Mummy/Daddy & Me

Mummy/Daddy
& Me!

As part of our service we offer new or to be mums/dads the opportunity to meet on a Saturday morning at 10 am-11 am. Whether it’s your first baby or one of many, having a new baby can be challenging – our parent & baby groups create a relaxed social and professional environment in a convenient setting to help you share, alleviate and cope with those challenges.

The weekly meetings with 5 to 10 mums, dads & babies, provides a place to learn, socialize, connect, and rejuvenate as you make the transition into motherhood/fatherhood. Being understood by other parents will enable you to be a happy parent, and this is the most important factor in the development of a happy baby.

The group is something for you and baby to look forward to, get out of the house and help avoid loneliness. It will also help when facing various challenges, such as social and emotional health, colic and reflux, sleep issues, going back to work, etc with the support & feedback from your network.

Activities

Yoga

Yoga offers many psychological benefits for children as well. A growing body of research has already shown that yoga can improve focus, memory, self-esteem, academic performance, and classroom behaviour, and can even reduce anxiety and stress in children.

Weekly Sports Days

The physical well-being of our young children is of utmost importance. Here at Welltrack Junior Academy, we have weekly sports days for our ECCE class. Sports activities help to teach the young people in our care the importance of teamwork, engaging positively, and following rules. These are skills that not only set us up for our later life interactions but also build a young persons self-esteem and confidence.

Mindfulness

This is introduced to children in a fun and creative manner. It can be implemented via art, stories, visualisation, art and discussions. Children today have a busy lifestyle and mindfulness is of grave importance especially in light of the recent COVID outbreak. This class allows the child to relax and to calm their minds, to focus and to pay attention. Which in turn enables them to understand and to express how they feel, and think and to find empathy within themselves and with others. This allows the child to become content and happy within themselves and to project this outwards in a positive manner. This will equip the child with the strength to face life challenges from now and into their adulthood. A skill that is imperative to all.

Nature

We have created an area that allows children to be at one with nature. This is both a sensory and informative area where the children will learn the different types of plants, trees, vegetables and the texture attributed to each. The children will partake in the growing of plants onsite at the creche as well as bringing home items to their families. Essentially the life cycle of the plant etc will be taught to the child in a child friendly manner with the child actively involved in each stage.

Baking

This will be taught in a weekly basis and will focus on the health and wellbeing associated with eating the correct foods. The children will be actively involved by tasting the items as per the food pyramid. This will work in conjunction with the weekly menu.

Music & Dance

Singing and dancing are fun activities for children yet have advantages for their development. By singing, children can understand language and sound. They can improve their vocabulary and communication skills. Language development is not the only benefit of music. If children have a successful musical experience they can bond emotionally and intellectually with others in a creative learning environment.

P.E

Our young ones love to get up and move throughout the day. Physical activity breaks up their time doing ‘work’ and gets the children excited to participate, and allows them to get their energy out. There are many physical, social, and emotional benefits to having children partake in consistent physical activity. A lack of physical activity in children could lead to physical health issues in the future, along with negative effects on their mental and social well-being.

Water/Sensory Play

Water play enhances children’s eye/ hand coordination and strengthens their physical skills. Water play activities also help to develop and strengthen children’s gross and fine motor skills.

Meet Our Exceptional Team

Elaine WhelanDirector

Elaine is the founder and director of The Welltrack Group, and subsequently Welltrack Junior Academy. Elaine has worked In the field of childcare for over 20 years. Her experience spans from Preschool care to residential care Inclusive of challenging behaviour & Intellectual disability to aftercare and subsequently to elder care/healthcare. She has worked In conjunction with TUSLA, HSE and HIQA and brings a wealth of experience within the division of childcare. Elaine studied counselling and psychology and Is currently studying PTSD.

Elaine provides clinical and monitoring oversight to the services.

Jack TchrakianDirector

Jack is a practicing barrister and the non-executive chairman of the Welltrack Group, a social care provider that he co-founded with Elaine Whelan in 2019. Their vision was to bring social care to a new level of quality and efficiency – from infancy, all the way through to old age and spanning all generations between – employing the best practices and technologies available to bring the process to life.

David McDonnellOperations Manager

David has worked in the social care field for the last 10 years. During this time he has become a lead runner in the field aspiring to reach the highest level of quality and care for his staff and his clients. It is this wealth of knowledge and expertise that brings David into this role ready for the challenges that the childcare sector brings.

