Dear Colleagues,
These are the deadlines and announcements for the week of 30 June – 4 July 2025.
DEADLINES / IMPORTANT DATES:
1st July 2025: Deadline for submission for Tusla Change in Circumstance
7th July: ECCE 2025/2026 registrations opening
31 July 2025: QIPP Report Template recommended completion date
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FOR YOUR INFORMATION
2025/2026 Programme Readiness
Programme readiness tasks for Core Funding, ECCE, NCS & CCSP Saver are now available for completion on HIVE.
All guidance and support documents are available in the Resources section of HIVE.
The Announcements issued on 6 June & 9 June also contain links directly to the specific support documents including programme checklists (attached).
http://westmeathchildcare.ie/ecce-ncs-ccsp-programme-readiness-2025-with-checklists/
If you would like to book an appointment in person or through TEAMS , please email
Natasha – nreid@westmeathchildcare.ie – or book online here/ Karen – kmurray@westmeathchildcare.ie
ECCE 2025/2026 registrations opening on 7 July 2025
Registrations for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme 2025/2026 will open on the Early Years Hive on Monday 7 July 2025.
The ECCE 2025/2026 programme will commence on Monday 25 August 2025.
You can find guidance on how to register a child on ECCE on the ECCE Child Registration page under Resources on the Early Years Hive.
Important: If you are registering a child for ECCE 2025 who was registered in your service for ECCE 2024,
please add an additional, separate registration for ECCE 2025 and do not delete the ECCE 2023 registration.
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Year 4 Core Funding updates
Following the recent announcement by Minister Foley on the changes to Year 4 Core Funding (2025/2026), the ‘What’s new for Partner Services in Core Funding Year 4 2025-26’ document
as well as other support documents are available on HIVE and through the following link; Core Funding Q&A
Core Funding 2025/2026 programme year is now open
This is a reminder that the application process for the Core Funding 2025/2026 programme year opened on 9 June 2025.
You can submit a Core Funding application for the 2025/2026 programme year on the Core Funding Application page under the Programmes menu.
Partner Services who have completed the May Review and Confirm process and are at an ‘Approved’ status will have the option to auto-populate their new Core Funding Application Module for the 2025/2026 programme year using the information from the most recently ‘Approved’ Core Funding Application record for 2024/2025.
It is important to note that once you have submitted your Core Funding Application Module for 2025/2026, you will have a 21-day window to activate the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement 2025 on the All Programme Applications under the Programmes menu.
If you do not accept your Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement 2025 within 21 days, your Core Funding application will be cancelled, and you will need to reapply.
Additional support and training materials are now available in the Help and Support section of the Early Years Hive.
If you would like to book an appointment in person or through TEAMS , book online here
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AIM Plus & Non-term Applications
Access & Inclusion Model (AIM) Level 7, Plus and Non-term applications are now open on the Early Years Hive.
A new AIM Plus and Non-term application must be submitted for the 2025/2026 programme call.
AIM Level 4, Level 5 and Level 7 standard initial and Review & Confirm opened on 6 May 2025.
Services are reminded to submit any relevant AIM application at least three months prior to a child’s planned start date in ECCE.
Guidance
See the AIM Hive Guides to support with the submission of your AIM applications and completion of the AIM Review & Confirm process.
Additionally, see the ‘How- to’ videos available on the Early Years Hive for AIM Plus and Non-term here.
An AIM Programme Readiness checklist is now available on the Early Years Hive here.
Training
Training sessions on AIM Level 4 and AIM Level 7 were held on 7 May 2025.
Click the link below to access the recorded AIM Programme Readiness Webinar.
Support
Should you have any queries in relation to the AIM programme, please contact the Early Years Provider Centre (EYPC) by raising a Request using the following categories:
Programme: (select the AIM level) - Request type: Application -Request type detail: How To
If you would like to book an appointment in person or through TEAMS , book online here
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We would like to remind you that NCS subsidies can only be paid once a CHICK has been registered and the parent/guardian has confirmed that all details are correct on the NCS parent portal.
Please review any unconfirmed claims for your service and request parental confirmation from applicants where necessary.
For payments to flow, all claim weeks for a child must be confirmed.
A registration will display ‘No’ under the ‘All Claims Confirmed by Parent?’ column until all claim weeks have been confirmed.
Where a registration is displaying ‘No’, it may be that there is an older claim still awaiting parent confirmation.
Parent confirmation only changes to ‘Yes’ when the parent has confirmed all of the claims for the child.
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QIPP Report Template 2024/2025
QIPP report template 2024/2025 is now available for completion on www.cfcrrs.ie .
Services are strongly encouraged to complete the end-of-year QIPP report by Thursday 31 July 2025.
The final deadline for completion is Tuesday 30 September 2025.
A QIPP Technical Guidance Video: How to Complete a QIPP Report is available here
Should you require support getting started, if you experience technical difficulties, or at any stage of your Quality and Inclusive Practice Planning process please contact Martina or Sharon on 0449335454.
