These are the deadlines, information, and announcements for the week 8th-12th August 2022.
DEADLINES / IMPORTANT DATES:
15th August 2022
The Learner Fund Graduate Bursary will open for new graduates (Please see below)
19th August 2022
To receive the 1st payment under Core Funding contracts must be submitted by this date. (Please see below).
29th August 2022
Increase of the NCS Universal Eligibility to 15 years old.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Learner Fund Graduate Bursary
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) will re-open the Learner Fund Bursary to Early Learning and Care practitioners who are new graduates of a recognised Early Childhood Education and Care degree programme. 15th August call for applications opens and applications will close on 30th September. The County Childcare Committees (CCC) will process and appraise Learner Fund Graduate Bursary applications. Please see the application forms attached to this bulletin. Please forward completed application forms to kmurray@wesmeathchildcare.ie
Core Funding/Interim Funding
The CCC are here to assist you with your Core Funding Application. Support is offered on a one-to-one basis, either over the phone, virtually or the provider can attend the CCC offices. Please make contact if you require support, even if we cannot speak to you right away when you call a Development Worker will be back to you.
The supporting documentation for Core Funding, applicant guidelines, technical guidance and FAQ are available on the Hive under resources. There is also a checklist on the Hive to ensure you have all the information to hand before you begin the application, a copy of the checklist is attached to this week’s bulletin.
As you know the Core funding is contingent on EROs being in place for all roles across the sector as defined in the Early Year’s Service Joint Labour Committee (JLC) Establishment Order. The process to finalise the EROs remains ongoing, and the minister has acknowledged the hard work of the members of the JLC. However, it is not certain that EROs will be in place by 1st September 2022. In this event an Interim Funding Scheme will be available and operate from 1st September 2022 until such time as the ERO’s come into effect, or the 30th of September whichever is sooner.
To achieve this the Department is today publishing the Interim Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement which will be progressed only if the EROs are not in place on 1st September.
To avail of Interim Funding, Partner Services have to have completed the Core Funding application process and accepted the Core Funding Partner Services Funding Agreement. This will allow for a smooth transition from Interim Funding into Core Funding as soon as the EROs are in effect.
Please note that to receive an advance payment under whichever agreement is in effect, the funding agreement will need to be accepted by Monday 22nd August 2022. Any Partner Service which accepts the funding agreements on or before Wednesday 31st August 2022 will receive payment for the full duration of the agreement, although the payment may not issue in advance. Please see the FAQs re Interim funding attached.
Increase of the NCS Universal Eligibility to 15 years old.
From August 29th, 2022, children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years will be eligible for the Universal award. Please see www.ncs.ie for further information.
Process for checking the ECCE and CCSP Fee Lists for the programme year 2022 2023
Information was provided to services and the CCC’s last week about the checking of ECCE and CCSP Fee lists for the programme year 2022 2023. The CCC team will begin checking ECCE Fee lists that have been uploaded to hive in the coming weeks. The process is likely to take some weeks so we ask that you bear with us, and we will contact all services in the County in due course.
Please note that if you have or intend to contract for Core Funding for 2022 2023 one of the contract conditions is that the fees charged in 2021 2022 are the same as that of 2022 2023.
For those of you contracting for the CCSP Saver Programme, please send a screenshot of your CCSP Fee List to nreid@westmeathchildcare.ie. The Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) Saver Programme has moved from the PIP Portal onto the Early Years Hive for the upcoming programme year. The CCSP 2022 Programme Call will commence on Monday 15 August 2022.
New Ukrainian Resources
The First 5 website continues to update the resources under the Ukraine Response tab
The resources are intended to be of benefit to early years educators, school-age practitioners, children and families in many different circumstances across all communities. They are intended to support the well-being and inclusion of refugee children both from Ukraine and from other conflict zones.
https://first5.gov.ie/ukraine-response
Several new resources will be added between now and the 1st of Sept.
Just of note:
An additional video resource, Nurturing a Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Environment created by Mother Tongues in collaboration with Early Childhood Ireland will also to be added.
Covid case advice
ELC and SAC providers and Childminders that have positive cases and require support can contact the HSE ELC/SAC dedicated helpline on 01 511 9777. For general Covid-19 queries you can contact HSE live on 1800 700 700 or 01 240 8787 or visit the First 5 website (www.first5.gov.ie) for the most up to date information and guidance.
Should you have any queries on the above, our contact details are 0449335454 or info@westmeathchildcare.ie
