From September 2010 the CCS scheme will contain the following provisions.

Band A: The subvention rate will be maintained at €100 (full daycare with pro-rata reductions).  Parents will continue to qualify for a Band A subvention, where they are in receipt of a social welfare payment.  From September 2010, parents will also qualify for the Band A rate where they are in receipt of Family Income Supplement (FIS).   The subvention paid to a service in the case of a child referred by the Health Service Executive (HSE) will be increased to the Band A rate (this applies only where the HSE pays the balance of the childcare fee required by the service). 
Band A: Parents in receipt of Job Seeker’s Benefit/Assistance will qualify for subvented childcare on a part-time basis (i.e. not more than 5 hours of childcare per day). 

Band B:  A subvention rate of €50 (previously €45) will apply to low income working parents, for example parents holding medical or GP visit cards.  Parents verified by the OMCYA as Band A in the previous year’s return, but who would no longer be eligible for subvention, may also attract subvention at this rate. 

Band C: Negotiations are underway with the relevant Departments, to provide ring-fenced free childcare places in participating services for qualifying parents attending FAS or VEC courses.  It is hoped to finalise this proposal in the coming months subject to further discussions with the relevant Departments. 

Additional features to the CCS:

• Sessional places provided for exactly 3 hours 30 minutes per day will attract the sessional rate of subvention rather than the part-time rate.  This aligns the scheme with the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No. 2) Regulations 2006.  Places of at least 3 hours 31 minutes, but no more than 5 hours duration, will continue to be counted as part-time places.
   
• No additional payment will be provided to services where children being cared for are aged less than 1 year.
   
• A minimum grant will continue to be provided in the case of services on the islands or in isolated rural locations.
   
• The transitional funding arrangements allowed for the interim CCSS will cease with the commencement of the CCS on 1 September 2010.
   
• The CCS will be aligned with the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme.  Both will operate on an annual basis from September to August each year and services wishing to apply for entry to the CCS and the ECCE will be required to make an annual return to the OMCYA in September of each year.

As the deadline (29 January) for children entering the January term has passed, in the case of :-

(a) New eligible children entering the ECCE scheme for next term

(b) Children transferring from one provider to another

(c) Where a child has increased their level of service in the same service (ie gone from 3 days to 4 days),

Please ask that a Parent Declaration form and the Transfer form are completed and returned to Childcare Directorate no later than the 5^th March for the April term.

March

• By the end of March, the Office of the Minister for Children (OMCYA) will issue Information Packs to all notified pre-school services inviting them to apply for the ECCE scheme in September 2010. Existing CCSS services will also be invited to apply for the CCS/ECCE schemes as part of this process.  
• Direct entry to the CCS/ECCE is available to services in the CCSS. Services not in the CCSS can apply to enter the CCS by going through the usual procedure i.e. apply to their County Childcare Committee. 
• Services already in the ECCE scheme will be required to confirm that the qualifications of relevant staff are unchanged.  Where this is not confirmed, they must provide copies of the new staff qualifications held.  They must also confirm that their bank details are unchanged or provide details of the changes.  A current tax clearance certificate must be provided. The HSE will be asked to confirm where the status of any service has changed for the purpose of allowing entry to the scheme(s).    
• New ECCE applicants must provide evidence of staff qualifications, bank details and a current tax clearance certificate, as these will not be on record.  The County Childcare Committee will  request the HSE to confirm the service’s level of compliance with the Child Care Regulations for the purposes of the scheme.  Pobal will continue to manage any additional documentary or reporting requirements in relation to the CCS.

April

• The closing date for services to return ECCE/CCS applications to the City/County Childcare Committees will be 30 April. 

 May

• The OMCYA will issue contracts to services for signature and return.  Services will receive an ECCE only contract or a CCS/ECCE contract as appropriate.  The contracts will apply for 1 year with a roll-over clause for a 2nd year

June

• An Information Leaflet for parents of children qualifying in September 2010 will be issued by the OMCYA.  
• Services take enrolments for the 2010-2011 preschool year

 July

• Information Packs re September 2010 ECCE/CCS electronic returns will be issued by OMCYA to all participating services.  

 September

• Services disseminate and ask parents to complete and return parent declaration forms the first week in September.
• Reference week for services to complete ECCE/CCS electronic returns is expected to be 6th/10th September.

