Spraoi and Sonas Early Learning Centres

prides ourselves on offering high-quality, nutritious meals for kids in all of our childcare facilities

Nutrition

Here at Spraoi and Sonas Early Learning Centres, it is our policy to service nutritious, professionally prepared food. As well as training all staff in food hygiene skills and practises, we are HACCP and Safe Food certified to ensure quality and hygiene when it comes to all things food and nutrition. All of our childcare centres offer rotating menus of delicious hot meals that are curated by professional chefs. Our main meals are chosen from a menu on a 3 weekly basis and children are encouraged to try new meals to develop and expand their palette and tastes. All of our meat is 100% Irish, and our foods are sourced from reputable suppliers.

Offering a Variety of Delicious, Healthy Foods

At Spraoi and Sonas Early Learning Centres, we actively encourage children to try a range of tastes, colours, and textures within foods. Meals and Snacks are balanced to contain all the necessary food groups. We have a 3 week rotating menu which includes 15 main meal/dinner options to ensure that there is lots of variety, with water always provided.
Parents will be advised if their child is not eating properly and we will develop a plan to ensure that this is remedied in the most positive way for your child. Special dietary needs are catered for, with parents required to provide as much information as possible to the service regarding the child’s dietary needs to ensure optimum nutrition for your little one.

Children are encouraged to self-feed to help develop their independence at the earliest possible stage. Staff will sit with the children during mealtimes to encourage good manners and good eating habits.

The 14 most common allergens will be published in relation to the meals prepared by the service for consumption by the children attending.

For more information on our full range of Nutritious Meals in any of our childcare facilities, feel free to get in touch.

0818 827 856

Spraoi and Sonas Early Learning Centres FAQ

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I’m looking for childcare near me- where are you based?

Spraoi ELC and Sonas ELC are Galway childcare and Clare childcare providers for kids aged 12 months to 12 years. We span over 8 branches in Galway and Clare, which can be seen from our “find your crèche” and “contact” pages. If you’re unsure of whether we’re in your catchment area, simply get in touch.
Do you have any childcare jobs available?

Here at Spraoi & Sonas ELC, we’re always on the lookout for talented childcare professionals to join our ever-expanding team. If you’re interested in applying for a childcare job at Spraoi or Sonas ELC, visit our careers page or email us in a CV.
How much do your childcare services cost?

The price of our childcare services varies depending on the service you require. We also fulfil the government’s ECCE scheme entitling children of a certain age to free pre-school services. For more information on our pricing and funding options available to parents, get in touch with the team.
What type of curriculum do you use?

We follow an emergent play curriculum linked with Aistear our National Curriculum Framework. Every week is based on a new theme and we link in with the emergent interests of the children. It is important to emphasise that we use a learn through play approach. Each theme links in with daily activities, stories, songs and discussions in circle time.
Where are your services located?

We currently have 8 creche locations in Galway City, Clarinbridge, Tuam, Gort and Ennis.
How do we communicate with parents?

We use an application called Childpaths to communicate with our parents. We will regularly post pictures, activities, observations to this app. You can log on daily to see the sleep times, nappies and food logs from each day. Parents can also communicate with the manager and staff via the app.
What kind of activities do you provide in your baby and toddler childcare facilities?

In our baby and toddler childcare facilities, we offer a wide range of activities including arts & crafts, singing, dancing, dress-up, garden time, role play, physical play, and more. All of these activities are designed to help your little one develop a range of motor skills, communication skills, socialisation skills, and more.
How do I keep updated when my child is in day-care?

Spraoi and Sonas use the Childpaths app in our childcare facilities, allowing you to see real-time information on how your child is doing throughout the day. We also encourage parents to get in touch if they have any queries or concerns.
What age can I send my child to crèche at?

Here at Spraoi and Sonas, we accept babies from the age of six months. Our childcare centres offer facilities to cater for children from twelve months up to twelve years old.
Does my toddler have to be toilet trained to attend crèche?

