Dublin pre-school offers free places to Ukrainian children arriving into Ireland

"No child should have to go through what they have."

In an effort to help Ukrainian families arriving in Ireland to flee the ongoing conflict, one Dublin pre-school is offering free places to young children. Footprints pre-school say that they want to make sure that young children who have already been through an unimaginable ordeal to get to Ireland, have a safe space once they arrive. The South Central Dublin pre-school posted on their social media this week:

'**** Urgent please Share to spread the word**** We are offering FREE Early Years Education to for Ukrainian children of Preschool age (2.5-5.5 years) in the Dublin 8 area regardless of eligibility for ECCE or NCS funding your placement will be FREE no fees will be charged whatsoever for the remainder of the term up to July. Please contact Racheal on racheal@footprintsearlyyears.ie or 0834899826 to avail of placement! Also any parents in any country who had to flee Ukraine please contact us and we can send you some resources for your children during this time! I urge any other Early Years service owner even if it is only one or two places to do the same to support these times going through such a devastating time.'

Founder of Footprints, Racheal Govan told HerFamily that after watching the news, she wanted to help in any way that she could;

"I have cried so many times over the weekend thinking 'what if that was the children in my setting?' I have seen images of kindergartens being bombed, and I just wanted to help in some way. The Ukrainian children are the exact same as the children we care for and educate each day. No child should ever go through what they have."

Racheal can be contacted at racheal@footprintsearlyyears.ie or 0834899826.