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Aistear Síolta Practice Guide
The updated and newly designed Aistear Síolta Practice Guide is now available on the Nurturing Skills website; Aistear Síolta Practice Guide | Nurturing Skills.
This online resource helps educators to use the two early childhood frameworks, Síolta and Aistear together to develop, reflect on and enhance the quality of their practice with babies, toddlers and young children.
It offers practical suggestions, ideas, and examples to guide educators in using the frameworks to inform and enrich children’s learning and development.
Please note that the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide is now only accessible through the Nurturing Skills website.
To access the Practice Guide, please go to the Resources tab and click on The Aistear Síolta Practice Guide.
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Guidance document issued by TUSLA on Vetting for Students
Please see link below to new guidance document issued by TUSLA on Vetting for Students:
https://www.tusla.ie/…/CSR-GDE14.18_Guidance_on_Vetting…
Tusla Registration Renewal
We encourage all services to check the Early Years register Early Years register or School Age register or your current Tusla certificate to confirm your current registration date.
Services are required to complete a registration renewal every 3 years.
Services are required to have a completed application submitted on the Tusla portal 2 months before the expiry of the current registration date.
Tusla facilitate registration renewals up to 6 months in advance of the current registration date. It is advised that you apply for updated Garda Vetting in a timely manner.
Due to the recently implemented changes to Garda Vetting procedures, the process may take extra time.
You can access details of the new Garda Vetting procedures here.
Further information on the registration renewal process can be accessed on the Tusla early years registration renewal webpage.
If you have any queries on the above you can contact scleary@westmeathchildcare.ie
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New Garda Vetting procedures
Since February 1st , 2025, New Garda Vetting procedures for ELC and SAC services have been implemented.
The following changes will take effect:
• Early Childhood Ireland (ECI) will manage Garda Vetting services for all ELC & SAC employees. Membership with ECI is not a requirement to avail of vetting services.
• Tusla will manage Garda Vetting services for registered providers including Chairpersons of Boards of Management and Childminders.
• As part of these changes, Barnardos will no longer provide vetting services.
More detailed information on the new Garda Vetting procedures can be found on the gov.ie website HERE.
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Let’s get Ready & Let’s Play Ireland campaigns
DCDE have asked to share the following information and resources with parents and families:
Let’s get Ready has lots of useful information on:
- Starting pre-school
- Starting primary school
- Information for families with children of disabilities.
- Information resources.
Let’s Play Ireland has tonnes of information on:
- Types of Play
- Rainy day ideas
- Messy play ideas
- Family fun ideas and free outdoor and indoor adventures
- Family events throughout the summer
My Little Library 2025
My Little Library 2025 information is attached.
Please share this information with families using your service.
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Upcoming Events & Information Sessions
Updated Aistear 2024 Workshops
For further information and mentoring on the updated Aistear 2024 Westmeath County Childcare Committee (WCCC) would now like to invite childcare services
to workshops on the updated Aistear 2024,details outlined below:
Core Funding supports Partner Services with their financial sustainability while enhancing the quality, affordability, and accessibility of their services.
In accordance with Partnership for the Public Good, (DCEDIY 2021) the Core Funding model commits to drive high-quality service provision.
To support this, Core Funding requires all early learning and care (ELC), school-age childcare (SAC) and childminding services that benefit from Core Funding to complete a Quality Action Plan.
Attendance at this training will link directly to your Quality and Inclusive Practice Plan (QIPP) 2025/26 outlining steps your service plans
to take during the upcoming year in addition to the reporting template in June 2026 to highlight supports and mentoring undertaken to implement your QIPP plan.
Please contact Martina at mboyce@westmeathchildcare.ie to book your place.
Early years preschool to primary training for parents
The National Parents Council are running free online information sessions for parents on a variety of dates and times from 30 June to 4 July 2025.
For further information, please see the poster below.
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Covid Case Advice
Please see below links to relevant information: Preventing the spread of covid 19 in school or childcare – HSE & Pre_School_ManagementInfectiousDisease.pdf
General Covid-19 queries: Contact HSE on 1800 700 700 between 8 am and 8 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am – 5 pm Saturday and Sunday / HSE Covid-19
As we head into the summer months, it’s a great time to refresh our awareness around water safety for young children.
Hold Hands is a child-focused campaign created by Water Safety Ireland to help parents and carers keep children safe in and around water.
With videos, tips and reminders, it highlights the importance of staying close, paying attention, and always holding hands near water.
Whether it’s bath time, paddling pools or seaside adventures, a little awareness goes a long way.
Explore the campaign: https://www.holdhands.ie/
The HSE’s factsheet “Playing Outdoors – Skin Protection for Children” is a great resource to help early years educators and families keep children safe in the sun.
It offers simple, practical tips on sun protection to ensure outdoor play remains safe and enjoyable for everyone.
📝 Read the factsheet: https://www.hse.ie/…/factsheet-playing-outdoor-skin…
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If you have any further questions on the above, you can call the office on 0449335454 or reply to this email info@westmeathchildcare.ie.
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