Update from the Best Crèche Team
Free Pre School Places; is your child eligible?
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme provides a free year of early childhood care and education for children of pre-school age. Children are eligible for the ECCE scheme if they are aged between 3 years 2 months and 4 years 7 months on 1 September of the year that they will be starting.
In general, children only qualify for ECCE in one school year. However, a child who has been assessed as having a disability may be able to spread their free pre-school year over 2 years.
How the scheme works
The State pays a capitation fee to participating playschools and daycare services. In return, they provide a pre-school service free of charge to all children within the qualifying age range for a set number of hours over a set period of weeks.
How the ECCE scheme is provided
To facilitate parents whose children attend a full or part-time service for only 3 days a week, such a service can opt to provide 3 daily free pre-school sessions of 3 hours 45 minutes each week over 50 weeks.
To get a place for your child, apply to a member of the Best Crèche Group. You will need to provide your child's PPS number and a copy of their birth certificate.
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme provides a free year of early childhood care and education for children of pre-school age. Children are eligible for the ECCE scheme if they are aged between 3 years 2 months and 4 years 7 months on 1 September of the year that they will be starting.
In general, children only qualify for ECCE in one school year. However, a child who has been assessed as having a disability may be able to spread their free pre-school year over 2 years.
How the scheme works
The State pays a capitation fee to participating playschools and daycare services. In return, they provide a pre-school service free of charge to all children within the qualifying age range for a set number of hours over a set period of weeks.
How the ECCE scheme is provided
- If your child attends a half-day or "sessional" service, such as Naíonra or Montessori, the normal pattern for the free pre-school year is 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, over 38 weeks. If your child attends for more than 3 hours, you will be charged for the extra time.
- If your child attends a full-time or part-time daycare service, the normal pattern for the free pre-school year is 2 hours and 15 minutes per day over 50 weeks.
- If your child attends for longer than this each day, you will be charged for the extra time.
To facilitate parents whose children attend a full or part-time service for only 3 days a week, such a service can opt to provide 3 daily free pre-school sessions of 3 hours 45 minutes each week over 50 weeks.
To get a place for your child, apply to a member of the Best Crèche Group. You will need to provide your child's PPS number and a copy of their birth certificate.
