Current News

Speaking Up

Along with more direct activities, NAYD is actively engaged in advocating for youth drama and the youth theatre sector. NAYD staff promote youth theatre in many ways - from sitting on relevant boards and committees to representing the sector positively in all our daily professional encounters.

This April, NAYD was invited to present to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht on how local authority funding of the arts can best be coordinated to benefit disadvantaged young people. Thank you to all the members that responded to our call for information in support of the submission.

Also in April, we participated in the Arts Council's review of theatrical presentations of curriculum plays. Representing the voice of young people, the Young Critics 2012 also had the opportunity to contribute to the review when they came together in Dublin.

Child Protection Legislation Update/Garda Vetting Closing Date

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgearld T.D., published the Heads of Children First Bill 2012 on 25 April thus opening the consultation process on the draft legislation. The legislation will put Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2011) on a statutory basis and will have an impact on all organisations that work with children and young people.

It is clear from the draft Bill that organisations will have a statutory responsibility to report cases of abuse and neglect to the HSE. The HSE will publish additional guidance on reporting to sit alongside Children First.

NAYD has developed detailed Welfare and Child Protection Guidelines for Youth Theatres to assist groups in developing policies and procedures that meet the standards of Children First. We will continue to keep you updated on developments as well as providing advice and developing new resources to help youth theatres meet the requirements of the legislation.  NAYD can also provide Child Protection training on a regional basis.

To get a copy of NAYD’s guidelines or to find out more about Child Protection training, contact Katie on 01-8781301 or

Next Garda Vetting Closing Date

The next closing date for submission of garda vetting application forms by members of NAYD's Garda Vetting Consortium is 31 May. to request forms or to find out more about the Consortium.