This Week in Childcare

These are the deadlines, information, and announcements for the week of 6^th – 10^th May 2024

DEADLINES / IMPORTANT DATES:

Tuesday 7^th May 2024:

The application process for Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) targeted supports opened.

Tuesday 7^th May:

Core Funding May Review and Confirm opened

Friday 17^th May:

Core Funding May Review and Confirm closes

Friday 31^st May:

Early Years Annual Sector Profile closes

Friday 26^th June 2024:

Deadline for submission of Core Funding Financial Reporting

Monday 2^nd September:

NCS subsidy change

For Your Information:

Consultation on Action Plan for Administrative and Regulatory Simplification for the Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare (ELC/SAC) Sector

Minister Roderic O’Gorman, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), will be hosting several consultation events throughout the country to hear the views of a wide range of stakeholders on the Action Plan for Administrative and Regulatory Simplification for the Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare (ELC/SAC) Sector.

The consultation events will take place on the following dates and locations:

Open consultation with parents, service providers, parental and provider representative bodies and other key sectoral stakeholders are essential to the development of the Action Plan.

DCEDIY ask that all those interested in attending the events to RSVP by Monday 13^th May 2024 by emailing EYGov@equality.gov.ie, listing names, contact details, and organisation (if applicable), as well as noting their preferred location. Form attached, 

Pilot Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (NSLF)

The new Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (NSLF) pilot was opened this week by Minister O’Gorman for Early Years Educators to make applications for the academic year 2024/2025. Those wishing to make an application must be working with children in a Tusla registered ELC/SAC service for the last 6 months (before their application). The service must also have a current Core funding contract with the DCEDIY.   

From 1^st May 2024, applicants with a current application/offer for 2024/25 entry to a Level 7/8 degree course approved by the Qualification Advisory Board (QAB) eligible for NSLF should email Pobal, at NSLF@pobal.ie to request a link to the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund Student Portal. Please see attached document and for further information, including the list of approved courses and the application process are available at gov – Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (www.gov.ie)

Temporary arrangements for students to work in settings during the summer period

In light of the current staffing pressures in early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services, as a temporary measure specifically to help services with short-term staffing shortages over the summer period, the DCEDIY has arranged an accelerated process for assessment of equivalence with the level 5 minimum qualification requirement for students currently enrolled on a recognized level 6, 7 or 8 course.  For further details on this please see relevant documentation attached.

New Applications and CIC Applications – Tusla

Tusla have published a notice on their website for the timeframes for new applications and CIC applications for submission and approval prior to September 2024. This is the link to the notice on the main Early Years Inspectorate webpage or you can access directly here

Important Dates for new applications and CIC applications 

• New registrations – June 1^st  2024
• Change in circumstance – July 1^st 2024

Annual Early Years Sector Profile

The Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2023/24 survey is now available on the Early Years Hive.  The survey will remain open until Friday 31^st May 2024 and can be accessed through the Early Years Hive at this link. Guidelines are also available on the Early Years Hive.

The Annual Early Years Sector Profile is the primary data source on the Irish Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector. It is developed and administered by Pobal on behalf of the DCEDIY.

All services are encouraged to complete the survey however, it is mandatory for all existing Core Funding Partner Services. Services who wish to become a Core Funding Partner Service in the future must also complete the survey in advance of submitting their Core Funding application.

To help limit the time and effort required to complete the survey, much of the service characteristics, and further staff information for the Annual Early Years Sector Profile will be sourced from the Service Profile and Core Funding application data.

A number of questions that were previously captured through the Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey have moved to the updated Service Profile which went live on the 3^rd of May.  Services are required to update their Service Profile before commencing the 2023/24 Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey.  Information and guidance on changes to the Service Profile can be accessed here

AIM Targeted Supports Application Process

AIM Level 4,5 & 7 applications are now open on the Early years Hive.  Please note, where previously an extension application would be submitted for a child who is remaining in the same service and requires a second year of AIM Level 7 support, the AIM Review & Confirm process must now be completed.  

Please refer to the AIM Hive Guides to support you with the submission of your AIM applications and completion of the new AIM Review & Confirm process. 

Important Information

Services are reminded to submit any relevant AIM application at least three months prior to a child’s planned start date in ECCE.  A how-to video for AIM Level 5 will be available on the resources page linked below. 

Better Start / AIM how-to videos  – Service Provider Portal (ncs.gov.ie) 

Help & Support

Should you have any queries in relation to the AIM programme, please contact the Early Years Provider Centre (EYPC) by raising a Request on Hive using the following categories: 

·         Programme: (select the AIM level) 

·         Request type: Application 

·         Request type detail: How To 

Please Note:  Some issues have been identified with the Hive which are currently affecting the new AIM Review and Confirm (former second year extension) process.  Initial applications can be submitted as normal.

An announcement will issue on the Hive in the following days once this has been resolved and the AIM Review and Confirm process has been reopened.