October

• Services should advise parents who wish to enroll their children for the scheme in January 2011 to complete a parent declaration form for return to OMCYA, no later than 12 November 2010. (e.g. children transferring from one service to another or a new child to the state who were not included in the September return) 

To assist pre-school services with all of these developments, a measured, incremental approach will be required during the initial implementation phase, Phase I, from January 2010 to August 2012.  This will be followed in September 2012 by Phase II when more stringent requirements regarding the level of qualifications held by staff in ECCE services, the standard of implementation of Síolta, and compliance for the purposes of Regulation 5, will be appropriate.

 Phase I:  January 2010 – September 2012

Phase I from January 2010 to September 2012, will be an introductory period for all new requirements.  Pre-School Services Inspectors, the City and County Childcare Committees and those involved in Síolta, are asked to support pre-school service providers in becoming familiar with and competent in the new requirements during this period.  An incremental approach accepting the need for a lead-in time is required.  Standards for compliance will be increased from September 2012. 

The OMCYA will support this process in a number of ways.  Information on the interaction of Síolta, Aistear and Regulation 5 will be co-ordinated by the OMCYA, working with the HSE, and disseminated to pre-school services in a cohesive way, through the Pre-School Services Inspectorate, the City and County Childcare Committees and those involved with Siolta. 

The Early Education Policy Unit (EYEPU) of the Department of Education and Science, which is part of the OMCYA, will play a key role in producing clear information on how early years learning programmes are accommodated within the frameworks of Síolta and Aistear.  The Childcare Directorate of the OMCYA will work with the City and County Childcare Committees and the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations involved in implementing Síolta to deliver a series of information and training workshop at county level, over the course of this period. 

 Pre-School services participating in the ECCE scheme during Phase I will be contracted initially for January to August 2010, followed by a September 2010 to August 2012 contractual period. 

Phase II:  September 2012 – September 2014

From September 2012 to September 2014, the level of required competence and familiarity with the new requirements under the ECCE scheme, Regulation 5 and Síolta, will increase.  The minimum qualification levels required will be announced with two years notice to facilitate services to adjust to the new requirements.  The instructions in this Circular are designed to achieve a coherent implementation by all parties concerned of the requirements placed on services participating in the ECCE scheme, both regulatory and those particular to the scheme.  The overall objective of the above is to ensure that children’s experience of early childhood care and education is the best possible.

 Capital Funding

A new capital funding stream for essential refurbishment works is due to be re-introduced in 2011 and expected to be implemented by this Office of the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs on an on-going basis.

This section contains the most up-to-date information in relation to payments under the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme (ECCE).  You should check this section first if you have any queries, as it may help to clarify matters for you. 

The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is, between Friday 8^th and Monday 11^th, putting in train the payment process for the advance payment in respect of the ECCE Scheme.  This is an advance payment to cover the first six weeks of the pre-school term, based on the number of ECCE children as originally estimated by each service.  The balance of the payment, which will cover the remainder of the term, and will take account of the actual number of ECCE children enrolled in each service, will be made in February, after the returns supplied by services have been received and verified. 

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT it will take a number of days before the payment is electronically transferred to your account.  A test run has indicated that it can take up to five working days in the case of some banks. 

IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT we have initiated the payment process in respect of those facilities who have entered into a final contract with the OMCYA and who have provided bank account details.   Payment will be made to the remaining facilities (fewer than 10%) when and if the contract process is completed.  

Some providers have not yet provided bank details to this Office.  Over the last few weeks, OMCYA staff have been contacting providers requesting that these details be submitted, and we will continue to do this.  If you are contacted by OMCYA staff regarding these details, please reply as soon as possible in order that your payment can be made.  Details should be sent to the following address: 

Childcare Directorate
Contracts Section
Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
Hawkins House
Dublin 2  

Alternatively, you can submit the details by e-mail to: childcare_mail@health.irlgov.ie,  using the text ‘Creche Details’ in the subject line.

For further information visit the OMCYA website.

