What is the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) scheme?

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.
Participation in a pre-school programme provides children with their first formal experience of early learning, the starting point of their educational and social development outside the home. Children who avail of pre-school are more likely to be ready for school and a formal learning and social environment.

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

If your child was born: 

Between 2nd February 2007 - 30^th June 2008

-          He/She is eligible for a free place from September 2011 

Between 2nd February 2008 - 30^th June 2009

-          He/She is eligible for a free place from September 2012

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

Where can I enrol my child for the free preschool year?

There are nearly 5,000 pre-school services notified to the Health Service Executive (HSE) or registered with the Irish Montessori Educational Board (IMEB). All of these are eligible to apply to participate in the scheme. A list of those accepted under the scheme in Kilkenny City & County is available to parents from Kilkenny County Childcare Committee (056-7752865).

 How do I enrol my child for the free preschool year?

If you child is eligible for the ECCE scheme:

• Contact Kilkenny County Childcare Committee for a list of Services in the County - we can also offer information and advice on choosing services 
• Make contact with services in your area and check if there  are places available.
• Arrange to view these services to help decide which is most suitable.
• Enroll your child with your chosen service under the ECCE scheme.
• In the first or second week of September you will be given a Parent Declaration Form by your service.
• Complete and return this form to the pre-school at your earliest convenience.
• Your child will then be registered for the scheme.

How is the Pre-School Year funded?

Services participating in the scheme will be paid a capitation fee for each qualifying child enrolled. In return the service will be required to provide an appropriate programme of activities in early childhood care and education (ECCE) which will be free to parents.

How will the preschool year be provided?

Children attending a sessional preschool service will normally receive a free 3 hour session, 5 days a week over 38 weeks.

Children attending a part time or full time service will normally receive a free 2 hour 15 minute session, 5 days a week over 50 weeks.  

Other options are also available:

• Some sessional preschools may choose to open for 50 weeks in the year rather than 38, in which case they will provide daily sessions of 2 hours 15 minutes. 
• Full or part time services may choose to also provide a sessional preschool service in which case the 38 week model (as above) will apply.  
• In a situation where a sessional preschool service is unable to open 5 days a week, they can apply to provide the preschool year in the form of 3 hours 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week over 41 weeks.
• To facilitate parents whose children attend a full or part-time service for only 3 days a week, the service may provide 3 daily sessions of 3 hours 45 minutes each week over 50 weeks.

Parents are advised to discuss with their chosen service the types of ECCE provision they offer.  Parents should also discuss start & finish dates of ECCE scheme, midterm/annual holiday dates and any non-ECCE programme arrangements with their service provider in September.

Will parents have to pay additional charges to the service for the free Pre-School Year  ?

No, services which particpate in the scheme must provide the pre-school year free to parents.

A service may charge parents for additional services as long as:

• these are provided on an optional basis.
• appropriate programme based activities are provided to children not particpating in an optional activity.

For example, a service can offer an additional activity such as music, dance, outings or snacks which parents can choose to avail of for a charge. If they do not wish to avail of this activity, their child must continue to be provided with an appropriate alternative activity.  

Services can also charge for hours which are additional to the free pre-school provision.

For example, if a child is in a full-day service for 10 hours a day, a parent should expect to pay for the 7 hours, 45 minutes per day which are not covered by the scheme. An additional 30 minutes may be offered to a child in a sessional preschool which parents should expect to pay for.

Parents should discuss the fees policy of their chosen service prior to enrollment.

Where can I get further information?  

To download further information on the scheme click here

To download the ECCE Information Brochure for Parents click here
To download the ECCE Information Brochure for Parents – As Gaeilge click here

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 accessed from the Office of the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs website