These are the deadlines, information and announcements for the week of 19th-23rd June 2023.
DEADLINES / IMPORTANT DATES:
Friday 23rd June
Core Funding 2023/2024 Programme year opening
Friday 14th July
Childminding Development Grant deadline
Friday 21st July
Core Funding Quality Action Plan Report deadline
Friday 28th July 2023
Fee List/ Fee Table 2023/2024 will become available to complete on Hive
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Core Funding
The Core Funding Partner service Funding Agreement 2023 and the DCEDIY Core Funding FAQ 2023/2024 are now available on Hive for the upcoming 2023/2024 programme year.
Pobal are running training sessions to support providers with Year 2 Core Funding 2023/2024 Training sessions will run at the following dates/ times:
- 26/06/2023 @14:30
- 27/06/2023 @18:30
To register for the training please click the relevant link below:
Core Funding Year 2 SP2
26/06/2023 at 14.30
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4726452374255652693
Core Funding Year 2 SP3
27/06/2023 at 18.30
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1636361805809811801
The content of this training will cover the following topics:
- PowerPoint Presentation covering Core Funding Key Points
- Live demonstration of:
- Service Profile (Refresher),
- Application Module Process for Core Funding 2023
- Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement
Core Funding 2023/2024 Programme year
The application process for the Core Funding 2023/2024 programme year will open at 12pm on Friday 23 June 2023.
In advance of submitting a 23/24 Core Funding Application, Partner Services must ensure that their Service Profile is up to date, and that they have completed the 22/23 Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey.
Existing Core Funding Partner Services who have completed the June Review and Confirm process and are at an approved status will be able to transfer their most recent Core Funding Application data into their new Core Funding Application Module for 2023/2024. To submit a 2023/2024 Core Funding application Module please go to the Programmes page of the Early Years Hive.
Once a Partner Service has submitted their application, they have a 14-day window to activate the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement 2023 which they will find on the Programmes page of the Early Years Hive in the Available Programme Applications section.
You can view a copy of the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement 2023 in Core Funding Documents.
If your service requires support completing an application, additional resources are available under the Core Funding Documents section on Hive. Your local CCC (County Childcare Committee) also remains available to assist you in completing your Core Funding Application Module.
If you require any further assistance or clarification on any of the above, please contact the Early Years Provider centre by raising a ticket as follows: -Programme: Core Funding, Request Type: Application, Request Type Detail: Application.
ECCE Pre-contracting 2023
Stage 1
As part of the ECCE pre-contracting process, services are required to upload a qualification declaration (Form 1 or Form 2) on HIVE prior to activating the ECCE Grant Agreement. Only services who are entering into an ECCE grant agreement for the first time or services who have received a new DCEDIY reference number are required to complete Form 1 and submit to the CCC for review. All existing services on HIVE are required to complete Form 2 and upload to HIVE as part of the pre-contracting process. Click here to access the forms and How to Guides.
Stage 2
Submit ECCE calendar > My account > Service Calendars> ECCE 2023
Stage 3
Activate Funding agreement > Programmes > All Programme Applications> ECCE 2023
Stage 4
ECCE Fees Lists- these will not be made available until July/ Aug
Fees Lists/ Fee Table for 2023/ 2024
For the Programme Year 2023/24 you will only have to complete one online Fee Table and one Parent Statement per family.
This will mean services will only need to input their fees once on the Early Years Hive. This Fee Table will then allow you to update a new Parent Statement, which will auto populate with the fee information. The Parent Statement must be co-signed by the provider and parent/guardian of each family in the service and kept on file.
The Parent Statement will take the place of:
- the ECCE Services Fees Information Letter
- the CCSP Saver Programme Service Fees Information Letter
- the Parental Agreement for NCS
- the Parent Statement for Core Funding
There will be a different version of the Parent Statement for services depending on whether they are a Partner Service i.e., a service contracted into Core Funding, or an Approved Provider i.e., a service not contracted into Core Funding, but otherwise all services will use the same documents.
In anticipation of the new Parent Statement, Pobal will not be doing compliance checks on NCS Parental Agreements until further notice.
The new Fee Table and Parent Statement will be available to complete from 28th July.
Temporary arrangements for students to work in settings during summer 2023.
DCEDIY announced a temporary arrangement that involve an accelerated process for assessment of equivalence with the level 5 minimum qualification requirement for students currently enrolled on a recognised level 6, 7 or 8 course. To enable them to work in settings during summer 2023.
Please see attached letter, which you would have received already directly from DCEDIY.
In order to apply for a Letter of Temporary Permission to Practise, a student should:
- Complete a Student Fast Track Application Form for Temporary Permission to Practise and have it signed and stamped by their further or higher education institution.
- Email a scanned copy of this signed and stamped form to studentquals@equality.gov.ie where it will be assessed and, if approved, a Letter of Temporary Permission to Practise will be issued to the student.
Childminding Development Grant 2023
The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, on Wednesday announced the opening of the Childminding Development Grant 2023. The press release can be accessed through this link.
Completed application forms and supporting documents can be submitted in person, by post or by email to Michelle Grant, Westmeath County Childcare Committee, Old Mullingar Area, Mullingar N91 E430 / childminding@westmeathchildcare.ie
The closing date for submission of applications is 4pm on Friday 14th July 2023.
Early Years Sectoral E-Bulletin June 2023
The e-Bulletin includes updates from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Department of Education, Pobal and Tusla. A link to the e-Bulletin may be found here: June 2023 Early Years Sectoral E-Bulletin
Let’s Get Ready Campaign 2023
The Let’s Get Ready webpage has been updated for this year’s campaign with information which parents might find useful. Let’s Get Ready focuses on children’s transitions to pre-school and school. It includes a reminder on My Little Library and useful information on the new free school books scheme for primary school children.
The Let’s Get Ready webpage can be accessed here: https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/1e8a3-lets-get-ready/
Covid case advice
For general Covid-19 queries you can contact HSE on 1800 700 700 between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 5pm Saturday and Sunday or visit the HSE website https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/
Should you have any queries on any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0449335454 or info@westmeathchildcare.ie
