Parents
Do you want to know the difference between a crèche and a preschool? Maybe you have heard about Aistear and want to know what it is? Or you want to know how can I find summer childcare for my school aged child? For all of these answers and more please see our FAQ!
F.A.Q.
1. What is the difference between a childminder and a nanny?
A Childminder is a self-employed person who cares for children in their own home, whereas a nanny is employed by the family and works in the family home. Only childminders who care for four or more children may be eligible to register with Tusla, and are required to adhere to the Early Years Services Regulations. Email us for a copy of the childminder list: [email protected] .
2. What is the difference between a crèche and preschool?
A creche provides full day childcare services, usually for children from babies or toddlers upwards, and throughout the calendar year. Preschools usually operate on a sessional basis, according to the academic calendar and are closed during the school holidays. Usually both types of service offer the ECCE scheme. More information on early years service can be found on the Choosing Childcare Page.
3. What approach to learning is used in Early Childhood Services?
There a number of different curricula which are being used in the county at present. These include a play based curriculum, Montessori, steiner, and high-scope. All early years services are required to use the Aistear early childhood curriculum framework to support the learning and development of children within the service. More information about this is available here.
4. How can I find a childcare place for my child?
The childcare directory will allow you to search for childcare options in your local area. You can find out about their availability by contacting the early years service directly, and arranging to visit. You may find the Barnardos guide to childcare helpful for aspects to consider.
5. Am I entitled to money off my childcare fees?
You may be entitled to subsidies from the cost of your childcare fees if your child attends a Tusla registered childcare service. For more information on the relevant funding schemes and subsidy rates please see our Parents Funding Scheme page.
6. My child is in primary school – where can I find alternative childcare for the school holidays?
You can use our Childcare Directory to search for services who provide school aged childcare. You might also like to consider local activity camps which may be of interest to your child.
7. My child has a disability; how can I support his/her inclusion in preschool?
If your child has a diagnosed disability, or they may require additional help to support their inclusion in the ECCE preschool scheme, it might be appropriate to consider AIM – the access and inclusion model. This involves a joint application by the parents and childcare provider, in order to access a suite of targeted supports. More information about AIM is available here.
8. What kind of regulations and inspections are in place for early years services?
Early Childhood Care and Education services are governed by the Child Care Act 1991(Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. These regulations cover aspects of the service such as staffing and management, the health, welfare and development of the child, adult to child ratios, provision of food and drink, health and safety, the physical premises, etc.
Tusla, the child and family agency, are responsible for the inspection of registered early years services. The inspections are carried out without notice, and reports are published online. They can be accessed via the Tusla website.
The Department of Education and Skills (DES) also carry out education-focused inspections to services who are delivering the ECCE Preschool Programme. These announced inspections evaluate the nature, range and appropriateness of the educational provision for children participating in ECCE. A limited number of reports are available online.
9. What kind of regulations and inspections are in place for School age childcare services?
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/
