Early childhood service or childcare service is a broad term which refers to any childcare service which your child may attend including – crèche, nursery, day care, preschool, playgroup, montessori etc.
Children usually attend services on one of the following basis:
Full day – 5+ hours per day
Part time – 3.5 to 5 hours per day
Sessional – Upto 3.5 hours per day
Most Full day care services will cater for children in each of these categories, however many preschool services only operate for sessional ECCE.
School Age Childcare – Afterschool Childcare, which may also incorporate a breakfast club, school drop and/or collection services, and full day childcare outside of the school term. This can operate as a standalone service, or as part of an existing creche/preschool facility.
Childminder – A Childminder cares for a small group of children of mixed ages in the childminder’s own home. Childminders offer a flexible service, tailored to each child, thereby helping parents and guardians to balance their work and family commitments. A Childminder negotiates and agrees her/his terms with parents. You can find support in choosing a childminder Here
School Age Childcare Registration
On the 18th February 2019, the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018 came into effect. Services who cater for school age children (including childminders) must now register with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. School-age childcare services have not, to date, been subject to registration, so this is a significant step forward in ensuring quality school-age childcare.
The School Age Childcare Team in Tusla is responsible for promoting the quality, safety and appropriate care of the children by assisting in the registration of services within the sector. Applications for registration can only be made online.
For further information please visit: https://www.tusla.ie/services/family-community-support/school-age-services/
Deciding on the early years service which is right for your family is a big decision, so you should find out as much about the service as possible before enrolling your child. Ring and enquire about their vacancies, opening hours, and whether this might suit your childcare needs. Arrange to visit and meet the manager and staff members who could be working with your child or children, ask about the values of the service, and how this may fit with your approach to parenting, visit the indoor and outdoor spaces which your child will be able to access. Ask about what curriculum approach they use to learning and development in the setting, ask about the strategies they use for fostering positive interactions, and how they can support your child to settle in to the service. This guide to choosing a childcare services from Barnardos has a more in-depth section on what you might consider when selecting the early years service to suit your family.
View Barnardos Choosing Quality Childcare e-book here.
Siolta is the quality framework for early childhood care and education and outlines principles of quality, along with standards and components for their implementation in early years settings. This covers a broad array of aspects from Interactions and Play, to Parental Involvement and Curriculum. The Siolta website covers information around the framework in depth.
Aistear is the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework for children in Ireland aged birth to six years, and it is used in early years settings and primary schools. Aistear views the child as a competent and confident learner, and maps the childs learning and development through themes of communication, well-being, exploring and thinking, and identity and belonging. The Aistear website provides information and tip-sheets which can also be used by parents.
