Childhood Development Initiative

Childhood Development Initiative Every child in Ireland deserves to be thriving, healthy, happy and free from poverty, and CDI is dedicated to making this happen.

https://linktr.ee/childhooddevelopmentinitiative
CRA - 20065577 CDI is one of three sites which constitute the Prevention and Early Intervention Programme (PEIP) in Ireland, and is jointly funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) and The Atlantic Philanthropies (AP). The three sites, (CDI, Youngballymun and Preparing for Life) were set up with “the objective of testing innovat

ive ways of delivering services and early interventions for children and young people, including the wider family and community settings.” (DCYA, 2011)

CDI is based in Tallaght West and is the result of the professionalism, passion and persistence of a group of 23 concerned individuals and organisations in the community, who had a vision of a better place for children. Through innovative partnerships, they brought together the science of evidenced-based practice and rigorous evaluation, with the spirit of an approach focused on the identified needs of children and families. A partnership was agreed between Government and The Atlantic Philanthropies and the consortium’s first piece of work was a needs analysis entitled “How Are Our Kids?” (HAOK, 2004). A number of priorities were agreed based on this research, one of which was the set up and incorporation of CDI in 2007. Following this a number of programmes were designed and delivered between 2007-2011. Our programmes for Tallaght West are the Early Years Programme; Doodle Den - Literacy Programme for Senior Infant Children; Mate-Tricks - Pro-Social Behaviour Programme for 4th Class Children; Healthy Schools Programme - A Whole School Approach; Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapy; Community Safety Initiative; Safe and Healthy Place Initiative; Restorative Practice; and the Quality Enhancement Programme. All CDI programmes are evidence-informed and manualised, and are delivered through existing structures and services. CDI has a core role in promoting quality, fidelity, value for money and added value. All elements of our work are rigorously and independently evaluated and we are committed to sharing the learning and experiences from Tallaght West, in order to inform and shape future policy, practice, training and curriculum development.

03/09/2026

This Sunday: Celebrate Dolly's Legacy with Us at Priory Market
Come along and join the Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) at Priory Market from 11 am on Sunday, 6 September, for a day of fun, stories, creativity, music and community, all in support of CDI’s Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Dublin 24.

From story readings and family activities to a screening of Joyful Noise and a community country jam session, there's something for everyone.

Dolly Book Readings
Dolly Arts & Crafts
Children’s Stories
Joyful Noise Screening
Community Country Jam

Every euro raised helps CDI continue Dolly's legacy by funding Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Dublin 24, enabling us to continue gifting books to more than 5,000 children in Dublin 24.

Bring your friends and family, and help us keep the gift of reading alive.

CDI sends big thanks to Priority Market for making this day possible!

Nuacht TG4 TG4  Caoimhe Ni Laighin and cameraman Kenny came to CDI today to see behind the scenes of how we run Dolly Pa...
31/08/2026

Nuacht TG4 TG4 Caoimhe Ni Laighin and cameraman Kenny came to CDI today to see behind the scenes of how we run Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Dublin 24.

The visit gave us a wonderful opportunity to discuss getting books into children's hands from an early age.

Thanks for taking the time to visit us and Scoil Chaitlín Maude to see the impact of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library on local children and families.

Stay tuned for the feature!

31/08/2026

Start the new school year by building strong relationships with families.
The beginning of a new school year is a fresh opportunity to build positive relationships with parents and caregivers.
But meaningful parental engagement doesn’t happen by accident. It takes confidence, communication, reflection, and practical strategies.
PEAR – Parental Engagement and Relationships Training supports Early Years Professionals and Primary School staff to:
• Build stronger partnerships with parents
• Communicate confidently and effectively
• Strengthen relationships with families
• Reflect on and improve your practice
• Support better outcomes for children
Delivered online over 6 Wednesday evenings, PEAR provides practical, research-informed tools you can apply directly in your setting.

16 September – 21 October 2026
6.30pm–8.30pm
Online
€120 + Eventbrite booking fee

Find out more and book see link in bio
Places are limited.

30/08/2026

Is your child struggling to go to school? You're not alone. You will find help and support here in
our School Avoidance Toolkit.

Developed with mental health and education experts, this online resource supports children and teens experiencing school avoidance—often linked to anxiety, bullying, or isolation.

• Step-by-step guidance for parents and teachers
• Easy-to-use visual tools
• Proven strategies to re-engage students

Whether you're a parent, educator, or professional, this toolkit provides practical, research-based support to help young people reconnect with learning.

🔗 Link in to the toolkit in comments

28/08/2026

We love this film! And are so happy to say, if you are living in Kiltipper or Killinarden in Tallaght, then we can enrol you in our Preparing for Life Home Visiting programme!
Contact us: [email protected]

Virgin Media News with Richard Chambers interview at Tallaght Library today about the impact Dolly Parton's Imagination ...
26/08/2026

Virgin Media News with Richard Chambers interview at Tallaght Library today about the impact Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has on children and families in Dublin 24.

Jonathon Doyle and Marian Quinn gave an excellent account of the power of books and the Imagination Library. https://lnkd.in/ex6MFzfG

Our CEO Marian Quinn was interviewed this morning on RTÉ Morning Ireland, about how CDI runs Dolly Parton's Imagination ...
26/08/2026

Our CEO Marian Quinn was interviewed this morning on RTÉ Morning Ireland, about how CDI runs Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Tallaght.
Lovely clip here also with Dolly talking about what inspired her to set up Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
See link in comments

Book of CondolencesWe are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Dolly Parton. We have set up a Book of Condolences at Ta...
26/08/2026

Book of Condolences
We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Dolly Parton. We have set up a Book of Condolences at Tallaght Library.

Back in 2019, we launched Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Ireland for the very first time right here in Tallaght.

Since then:
• 420,000+ books delivered across Dublin 24, with more than 5,000 books delivered every month with the support of An Post.
• Thousands of children discovering the joy of reading

Dolly's legacy lives on in every book delivered and every child inspired to read.

To keep this incredible programme going, we need to raise €8000 per month so we can continue gifting books to over 5,000 children every month.

If you'd like to help us continue Dolly's legacy, please support our campaign through the iDonate link in our comments.

Address

St Mark's Family And Youth Centre, Fettercairn
Dublin
DUBLIN24

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm

Telephone

+35314940030

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