These are the deadlines, information, and announcements for the week of 26th-30th June 2023.
DEADLINES / IMPORTANT DATES:
Monday 3rd July
Registrations open for the ECCE 2023 Programme call
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
Monday 7th August 2023
Registrations for the 2023 CCSP Saver Programme opens
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Core Funding Quality Action Plan Report
All services in contract for Core Funding completed a Quality Action Plan in November 2022. This generated an overall statement the Core Funding Quality Action Plan identifying the quality improvement measures to be completed in 2022 2023. You are now required to complete the Quality Action Report. A link to an online survey has been sent via email to everyone to complete the report. If you did not receive the link or need it to be resent, please contact kmurray@westmeathchildcare.ie
The deadline for completion of your Core Funding QAP is Friday the 21st of July.
Core Funding 2023/2024 Programme year
The application process for the Core Funding 2023/2024 programme year opened on Friday 23 June 2023. Please ensure your Service Profile is up to date and you 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, there is 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. All existing services on HIVE are required to complete Form 2 and upload to HIVE as part of the pre-contracting process. New services registering for the first time need to complete Form 1. 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. The new Fee Table and Parent Statement will be available to complete from 28th July.
Tulsa registration change
Service Providers are required to provide their Tusla registration number(s) for each care type offered. If Early Learning and Care (ELC) is offered, you must provide a valid ELC registration number. If you offer SAC, you must provide a valid SAC registration number and if you provide both ELC and SAC, you must provide valid Tusla registration numbers for both care types.
When registering children, there will be an automatic system check to ensure the relevant Tusla certification for the education stage of the child. If the registration doesn’t match, the correct Tusla certificate will be required to proceed with registrations.
Training Webinar Invite: Programme Readiness 2 ECCE & CCSP Savers
Training sessions are being offered to give an overview of the Programme Readiness 2 steps for ECCE & CCSP Savers. The following topics will be covered:
- Recap of Tusla Registration changes
- Overview of mandatory Eircode field added to ECCE & CCSP Saver Registrations
- Overview of Ethnic Group/Background field added to ECCE & CCSP Saver Registrations
- Overview of changes to the ECCE & CCSP Parental Declaration Form
- AIM Level 1 Application Key Points
- Live demonstration of an ECCE registration
- Live demonstration of a CCSP registration
The webinars will take place at the following dates/times:
- Programme Readiness 2: ECCE & CCSP Savers – SP1
04/07/2023 from 6:30pm – 8pm
Webinar Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7934619496470304347
- Programme Readiness2: ECCE & CCSP Savers – SP2
05/07/2023 from 10am – 11:30am
Webinar Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/377297846765922133
- Programme Readiness 2: ECCE & CCSP Savers – SP3
- 05/07/2023 from 2:30pm – 4pm
Webinar Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/980856063135913049
A recording of the session will be published on the Early Years Hive along with the presentation slides when the webinars are completed.
Registration and Programme Call opening dates for 2023/2024 ECCE, CCSP Saver Programme, NCS Programme Call
ECCE
Registrations will open for the ECCE 2023 Programme Call on Monday 3rd July 2023. The ECCE 2023 Programme Call will commence on Monday 21st August 2023. Guidance on how to register a child for ECCE is on the ECCE Child Registration page in Help & Support HERE.
Please note: Except for compliance purposes, you should not cancel an active 2022 registration as this will create an overpayment for your service. If you are registering a child for ECCE 2023 who is currently registered in your service, you complete a separate registration for ECCE 2023.
Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) Saver Programme
Registrations for the 2023 CCSP Saver Programme will open on Monday 7th August 2023. The programme call for CCSP Saver Programme call will commence on Monday 14th August 2023. Guidance on completing a CCSP registration will be available closer to the programme call date.
Please note: Please don’t cancel an active 2022 CCSP saver registration unless there is a compliance issue. If you are registering a child for the CCSP Saver Programme 2023 who is currently registered in your service, a separate registration for CCSP Saver Programme 2023 should be created.
National Childcare Scheme (NCS)
Registration of CHICK’s for NCS can be submitted on the Early Years Hive at any time. For NCS, a service calendar for both 2023 and 2024 must be created on the Hive to allow for 52 weeks awards that span across both programme years. Guidance on registering a child on NCS is available HERE.
Important updates to Registrations for the 2023/2024 ECCE, CCSP Saver Programme, NCS Programme Call
The following information has been updated for registrations for the 2023/2024 programme call for ECCE, CCSP Saver Programme and NCS
- Updated Application Declaration Forms
- New fields on child registration pages for ethnic group/background and Eircode
- Tusla registration change reminder
- Training and support information
Application Declaration Form
The Application Declaration form replaces the Parental Declaration form. The form can be printed from the child’s registration page after completing an ECCE and or CCSP Saver Programme registration. The form will auto populate the child’s details, calendar information and for services that are required to enter fee information, service providers will be able to input the appropriate fee. An application declaration is required for each individual child attending your service.
Please note – where there is a change in fees i.e a change in level of childcare provided to a child, a new Application Declaration form must be printed and signed by the parent and kept on file for compliance purposes.
New fields on child registration pages for ethnic group/background and Eircode
There are two new fields to complete on the child registration page for both the ECCE and CCSP Saver Programmes for the 2023/2024 programme call. Parents will be asked to select the ethnic group/background of the child from a dropdown of options. Please see attached for further information. Parents will also be required to input their Eircode. The information will help develop an identification model for the Equal Participation Model, a new funding strand as part of Together for Better. The Eircode is a requirement for Providers to complete a registration. If an Eircode is unavailable, save the registration as draft and raise a Request quoting its registration identifier code.
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.
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