AmeliaManager

I’m Amelia. I am an Inclusion Co-ordinator with a BA Hons Degree in Pre-primary education with special mention in pedagogy therapeutic. I have over 10 years of experience working with children from 0 to 12 years old, attending different needs. I have years of experience working with children with autism as experience in ABA, OT, and PECS.
I love my job where I can do my best to helps others. I believe that the early years are the most important period of life.
I am originally from Spain, but I’ve been living in Ireland for 6 years. I love travelling and photography. I am very friendly and motivated person.

MelodyDeputy Manager

I’m Melody,
I am an Early Years Educator with mention in Pedagogy Therapy (Level 8). I’m
originally from Alicante (Spain) but I’ve been in Ireland for the last 2 years working
with children between 10 months and 5 years old and I really enjoy spending time
with them and being able to learn and grow up all together in such an important
period of their lives.
In my spare time, I really like to do exercise, cook and paint while listening to music ,
hobbies that I try to share with the children as well.

MartaSupervisor and Room Leader

My name is Marta Albarrán and I come from Salamanca (Spain).
I am your Early Years Educator Level 9. I studied Primary School Teaching and a Master Degree in Learning Disabilities.
I have been living in Ireland since 2018 working in different set-ups and gaining experience in several roles.
In my free time I like going to the gym, swimming, hiking and traveling.
I love reading stories and doing sensory activities with the kids in my care

Miguel Room Leader

Hello!
I am an Early Years Educator (Level 9) with a bachelor’s degree in Primary Education, specialization in Physical Education. I have also completed postgraduate studies and additional courses focused on education and sports.
I am passionate about outdoor sports, reading books and playing the piano.

ElenaRoom Leader

My name is Elena, and I’ll be your little ones’ teacher. I love working with young children because every day is full of laugh, discoveries, and lots of love. For me, the most important thing at this age is that children feel safe, happy, and excited to learn through play.  Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my dog and my family. I’m really excited to share this school year with you

JavierEarly Years Practitioner

My name is Javier Gil. I am 23 years old and originally from Madrid, Spain. I am a qualified teacher in Early Childhood and Primary Education, and I am passionate about working with children and supporting their learning from the earliest stages of life.
I believe that early education plays a key role in a child’s development, and I enjoy creating a positive, safe, and fun environment where children can grow and explore.
Outside work, I love sports, especially football, which I have been playing since I was three years old. Sport has taught me the values of teamwork, dedication, and perseverance, which I bring into my teaching every day.

IsabelEarly Years Practitioner & AIM Support

Hello, my name is Isabel. I am Spanish and I am a Primary School Teacher with mention in English (Level 8). I have been working with children between 5 to 12 years old. I am excited to accompany the children during this important stage and to help make their time here happy and enriching. I love listening to music and cooking in my free time.

ElenaEarly Years Practitioner

I’m Elena, an Early Years Educator from the Basque Country, Spain. I hold a Level 9 Master’s in Active Pedagogy, and I am specialised in Montessori, Pikler and Aucouturier Psychomotricity. I am passionate about creating safe, warm and stimulating spaces where children can develop autonomy, creativity and confidence at their own pace.
I believe that play and exploration are essential in the early years, and I aim to support each child’s development through meaningful experiences and strong emotional bonds.
Since November 2024 I’ve been living in Ireland, continuing my journey as an educator. In my free time, I love walking by the sea, spending time in nature, traveling and exploring creative hobbies like drawing.

Lara Early Years Practitioner

Hi! I’m Lara, from Spain. I have a degree in Primary Education with a specialisation in Therapeutic Pedagogy. I’ve worked with children of different ages over the past few years, and I love supporting them during such an important stage of their lives.
Outside of work, I’m a camp leader and a music lover, playing the viola is one of my greatest passions. I’m excited to be part of the team and to share special moments with the children and their families.

KwantaChef

My name is Kwanta, I am from Thailand and have been living in Ireland with my family for 8 years. I have loved cooking since I was a young child and worked as a chef since
coming to Ireland. My specialty is Thai and Japanese cooking, I love preparing sushi as it gives me an opportunity to present delicious skilfully
pretty food. I am a passionate and diligent cook and take great care in preparing fresh
healthy food. In my free time I grow my own vegetables and herbs as I get great joy from growing my own organic produce which allows me to create
my own home-grown dishes. I believe food presented beautifully is more
appealing and appetising dish.