While Montessori pre-schools in Ireland do follow the Aistear framework, they also learn via the Montessori curriculum and practical materials. Naionrai Naionrai are pre-schools run through the medium of the Irish language. They are supported by an organisation called Forbairt Naionrai Teoranta and there are almost 200 of them nationwide. Naionrai also follow the Aistear framework, of which there is an Irish language version. Children between the ages of 3-5 attend for approximately three hours. Early Start The Early Start Programme is a one –year preventative interaction scheme offered in selected pre-schools in designated disadvantaged areas. The objective of the pre-school programme which is managed by the Department of Education and Skills is to tackle educational disadvantaged by targeting children who are at risk of not reaching their potential within the school system. The Early Start Pre-School Programme was introduced in 1994 in eight pilot  schools in disadvantaged areas. It expanded the following year to 40 schools and now caters for over 1,650 children in Ireland. Most Schools are located in the Dublin area, with 26 schools there. There are six in Cork, three in Limerick. There is one in each Galway, Waterford, Bray, Dundalk and Drogheda. Early Start implements the Aistear framework in effort to enhance the overall development of young children and to prevent school failure by trying to counteract the effects of social disadvantages. Pre-schools for Traveller Children Up to recently funding was provided for a number of pre-schools that catered for specifically Traveller children who might not otherwise have been able to avail of a pre-school year. However, since the introduction of the Free Pre-School Year Programme in 2010, all children can avail of one year’s free pre-school, so there is no longer separated provision for Traveller children. Pre-Schools for Children with Special Needs Local Health Officers and/or voluntary bodies provide services for young children with severe or profound disabilities. Services are provided in specialised centres around the country and are generally run by clinical director and staffed by nurses with an intellectual  disability qualification, ECEC trained teachers and often therapists. While pre-school children in Ireland do not have a specific right to education, they are entitled to certain health services that are related to education. The Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible for providing psychological services and speech and language therapy services for pre-school children with disabilities who are assessed as needing these services. Assessments of children under 5 are carried out under the ‘assessment of need ‘provisions of the Disability Act 2005. The Visiting Teachers Service of the Department of Education and Skills (DES) provides a service to young children with visual and /or hearing impairment, from the age of 2. There are a small number of pre-school class units for children with autistic spectrum disorder. These unites are sometimes attached to primary schools. There are also a number of ABA schools in Ireland. These schools cater for children with autism by using a specific method of teaching called Applied Behavioural Analysis. Parent and Toddler Groups These are informal groups where babies and toddlers go with their parents to meet other  babies, toddlers and parents. They are aimed at providing play and socialisation opportunities for children and normally take place in settings such as community centres or parents homes. Parent and Toddler groups are supported by Early Childhood Ireland. Full-Time Services Creches, Day Care Centres and Nurseries These terms are used to describe services offering full-time care and education for babies and children. Services are usually provided for children aged 6 months to school going age. Childcare regulations state that the adult-baby ratio must not exceed 1:3 this ratio increases to  1:5 for babies over 12 months. Because of this many settings will not accept children less than 12 months. Many facilities also offer afterschool care and/or homework clubs for primary school children. This means that creches, day care centres and nurseries now cater for children aged 6 months to 12 years. While most full-time services are privately owned and funded by parental fees, a small number are government funded, i. e. community creches. Some large employers and also many of the larger colleges and universities provide creche facilities at subsidised rates for their staff and students. These usually operate a long day (8am-6pm) to facilitate working parents. Some city creches open as early as 6am. Family Day Care/ Childminding This is the most common form of ECEC service in Ireland. According to Childminding Ireland (2012) approximately 70% of children in out of home settings are cared for in this way. It is estimated that there 37,900 childminders working in Ireland today. (National Childcare Strategy 2006) Childminders who care for three or fewer children are exempt from the Childcare (Pre-School). Regulations 2006 however they are encouraged to register  voluntarily with their local Childminder Advisory Officer (CMO) , whose name and contact details are available through the local City/ County Childcare Committee (CCC) Under the Childcare Act 1991 , childminders caring for more than three pre-school children are required to register with the HSE . However many not do so. All childminders whether registered or not are encouraged to follow the National Guidelines for Childminders, which were published by the Minister for Children in 2006 and updated in 2008. Recent government initiatives had tried to regulate their services. These initiatives have tried to  regulate this area by offering a number of different incentives to childminders who register their services. These incentives include training by CCCs; financial support like childminding development grant 1000 euro and capital grants 75,000, and tax exemptions childminders can earn up to 15,000 per year tax free. If childminders register, they are included on the CCC list of registered providers. This can be a useful way of advertising childminding services, since many new parents look to the list of registered providers when investigating childcare options. Occupations within the Childcare Sector Nursery nurses. These practitioners provide care for children in day or residential nurseries, children’s homes, maternity unites and similar establishments. Related job titles include creche assistant and nursery nurse. Playgroup