Aug 2011 - Social Franchise Fledglings Early Years Education launches Fledglings Brookfield. Official Opening of Fledglings Early Years at Brookfield by Minister Frances Fitzgerald, TD. The Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald TD, today officially opened Fledglings Brookfield, the second of five early years services set up by the Fledglings Early Years Education & Care social franchise. Part of An Cosán, an innovative centre of learning, leadership and social enterprise in Tallaght West, the Fledglings franchise provides affordable, high quality early years education to disadvantaged areas. The five services now have a combined capacity of 170 new child places, with the creation of 42 jobs in Tallaght West.

Fledglings Early Years Education and Care was set up by Dara Hogan in 2008 in response to the significant shortage of high quality early childhood education places in disadvantaged areas such as Tallaght West.  It was developed as a not-for-profit social franchise to support and mentor early years educators to set up their own affordable services.  Fledglings uses the highly-acclaimed HighScope approach to early education.

Research by the HighScope Foundation shows that children who benefit from early years education have much better outcomes in terms of educational attainment and personal development in later life. Dara has received several innovation awards for his work and is a 2010 Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Awardee. Dara plans to extend the Fledglings social franchise to other disadvantaged communities in Ireland. To search Franchises for sale in Ireland, please click the All Franchise Opportunities button.