Free Pre-school Year

The Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme (ECCE) is a new scheme announced by Government which will provide a subsidised pre-school year to children in the year before they enter Primary school. Parents need to enrol their child in the normal way at their local preschool; playgroup, Montessori, Naoinrai etc.
A list of participating services and their contact details is available for parents from our offices.

The Childcare Committee has already hosted four information sessions about the scheme, two for providers and two for parents.

The Committee will be in regular contact with all Childcare Providers to provide information and assistance when required.

Please see the explanatory leaflet attached here for further information or log on to the website of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (www.OMCYA.ie)

Access to Free Pre-school for Children with Diagnosed

Disabilities

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme makes a number of provisions to facilitate children with disabilities and special needs.

The upper age limit of 4 years 6 months is waived where children have been assessed as being developmentally delayed or where they have a physical, sensory or mental condition which will result in them starting school at a later than normal age.
Provision is also made to enable children who have been assessed as having a disability, and who would benefit from attending pre-school for 2/3 days rather than 5 days each week, to be eligible over 2 years e.g. 2 days in year 1 and 3 days in year 2.
Interested parents should register their child in a childcare service of their choice and should then write to the Childcare Directorate, OMCYA with a copy of the HSE assessment of their child or a letter from a treating consultant as evidence of developmental delay and/or disability.

In addition, where children have been assessed as having a disability which will result in them starting school at a later than normal age, the provision of a 2nd free pre-school year, on a non pro-rata basis, will be considered where this will be of particular benefit to them.

Parents of children who have availed of the pre-school year in January 2010 and have an assessed disability which will result in them starting school at a later than normal age, should apply to the Childcare Directorate in the OMCYA if they wish their child to be considered for a 2nd pre-school year in September 2010.

Applications will be considered on a case by case basis.

Some main points of the scheme:

Parents who avail of the scheme in a playschool will be entitled to a free pre-school provision of 5 weekly sessions of 3 hours per day for 38 weeks of the year. A payment of €64.50 will be made payable to the service.
Parents who avail of the scheme within a full or part-time childcare service will be entitled to 50 weeks of free preschool provision of 5 weekly sessions of 2 hours 15 mins per day. A payment of €48.50 will be made payable to the service.
Scheme will re commence in September 2010. To avail in September 2010 children must have been born between Febraury 2nd 2006 and June 30th 2007.
Childminders and preschool services who are notified to the HSE or those registered with The IMEB can apply to participate in the scheme.
The preschool year will be guided by the principles of Síolta, The National Quality Framework for Early Years.

To download a copy of the Guide for Parents to the Free Pre-school Year in early Childhood please click here

If you would like a copy of the registered services in Waterford City please click here

To download a copy of the Chinese translation of a Parents ECCE Information leaflet please click here

To download a copy of the Polish translation of a Parents ECCE Information leaflet please click here

To download a copy of the French translation of a Parents ECCE Information leaflet please click here

To download a copy of the Spanish Translation of a Parents ECCE Information leaflet Please click here

To download a copy of the Hindi translation of a Parents ECCE Information leaflet please click here

Waterford City Childcare Committee, 4b Manor Village, Cork Rd., Waterford Tel: 051 860444 | Email: info@waterfordcitychildcare.com

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The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme makes a number of provisions to facilitate children with disabilities and special needs.

The upper age limit of 4 years 6 months is waived where children have been assessed as being developmentally delayed or where they have a physical, sensory or mental condition which will result in them starting school at a later than normal age.

Provision is also made to enable children who have been assessed as having a disability, and who would benefit from attending pre-school for 2/3 days rather than 5 days each week, to be eligible over 2 years e.g. 2 days in year 1 and 3 days in year 2.

Interested parents should register their child in a childcare service of their choice and should then write to the Childcare Directorate, OMCYA with a copy of the HSE assessment of their child or a letter from a treating consultant as evidence of developmental delay and/or disability.

In addition, where children have been assessed as having a disability which will result in them starting school at a later than normal age, the provision of a 2nd free pre-school year, on a non pro-rata basis, will be considered where this will be of particular benefit to them.

Applications will be considered on a case by case basis.