HPV Vaccines
We endeavour to make our conference as relevant and practical as possible and as a consequence of noting during the year some concerns raised by parents about HPV vaccinations through the schools vaccination programme we invited Doctors Anna Clarke and Dr Brenda Corcoran of the National Immunisation office from the HSE to give a presentation on the reasons for the rollout of the HPV vaccine in schools and answer questions from parents from the floor of conference .
Workshops
In addition to the main speaking events of our conference we arranged to have four break out workshops .
One dealt with exciting new apprenticeships in finance showing the changes and apprenticeships systems in Ireland moderated by Carole McCaughey Business Development Manager of Accounting Technicians Ireland .
We had a workshop on the vexed subject of Consent a very important issue for parents in this age ; the workshop was conducted by Grainne Carr , Life and Business Coach of Consent Matters Ireland we at National Parents Council post primary received very positive feedback about this workshop .
Something that is of great relevance today but doesn ' t get very much airtime in media and to same extent not giving much time at parent associations meetings is to do with the subject of fatherhood ; Entitled The Fatherhood Experience this workshop given by Brendan Dennehy a Director of the National parents council post primary and was well attended event very much enjoyed by the participants Brendan in a lighthearted but nonetheless serious fashion on the place of DADS in modern society and modern family life
It was a thought provoking workshop and would be a subject which would occupy a complete conference in itself .
Georgina Skehan founder and owner of Effective Exam Techniques gave a Workshop on Stress management , Study and exam skills which was also very well attended .
Open Forum
The conference concluded with the Open Forum a traditional part of our conference held every year in which parents have an opportunity to put their questions to members of school management bodies ’ teacher unions and the Representatives of the Department of Education and Skills .
We had a wide ranging panel consisting of our speakers and in addition representatives of some teacher unions . The purpose of the forum is to give parents an opportunity to ask questions after having reflected on the various different talks given on the day . Besides such questions we also had a lively debate concerning the ASTI Teachers Union dispute with the Department of Education and Skills . Although we did not have representatives of the ASTI Union on the panel due to intensive discussions taking place elsewhere we did hear the views of other Teacher Unions . John McGowan who spoke on behalf of the TUI it would be fair to say was not in favour of this dispute procedure . The subject of children being used as pawns in a dispute was well aired and parents had a great opportunity to express their concerns over the present situation and also urged the National Parents Council post primary to be more active than reactive in this dispute .
Further information on the conference itself and the various different videos of conference presentations can be had by affiliated school Parent Associations contacting the national parents Council post primary .