The ECCE is a new scheme designed to give children access to a free Pre-school year of appropriate programme based activities in the year before they start primary school
The introduction of the free pre-school year is a major development in the area of early childhood care and education. As a universal scheme, it is hoped that all children will be able to benefit from a preschool place in this highly important developmental year before they commence national school.
Child Eligibility
Children will be eligible if they are aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months in September. A child can become 3 years 3 months in the course of September and still qualify for entry that year (as well as a child becoming 4 years and 7 months between 2nd and 30th September). This means that the scheme is open to children who, on the 1st September are at least 1 day older than 3 years and 2 months and at least 1 day younger than 4 years 7 months.
Children, therefore, that are born between 2nd February 2005 and 30th June 2006 may enter the scheme in it’s initial year begining the 1st January 2010
Service Eligibility
All voluntary and commercial pre-school services have been invited to participate in the scheme.
For the full list of General Terms and Conditions governing participation in the scheme click here
Capitation Rates
Services participating in the scheme will be paid a capitation fee for each eligible child enrolled. Applicants can choose to participate in the scheme on the basis of a 38 week year running from September to June or over 50 weeks running from September to August.
The 38 week model will require provision of 3 hours per day for five days a week and, in return, the service will receive a weekly capitation fee of €64.50 per child.
The 50 week model will require provision of 2 hours 15 mins per day for five days a week and, in return, the service will receive a weekly capitation fee of €48.50 per child.
In some cases, where for good reason, a sessional preschool service cannot operate for 5 days a week ,consideration may be given to allow it to participate on the basis of providing 3 hours 30 mins per day, four days a week over 41 weeks.
A higher rate of capitation will be provided to sessional services operating under the 38 week and 41 week options where (a) all the preschool leaders have a childcare / early years educational qualification at FETAC Level 7 or 8 (i.e Degree Level) and 3 years experience working in the preschool sector, and (b) all the preschool assistants have the qualifications required for a preschool leader under the general provisions of the scheme.
This higher rate amounts to a weekly capitation of €75 per child.
ECCE Scheme for 2010/2011
The deadline for submission of Electronic Returns in the ECCE and CCS schemes (Tuesday, 16th September) has passed.
It is anticipated that the ECCE verifications will be returned before that of the CCS scheme. As soon as each set of verifications are completed, services will be informed of their funding levels under each scheme, and the children who qualified for free or subvented places.
A small number of participating services did not manage to complete their electronic returns successfully. Separate arrangements will be made for the verification of entitlements in these services.
Transfers:
Due to the influx of calls regarding transfers the following procedure should be followed:
As a once-off for the September term, transfers sent to Nuala Coleman in Childcare Directorate (see address below) will be accepted up to Friday 1st October 2010 for children who have transferred this month. This includes post opened on Monday morning 4th October. This is a strict deadline. Any transfer forms received after this date will not be amended for the September term but will be treated as being a January transfer.
These transfers will only be accepted if signed off by the first provider who is willing to forego the remainder of the 1st term payment e.g. child transferred after 2 weeks the 1st provider paid for only 2 weeks.
The transfer form should be accompanied with a copy of the child’s birth certificate and proof of PPSN.
Please note that the finish dates from the first provider and the start date of the second provider should not overlap. As payments are made by weeks the start date of a transfer should be a Monday. Also be aware that children may not transfer from a 38 week option to a 50 week option.
If a child has been entered on the electronic returns in two facilities e.g. duplicates please let us know if they are now being sent in on a transfer form.
New Entrants:
For any child who is entering the ECCE scheme for the first time, providers should use the New Entrant form which is on the website www.omcya.ie under ECCE and CCS Schemes Annual Returns 2010-2011 under ECCE only and New Entrant Form.
The form must be sent back to Nuala Coleman accompanied with a copy of the child’s birth certificate and proof of PPSN.
Deferrals:
For those who wish to pull their child out of the ECCE scheme in order to re-enter next year e.g. those children born between 2 February 2007 and 30 June 2007 and with the agreement of the provider, they should complete a deferral form enclosed. These must be sent to Nuala Coleman in Childcare Directorate either before the 1st October or six weeks before any term.
For those received before the 1st October the issue of overpayments will not arise as the balancing payment will be adjusted. However an overpayment will arise if received after the balance of the first payment is made. In the case of deferrals providers should seek a refund from parents for the childcare service provided in order to refund the overpayment to this Office.
Please note that this deferral form may only be used for this year’s ECCE scheme and may not be backdated i.e. not for the Jan – Aug 2010 terms.
Correspondance re: above to:
Nuala Coleman
Childcare Directorate
Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
Hawkins House
Hawkins Street
Dublin 2
Further Information
For further information on the ECCE scheme you can visit the OMCYA website