leaders These practitioners deliver and facilitate play opportunities for children in a age range of formal and informal settings, including play groups, play schemes, free play locations and after-school activities. Related job titles include play leader and playgroup assistant. Educational /Special Needs Assistants These practitioners assist teachers or relieve them of a variety of non-teaching duties. Job titles include classroom helper, education care officer, non-teaching assistant , school helper and special needs assistant. Childcare manager/supervisor These practitioners ensure that the care and education of the children is being maintained at all times. They take care of any issues that arise and they are in direct contact with parents. They are responsible for the day-to-day running of the childcare facility. This role requires childcare qualifications well experienced in the area. The role also requires excellent interpersonal and organisation skills and the ability to manage a team of employees. Montessori teacher These practitioners ensure efficient day-to-day running of a Montessori education setting. They follow Montessori guidelines regarding the education of young children. They present different exercises to children using the Montessori materials and they practise observation on a regular basis. Other childcare and related occupations There are many other childcare practitioners who perform a variety of domestic activities in the day-to-day care of children. They supervise and participate in children’s play, educational and other activities. Related job titles include childminder, nanny and au pair  City/County Childcare Committees (CCC’s) There are 33 City/County Childcare Committees that were established in 2001 to encourage and facilitate the development of childcare locally. They provide information and advice on setting up your own business in the childcare sector, training courses for people interested in working in the childcare sector and useful information for parents about local childcare facilities. In Budget 2006, the Irish government announced the establishment of the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), which succeeded the previous earlier Equal  Opportunities Childcare Programme. City/County Childcare Committees are open to members of public who wish to apply for grant assistance and support information under the National Childcare Investment Programme. Public Health Nurse The public Health Nurse is employed by the HSE. Their role is to serve the community with a range of healthcare services; they are also registered general nurses. They are based within the community and will cover certain local areas. They may visit schools. They may visit the elderly people who require help to dress a wound. They also visit newborn babies and their  mothers within six-week period of them being discharged from hospital. Public Health Nurses engage in regular contact with GPs, hospitals and other healthcare providers about a patient in their care. This will ensure that other healthcare providers have up to date knowledge so they can ensure best practice. Special Need’s Assistants Special Needs Assistants (SNA’s) are employed to facilitate learners with a disability related to education. SNA’s may work in a special or mainstream school either on a part or full-time basic. They take on a non-teaching role and are always under the supervision of the class  teacher. An SNA may help a child to get on and off buses. They may also help with feeding and toileting. SNA’s are required to have an appropriate qualification to work as a special needs assistant. Primary Teachers Primary teachers are qualified are qualified to teach the primary school curriculum to children aged 4-12. Primary school teachers have a number of important roles. They ensure the social and academic development of the children in their care. They plan and deliver lessons within the primary school curriculum and they have regular interaction with parents and guardians. Educational Psychologists. The role of educational psychologist is to assess the needs of children and young people who have problems relating to behaviour, learning and/or social /emotional development. This may be done by observing and/or interviewing the child. The appropriate methods of helping the child will be established e. g. different therapies, counselling or learning support programmes. Educational psychologists work in many different settings, within schools, the HSE, private practices and third –level institutions. Family Support Workers The Family Support Worker Service offers practical and emotional support to families if it is  required. The aim of this service is to ensure where possible that children remain with their families. This service also offers home-based support to families for a certain number of hours per week. The support service includes parenting skills, information on diet, nutrition and healthcare, budgeting and family finance, and confidence and personal development. If the family support worker has concerns regarding the family, they will report this information to a social worker. Social Workers The Social Worker in childcare services can work in four main areas: child protection, child  placement, child and adolescent psychiatry, and family support. Social workers often work with families and individuals that require support with a number of problems such as emotional, social, psychiatric and behavioural. They may also work with individuals and their families on a regular basis regarding issues such as child abuse and domestic violence. Childcare Organisations and Non-governmental Agencies Barnardos Barnardos children’s charity delivers a variety of services and work in close proximity with children and their families depending on their specific needs. The aim is to promote family learning and development and, therefore, to enhance the families overall wellbeing. Barnardos strives to give children positive childhood experiences. If a child’s learning and development, and his or her emotional wellbeing is successfully and measurably improved through our work. Then the child’s ability to benefit from life opportunities and manage life challenges will be improved and therefore, the path of his or her life will be changed for the better. Barnardos aims to improve government laws, policies and procedure across all areas that affect children’s lives. They do this to ensure that the knowledge and experience they gain through working with children and their families in areas such as education