What is the CETS Scheme?
The Office of the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs (OMCYA) is introducing a new childcare support scheme, the Childcare Education & Training Support (CETS) scheme, from September 2010.
The CETS scheme will support the childcare needs of participants in training and educational courses operated by FAS and Vocational Educational Committees (VECs).
The scheme is open to applications from childcare services which:
(a)provide full daycare and/or afterschool care and
(b) are participants in the Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) scheme and/or the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) scheme
Where a service is solely engaged in the provision of afterschool care for children attending primary school criteria (b) above does NOT apply
Services will be paid a capitation fee for each childcare place it is contracted for with the OMCYA. Contracted childcare places must be made available for free to FAS and VEC trainees who are eligible for free childcare support under the scheme.
The OMCYA will pay participating services for the agreed number and type of free childcare places and will advise FAS and the VECs of where these are located. Local FAS and VEC officers will then advise qualifying trainees of the location of free childcare places.
Participating services will be paid a weekly capitation fee for each place reserved at the rate of:
- €170 for a full-day service – at least 10 hours per day (to include 8am to 6pm)
- €95 for a half day service – at least 5 and a half hours per day (to include 8am to 1.30pm)
- €50 for an after school service – at least 3 hours per day (to include 2pm to 5pm)
The capitation fee will be paid for an agreed number of weeks within the September to August term.
This will vary between 43 and 51 weeks depending on the particular FAS/VEC Childcare Service provision which is agreed with the participating service provider in each case.
How do I Apply?
The Closing date for submission of applications for the first round of the CETS scheme (i.e. from Sept 2010) has now passed therefore no further 2010 applications can be accepted.
I have applied for the CETS scheme..What happens now?
Applications for the scheme have been received from a number of childcare services and these are currently being processed.
Successful services will be paid a capitation fee for each childcare place it is contracted for with the OMCYA. The service, in turn, will reserve and provide a free childcare place to eligible FAS or VEC trainees.
The amount of CETS places contracted for in any given area is dependant upon FAS/VEC training provision locally. The OMCYA are currently compiling these figures and applicants will be notified of the number and type of CETS places the OMCYA require from them by the end of July.
In order for a parent to qualify for the scheme they must be attending a FAS Training Course or an educational programme administered by a Vocational Educational Committee (VEC). Qualification for the scheme will be determined by FAS and the VECs
If you require further information on the CTES scheme you can contact KKCCC on 056-7752865 or click on the link to the OMCYA website below.
General Terms and Conditions for the scheme are available on the OMCYA website.
