CORE FUNDING READY RECKONER
The Core Funding Ready Reckoner Calculator will enable you to input data to calculate a potential monthly and annual value under the Core Funding Programme. The outputs of the calculator are based on the information you provide.
Core Funding is a supply-side payment to providers, which is designed to support quality, sustainability and enhanced public management. It has associated conditions in relation to fee control and cost transparency, incorporates funding for administration and supports the employment of graduate staff.
The Core Funding Ready Reckoner Calculator can be used at service level, room level and session level. Calculations at session level will provide a more accurate potential funding value.
To access the Core funding Ready Reckoner go to your Early Years Hive, the go to the Resources tab along the top, then access your Core Funding Ready Reckoner. The first page will give you details of how the reckoner works and at the bottom of the page press the yellow Next button
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National Childcare Scheme
The National Childcare Scheme is a pathway to truly accessible, affordable, quality childcare. From October 2019 it will replace all previous targeted childcare programmes with a single, streamlined and user-friendly Scheme to help parents meet the cost of quality childcare.
Supports are available for families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years who are attending any participating Tusla registered childcare service, including any Tusla registered childminder.
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NCS Returns Webinar Recording Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/7746682143809964552
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NCS Funding Webinar Recording Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/4913976252310689025
The NCS Training Team have developed a series of video resources for parents/applicants and these may be of help for the application process and can also be viewed on the National Childcare Scheme’s YouTube channel Here
For further information relating to the National Childcare Scheme please visit the National Childcare Scheme
A webinar giving an overview of the 2 reports launched by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth this week is now available to watch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKReJeCtKWg
Let’s Get Ready – Getting Ready to Start Primary School
NCCA Transitions Resources.
These include the Mo Scéal templates, links to transition activities and much more. Links to resources are in English here and as Gaeilge here.
Find the link to Gov.ie resources here
The National Centre for Special Education have information on supporting transitions of children with special educational needs that you might find useful to pass on to parents: the link is here
For some additional information for what to expect in Naionra click here
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ECCE Information for Providers 2021
The Free Pre-school Year in the Early Childhood Care & Education Programme (ECCE) is a universal childcare programme designed to give children access to up to 2 years free preschool education before they start primary school.
For eligibility information please see Eligibility for ECCE
For further details see Department of Children & Youth Affairs
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Fire and Planning Requirements for Early Years Services
In August Tusla issued Guidance on Fire & Planning Requirements for Early Years Services Re-Registration and Change of Circumstances Process. For further information see Fire_and_Planning_Requirements_for_Early_Years_Services_Re_Registration
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Childcare Regulations
Early Years is an overarching term that includes Preschool Services. Tusla, Child and Family Agency is responsible for inspecting preschools, play groups, day nursery, crèches, day-care, childminders and similar services which cater for children aged 0-6 years.
The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, published the Child Care Regulations (The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 on the 4th May 2016. These Regulations are effective on a phased basis from 30th June 2016. The 2016 Regulations provide for pre-school services, that is, those services catering for children under the age of 6 who are not attending primary school.
Part 12 of The Child and Family Agency Act amends the Child Care Act 1991(as inserted by section 92 of The Child and Family Agency Act) known as Part VIIA sets out the Supervision of Early Years Services.
For further information in relation to the childcare regulations see Tusla Child & Family Agency
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Focused Inspection Tool
The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 require that all early years services in Ireland are required to strive for full compliance across all early years regulations, however it is accepted that at present there are areas that require greater focus and attention. Resulting from this, the Child and Family Agency introduced a revised model of Preschool Inspection. Currently the primary scope of early years inspection will be the areas identified as requiring improvement; Governance, Welfare and Safety. Below is a link to the Tusla website where providers can access the inspection tool to make themselves familiar with what the inspectorate are looking at when performing an inspection.
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Early Years Education Focused Inspection
Early-Years Education-focused Inspections (EYEI) are carried out in early-years services participating in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme – a programme which provides a period of free early childhood care and education for children before they start school.
During these inspections, the quality of the nature, range and appropriateness of the early educational experiences for children participating in the ECCE Programme is evaluated. The main activity of an EYEI inspection is the observation, by the inspector, of the processes and practices relating to children’s learning in one or more learning rooms or areas in the early-years setting.
At the end of each inspection the early-years practitioners and the owners/managers (where available) are given feedback on the quality of educational provision in the setting. Subsequently a written report is sent to the pre-school inspected outlining the inspection findings and providing advice as to how educational provision in the setting can be further developed or improved. The inspection report is published on the Department of Education and Skills website.
For further details see Department of Children & Youth Affairs