and health is heard at government level. They also engage in regular political meetings with government and opposition parties and relevant policy makers. There are a number of ways in which people can learn about the work of Barnardos. Internet, posters, media interviews and articles. Barnardos offers services across three stages of child development : Children aged 0-5 (‘best start’) Children aged 6-12 ‘(best chance’) Children and young people aged 13-18 (‘best choice’). Barnardos may work with a child’s family in order for the child to experience a happy family life with good relationships with parents and siblings. This work include: Providing group sessions with parents and children to practise skills such as listening and problem solving skills. Providing help and advice to parents in different areas like challenging behaviour. Engaging with children of different ages on reverent and often sensitive issues e. g. a family affected by alcohol misuse Providing a guardian ad litem: a person who is qualified and experienced in working with  children that are involved in family law proceedings. This service gives children involved an independent voice in court. This person can speak on behalf of the child and explain what their particular wishes are. The guardian ad litem works in conjunction with the child’s family at all times. Providing an origin tracing service, this is especially for people who spent some or all of their childhood growing up in an Irish industrial school. This confidential service provides them with the necessary assistance in finding information relating to their relatives. Staffs who deliver this service are highly trained. Providing a confidential post adoption service for adults such as a helpline or e-mail service for birth family and adoptive family members. A mediation service is available for people who were adopted and have come in contact with birth relatives and want to begin correspondence. There are training and support meetings for parents who have adopted children from various countries outside of Ireland. The service may also be useful for adoptive parents to discuss any questions they may have about their adult adoptive child seeking birth relatives. Barnardos provide a range of parenting programmes and talks. These are designed for parents  of children of every age 0-18. These programmes can offer support to parents in managing their child’s needs and understanding their child. Topics will be selected to address the needs of parents and their child’s stage of development. Teen parent programmes are another important part of the work Barnardos do. In these programmes, Barnardos works in careful collaboration with teenage parents both male and female, together with their children to assist them with advice on financial /educational support. Services Provided to the Community Barnardos works with children in disadvantaged areas. They provide many services,  including the following. Early Years/Tus Maith Service These are programmes suitable for children aged 0-5. The main principle is to support children and to manage transition into primary school. This programme works using the HeighScope approach, where children have direct experiences based on their own interests and ideas, along with a programme called REDI programme (research –based, developmentally informed) Friendship group Barnardos realise the importance of children having friends particularly friends of their own age . Therefore; they offer a friendship group which facilitates children in learning the  necessary skills to establish genuine and meaningful relationships. These friendship groups are typically suited for children aged 6-9 . Each group is made up of six children and two staff who meet every week for two hours over the period of a week. Vetting service Barnardos provides a vetting service that assists in the processing of Garda vetting applications for a number of groups/organisations that are not directly registered with the Garda Vetting Unit. This is at the request of and in collaboration with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) Wizard of Words. Barnardos provides a service known as Wizard of Words (WoW). The programme is a paired literacy improvement programme. It is suitable for children in first and second class in primary school. The programme is delivers one-to-one tuition with older volunteers during school time and on the school premises. The trained volunteers who are typically 55 and over meet with children who have been nominated by the teacher, three times a week during school hours. The volunteers provide reading supports in the implementing of the programme, monitors progress and ensures that the programme is run effectively. WoW is  currently hosted in eight schools in Dublin and Limerick. Training and consultancy Barnardos offers training to childcare professionals, parents and all people that work in the childcare area. The training given is within the important context of Siolta , the National Quality Framework . Bereavement counselling Barnardos has bereavement counselling service for children and young people who have lost someone close to them. They try and help them through the grieving process and give them the opportunity to talk. Counsellors are based in Cork and Dublin, but work with children from across the country. Childminding Ireland Childminding Ireland aims to promote quality childminding as a benefit form of non-parental care for children of all ages, from infancy to school –age. Childminding Ireland explains that childminders are dedicated to offering constant care in small, home like settings in which children are most comfortable. Childminding Ireland, as the National Association, is committed to promoting the development of quality in family –based care for children by providing a range of services for childminders, promoting Siolta quality standards, development of local childminding networks (www. childmindingireland.ie). Childminding Ireland has a number of objectives in relation to childcare. They aim to : Promote high-quality ECEC standards for children and ensure that all their development needs are met Support and advise childminders and parents in the area of ECEC Maintain a code of standards for family-based care for children Encourage the recognition of childminding as a positive care facility for young children. Childminding Ireland strives to ensure that their knowledge is heard at government level; they have direct contact with the Minister for Children and the officials who design policies that are direct.