No, here at Spraoi and Sonas ELC we welcome children who are not toilet trained and help to toilet train kids alongside parents own training at home.
How do I know when my child is ready to attend day-care?

This all depends and varies from child to child. If you’re unsure of whether or not your little one is ready to attend day care, feel free to contact us for a discussion. We provide honest, transparent, and reliable advice to ensure that you’re comfortable, confident, and fully informed before sending your child to our day-care facilities.
I’m looking for toddlers childcare facilities near me- where are you based?

Spraoi ELC and Sonas ELC offers Galway childcare facilities and Clare childcare facilities across 8 branches spanning over both counties. Visit our “contact” page or “find your crèche” page for more info on where we’re located.
What curriculum do you use in your pre-school?

Here at Spraoi and Sonas, we use the Aistear Siolta framework of early education with elements of the Steiner and Montessori methods of teaching. Our curriculum is carefully curated to promote learning and development through play and exploration.
How much does it cost to send a child to pre-school?

Under the Early Childhood Care & Education Scheme (ECCE), children within a certain age bracket are entitled to free pre-school education. Get in touch with the team at Spraoi ELC or Sonas ELC for more information on this.
I’m looking for a pre-school near me, where are you based?

Spraoi ELC and Sonas ELC is a Galway & Clare pre-school service with 8 branches spanning across Clare and Galway. Get in touch or visit our “find your crèche” page to find your nearest pre-school.
Do you offer hot meals in your after-school services?

Yes, absolutely. We pride ourselves on offering nutritious hot meals to each child in our after-school care services. All of our meals are prepared in-house and are available to choose from a menu that is curated by our team of HACCP and Safe Food qualified staff.
How much does after-school childcare cost?

The price of our after-school care varies depending on the services you require. Get in touch today for a free quote on our full range of after-school services or for more information on government supports available to parents availing of after-school care.
What ages do your after-school services cater for?

Our after-school services are suitable for all children in primary school, and cater to kids aged 4 to 12.
How is the starting of my child arranged?

The manager will be in contact with you prior to your start date to arrange times for settling your child. This is usually done over the first week with the time your child attends creche increasing each day. We also give the child opportunity to experience different things in the creche such as meal times, activities and sleep time.
What should I bring with me on the first day?

The manager will be in touch and arrange for you to drop off the essentials before you child’s first day. This will allow the sole focus of the first day being settling the child into the creche.
What if my child is not settled at the end of the week?

The manager and Childcare Practitioners in the room will work closely with you during the first week to work towards a successful settling period. If this needs to be extended for your child you can discuss options with the manager who will find a solution that works for everyone.
Do you have training opportunities for employees?

Yes! We pride ourselves on our extensive training programme for all employees. This includes a thorough induction process including a classroom day on key policies. Ongoing training opportunities are provided to all staff in both classroom and online settings. We also encourage and support staff who wish to seek additional training opportunities to further their career.
Do you offer work experience placements?

Yes we offer placements in all our creches. Please contact hr.spraoi@gmail.com with your CV to enquire if a place is available.
When should I pay the deposit?

In order to confirm your booking you will be asked to pay a deposit. This is refundable with 4 weeks notice at the end of your child’s time in creche.
What are your opening hours?

We are open daily Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm. We are not open bank holidays or weekends.
My child has a food allergy, what should I do?

You will notify us of any allergies in the registration process. We will then notify the kitchen and all staff working with your children. We use clear signage in the creche. All allergies are accommodated in our rotating menu and your child will enjoy a varied choice of meals within the creche.
Do parents have to supply any dinners or snacks?

Parents are asked to bring a morning and afternoon snack for their children. An example of some of the snacks are fruit, sandwiches, yoghurts etc. We follow a healthy eating policy and we are a nut free facility. Our Chef Kathryn cooks dinner and afternoon tea daily for the children on a rotating menu