Offaly Childcare Committee

Welcome to Offaly County Childcare Committee Ltd website! Our site is packed with information so whether you're a parent, working with children, interested in a childcare career or just browsing, this is the place for you! Offaly County Childcare Committee is located at St Joseph's Community Centre in Kilcormac Co Offaly.

Free Pre-school year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme.

The free Pre-School Year Scheme in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) started in January 2010. The scheme was introduced by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA), with the local work being done by the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs).

Children, who were born between 2 February 2006 and 30 June 2007, will be eligible for the Free Pre-school scheme in September 2010. Parents of children in this age range can avail of the pre-school year by enrolling their child in a local participating pre-school service. Almost all pre-school services in the county are participating in the scheme and many of these are advertising that they will have places available.

The scheme is meant to be availed of the year prior to a child starting school. Parents of children who were born between 2 February 2006 and 30 June 2007 will be eligible for the next free Pre-School Year in September 2011, provided they do not register to start the scheme in September 2010.

If a parent has not yet enrolled a child in this age range for a Pre-School Year place, they should do so now. If a parent is unsure of how to go about doing this, please contact us on 057 9135878.

Playgroup / Pre-school Services: Where the free Pre-School Year is provided in a Playgroup / Pre-school setting, it will generally last for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week over the primary school year (38 weeks). The service will be paid in full by the OMCYA for each pre-school place and parents of children in this age range will not have to make any payment to the service. Some services may offer an additional half hour or services for which a fee is charged. Any additional hours or services are optional to parents to avail of if they wish.

Crèche / Full Day Care Services: Where the free Pre-School Year is provided in a crèche / Full Day Care setting, it will generally consist of a daily session of 2 hours 15 minutes duration, 5 days a week over the full year (50 weeks). The service will be paid €48.50 per week by the OMCYA for each pre-school place. Parents of participating children who are paying for full or part-time daycare must be given a reduction in their day-care fees of €48.50 per week by the crèche. The parent will then pay the remainder of the fee.

For further information on the scheme contact Offaly County Childcare Committee on 057 9135878 or check out the Office of the Minister for Children’s Website on http://www.omcya.ie

Upcoming Events

Providers & Childminders

• Fetac Level 5 Modules (Caring for Children & Child Development) – Birr
• Fetac Level 5 Modules (Work Experience & Communications) – Tullamore
• Fetac Level 6 - Tullamore
• Occupational First Aid
• Paediatric First Aid
• Refresher First Aid
• Manual Handling
• Afterschool Forum
• Provider Forum
• Childminder Seminar - October
• Quality Awareness Programme
• All Different, All Equal – Equality & Diversity Seminar – November
• Arts & Crafts Workshop

Parent & Toddler Groups

• Buntus Start (Fun with Sports) Training – October & November
• Paediatric First Aid
• Parent & Toddler Group Workshops

Parents & Families

• Family Fun Day in September
• Parent’s Seminar with Dr John Sharry – October 16th, Tullamore Court Hotel

For information on any of the above please contact the office on 057 9135878

Support for the Childcare Sector

Offaly County Childcare Committee provides a variety of supports to the childcare sector including provision and subsidisation of childcare training courses, workshops and forum meetings.
Potential Childcare Providers and Childminders wishing to set up a new childcare service can call the office to arrange an appointment with the Support and Development Workers who will support the potential provider through the process of establishing a new service.

Offaly County Childcare Committee can support Parent & Toddler Groups to set up and to develop their groups. The Support & Development Workers can offer a six week programme to groups which centres around child and adult interactions. The programme is tailored to the needs of individual groups and can include music and movement, arts & crafts, basic cookery with children, storytelling, physical development etc. For further details contact the office.

For more information contact Offaly Childcare Committee