This will result in the following deadlines moving:

18-22 January – Reference Week

18-29 Janaury – Services make their electronic returns

20 January  – Parents are asked to complete their declaration forms and return them to services by this date at the latest

21 January – Services with vacancies are asked, if at all possible, to make their returns by this date so the OMCYA can inform CCCs of where there are vacancies

Services which have not been in a position to open due to the current weather will not be penalised.
These arrangements will not affect the payment of the first interim 6-week payment

For further information visit the OMCYA website

The free Pre-School Year Scheme in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) starts in January 2010.  The scheme is being introduced by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA), with the local work being done by the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs).Kilkenny County Childcare Committee welcomes the scheme as it is a significant step in the development of early childhood care and education and the entitlement is for all eligible children regardless of the income of the family in the year prior to the start of primary school.

 Eligible children entering the scheme in January are those born between the 2^nd February 2005 and 30^th June 2006. 

It will be compulsory for childcare services in the scheme to have qualified childcare staff (with a minimum FETAC level 5 qualification in Childcare). The services will be expected to comply with the requirements of the new National Quality Framework for Early Education (Siolta) This should provide an assurance to parents that a quality service is being delivered and that their child will enjoy positive learning experiences which will match their interests and stage of development. 

Commenting on the scheme Gretta Murphy Co-ordinator of Kilkenny County Childcare Committee stated that almost all of Early Education and Childcare Services in Kilkenny will be participating on the scheme and there are enough places for eligible children, so parents should be able to access places. 

The following provides information for parents on the eligibility and the steps required to register children for the free-pre-school year.  

What is the ECCE scheme?

This is a new government scheme which funds a free Pre-School place  in a qualifying service where there will be appropriate programme-based activities for the child in the year before they start primary school

How do I know if my child is eligible for the ECCE scheme? 

If your child was born: 

Between 2^nd February 2005 & 30^th June 2006

-          You are eligible for a free place from January 2010 to June/August 2010 

Between 1^st of March 2006 & 30^th June 2007

-          You are eligible for a free place from September 2010 

Exceptions will be allowed in either of the following situations: 

1. Where children have been assessed by the HSE as having special needs which will delay their entry to school. For this parents will need to write to the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA) with a copy of the HSE assessment or that of a consultant. 
2. If due to the enrolment policy of the local primary school the children would be starting school at an older age. For this parents will need a letter from the Principal of the local national school specifying their entry age policy

 How do I get a place?

• Contact Kilkenny County Childcare Committee for a list of Services in the County they can also offer information and advice on choosing services
• Make contact with some of the Services  – check if they  have a place available
• Arrange to view the services to help decide which service is most suitable and to help with your decision.

What if my child is not eligible for a place?

Your child may be too young to be eligible for a place in which case you must wait until September but in some cases you may still be able to reduce your childcare costs through the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme if your child attends a community childcare service – contact Kilkenny County Childcare Committee to check this out.

What will my child’s pre-school place cost me?

If your child is eligible for the scheme then you are entitled to a pre-school session of 3 hours per day, 5 days per week, 38 weeks per year, for which you will not be charged anything. 

Some full and part time services will provide your child with their pre-school session 2 hrs 15 minutes per session, 5 days per week across 50 weeks, for which you will not be charged anything. 

Some pre-school services may offer the scheme 3 hours 45 minutes per day, 4 days per week, 41 weeks per year, for which you will not be charged anything. 

You will have to talk to your chosen childcare provider to see what service they offer. 

Are there any other costs to me?

If you need full or part time care for your pre-school child then you will be charged for the additional hours that you need. 

A service may offer you some additional services for example additional services include extra hours, meals, special outings, special classes etc. these are optional to you and you will have to pay for them. 

If you don’t want the additional activities for your child, the childcare service must provide an appropriate alternative activity for your child. 

How will I know if it’s a quality service?

•  A good quality Childcare/Early Childhood Care and Education service will provide ongoing positive experiences for children by supporting them in their own interests and natural sense of wonder and their desire for independence.
• It will be notified to the Pre School Inspection Team in the HSE and is compliant with the Child Care (Pre-school) regulations 2006
• It will have appropriately qualified staff to work with the children
• The service will work with you in partnership so that together you can support your child’s learning and development.
• It will use play as a key way in which to help your child learn and develop.

If you have any queries about this scheme or would like to discuss it further contact Kilkenny County Childcare Committee by phone on 056 7752865  or email at  info@kkcc.ie.