Better Start Quality Development Service

Better Start Quality Development Service have recently developed a new promotional video.  To access the video click on the following link: https://www.betterstart.ie/the-quality-development-service/ 

Increase to NCS Subsidy Rate

Please see the below important update for ELC/SAC providers on the increase to the minimum subsidy rate & certain sponsor rates for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). 

NCS subsidy change

As previously communicated, from 2 September 2024, the minimum rate for NCS subsidies will increase from €1.40 to €2.14. 

There will be no change to sponsor rate for children aged 0-52 weeks however, the remaining sponsor rates will have the max rate increased to €5.30 as demonstrated below. 

The increase, which was introduced by Minister Roderic O’Gorman as part of Budget 2024 measures, means that if parents are in receipt of a subsidy which is less than the maximum, they will receive a higher subsidy towards their childcare fees. 

Awards will be recalculated with this new rate and updated accordingly. This will affect existing claims. Service providers do not need to modify the claim if the hours are remaining the same.

Identifying affected claims

To assist with identifying which NCS claims in your service have been impacted, a new page called ‘Budget 2024 Claims affected’ will be available on the Early Years Hive from 3^rd May 2024. This page will be under the NCS section of the Programmes menu on Hive and will display the claims that will change during the uplift process.

Please note that the uplift process may take up to 8 days from next week and not all of the claims will be available on this page from day one.

Core Funding May Review and Confirm

May Review and Confirm opened on Tuesday 7^th May and remains open until Friday 17^th May 2024. This process involves services reviewing their service profile and their most recent core funding application to either confirm that no changes have occurred or to submit an application change. This process ensures that core funding payments continue to be paid to partner services.

Core Funding Reporting Requirement Year 1

Partner Services for Core Funding Year 1 received an email earlier this week containing a link to the registration portal to register and link your accountant. This registration is to facilitate the submission of the completed Income and Expenditure Template by your Accountant.

Further information is available on Hive> Resources> Programme Documents> Core Funding documents> Core Funding financial reporting requirement year 1

There are also a number of videos that will assist Service Providers in using the portal:

Service Provider – Core Funding Portal System Overview Video

Service Provider – Core Funding Portal System Overview Video

The Core Funding Pre-Populated Early Years Programmes Income Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) guide is available under the Resources Tab on the Hive. This guide will explain how Early Years Programmes pre-populated payments were calculated.  

The short videos below will show you how to link your accountant to the reporting system and will show your accountants how to upload the income & expenditure template.

2.    DCEDIY Service Provider Guide: Core Funding contractual requirements reporting system (5mins)

3.    DCEDIY Accountant Guide: Core Funding contractual requirements reporting system (4mins)

Vacancy Survey

A nationwide vacant capacity survey is taking place through the Childcare Committees. The survey is designed to gain valuable information on where there are vacant places and capacity across the country. The survey (which should take between 5 and 10 minutes of your time) aims to capture two categories of data: 

1. Do you currently have any vacant places and in which age categories. (A vacant place means availability five days per week) 

2. Are you currently operating at your Tusla registered capacity, and do you expect this to change by September 2024 and if so, why? 

We would be grateful if you could take the time to complete the survey, even if you are operating at full capacity and have no vacancies, we would appreciate you making a return as we have been asked to get a response from 100% of our service providers. If you have queries about the survey or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you in advance for your time and cooperation.  

Upcoming Workshops, Events and Information Session

ALWAYS CHILDREN FIRST FOR EARLY YEARS SERVICES Basic Level –One day training course. (delivered over two dates)

BOTH DAYS NEED TO BE ATTENDED TO RECEIVE CERTIFICATE.

Date:                      21^st & 28^th May 2024

Time:                       1.00pm- 4.00pm

Venue:                   WCCC Training Room Mullingar

Cost:                       €20 (covers cost of both days)

Book through Eventbrite :  https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/always-children-first-for-early-years-service-may-21st-28th-2024-tickets-903058962667

BOOKING 21^st May will guarantee place on both days of course

• ONE BOOKING PER SERVICE – Any duplicate or second bookings will be cancelled and refunded accordingly.
• Please complete the TUSLA Children First E-learning and the Mandated Person eLearning programme and submit copy of BOTH certificates by email prior to training, certificates must be up to date and within one year of course date. Email certificates to kmurray@westmeathchildcare.ie

Covid case advice

Please find below links to information from the HPSC concerning Covid-19 and information from the HSE for ELC and SAC providers on preventing the spread of COVID-19 and children returning to ELC and SAC settings. We would be grateful if you shared this information with parents, guardians, and staff. Preventing the spread of covid 19 in school or childcare – HSE In addition, please find the link to the Management of Infectious Disease in Childcare Facilities and Other Childcare Settings (2012)    For general Covid-19 queries you can contact HSE on 1800 700 700 between 8 am and 8 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am – 5 pm Saturday and Sunday or visit the HSE website HSE Covid 19 

Should you have any queries on any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0449335454 or info@westmeathchildcare.ie