Further information on the ECCE scheme can also be found on our website at www.kkccc.ie

 Information for Childcare Providers

For information regarding general terms and conditions of participation in the ECCE scheme click here

Further information on the ECCE scheme can be accessed from the Office of the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs website

The Early Childhood Curriculum  Framework

 Aistear is the new early childhood curriculum framework for children from birth to six years in Ireland.

It provides information to help practitioners to plan for and provide enjoyable and appropriately challenging learning experiences that will allow all children grow and develop as competent and confident learners. Aistear describes the types of learning experiences that are important for children in early childhood, and offers lots of practical ideas and suggestions. Examples of how this learning might be nurtured are also given.

Aistear has two parts:  

Part 1 sets out 12 principles. Many of these are similar to the principles in the Primary School Curriculum with some additions, for example a principle on learning through play. Part 1 also describes the content of children’s learning using four themes rather than subjects and curriculum areas. These themes are:

 - Well Being  
    This theme is about children being confident, happy and healthy 

 - Identity & Belonging  
    This theme is about children developing a positive sense of who they are, and feeling that they are valued and respected as part of a family and community 

 - Communicating  
     This theme is about children sharing their experiences, thoughts, ideas and feelings with others with growing confidence and competence, in a variety of ways and for a variety of purposes 

 - Exploring & Thinking  
    This theme is about children making sense of the things, places and people in their world. They do this by interacting with others, playing, investigating, questioning and forming, testing and refining ideas

Each theme connects with most, if not all, of the subjects in the Primary School Curriculum. Through the themes, Aistear focuses on developing children’s dispositions and skills, nurturing attitudes and values and building knowledge and understanding of the world.

 
Part2 of Aistear consists of four sets of guidelines. These focus on:

 - Enriching learning through interactions     

 - Learning through play     

 - Using assessment to support learning       

 - Working with parents

Alongside recent developments such as the ECCE scheme and the development of a Workforce Development Plan for the Early Childhood Care and Education Sector, the launch of Aistear marks an exciting time in early childhood education in Ireland.

 Aistear is now available on the NCCA website at www.ncca.ie/earlylearning and will be available on CD-ROM from
mid-November 2009.

Content derived from NCCA Newsletter, September 2009

For these reasons it is important that the information contained within our system is up to date and accurate. In order to ensure that this is the case, we request the submission of information by each childcare service in the county annually.  

KKCCC request the submission of a Childcare Service Profile Form by each childcare service in the county. This form which is available to downlaod below, should be completed and returned to Kilkenny County Childcare Committee on or before Friday 27^th November 2009.

This form can be returned by post to Kilkenny County Childcare Committee, 2nd Floor Desart House, Lower New Street, Kilkenny or by email to juliekkccc@gmail.com

We understand that childcare services have been busy over the last few months, particularly in relation to completion of documentation for the new ECCE scheme so we thank you in advance for your co-operation on this matter.

If you have any queries or require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me on 056-7752865 Ext 4

Download Childcare Service Profile Form here Microsoft Office Excel 97-2003 format
Download Childcare Service Profile Form here Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet

To help support childcare practitioners and students in relation to this, KKCCC have produced a Training Paths in Early Childhood Care & Education brochure. This summarises the progression routes within Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE)  Training & provides an outline of the core knowledge areas within ECCE. Drawing on the National Framework of Qualifications, The Model Framework for Education, Training & Professional Development in the Early Childhood Care & Education Sector and background discussion documents published in support of the national consultation process towards a Workforce Development Plan, it provides students with an overview of the various stages of professional development in ECCE and offers a guide to potential career opportunites within the sector.

To obtain a free copy of this brochure contact Julieann on 056-7752865 Ext 4 or by email at juliekkccc@gmail.com. Alternatively you can download this document below.

Training Paths in Early Childhood Care & Education

The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs are currently collating and analysing feedback received during the national consultation process carried out over the last few months and the Workforce Development Plan will be developed based on the outcomes of this process. Copies of the consultation documents are available to download below.

Kilkenny County Childcare Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who contributed to this consultation at local level. 

  Developing the Workforce in the ECCE Sector – Consultation Doc

Developing the Workforce in the ECCE Sector – Background Discussion Paper