What is the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education?

The ECCE programme is designed to give children access to a free pre-school year of appropriate programme-based activities in the year before they start primary school. Participation in a pre-school programme provides children with their first formal experience of early learning, the starting-point of their educational and social development outside the home. Children who avail of pre-school are more likely to be ready for school and a formal learning and social environment. In general, each eligible child is entitled to one free pre-school year.

When will my child be eligible to participate in the ECCE programme?

Childcare services participating in the programme are required to provide age-appropriate activities and programmes to children within a particular age cohort, and therefore it is necessary to set minimum and maximum limits to the age range for qualifying children. The ECCE programme is open to all children aged between 2 years 8 months and 5 years 6 months on 1st September 2022 to the 30th June 2023.  

Children with Special Needs

The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) was launched in June 2016 with children benefitting from these supports from September 2016.

The goal of AIM is to create a more inclusive environment in pre-schools, so all children, regardless of ability, can benefit from quality early learning and care. The model achieves this by providing universal supports to pre-school settings, and targeted supports, which focus on the needs of the individual child, without requiring a diagnosis of disability.

AIM is a model of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme.  AIM is a child-centred model, involving seven levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the targeted, based on the needs of the child and the pre-school setting.  Find out more about the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM)

Where can I enrol my child for the free pre-school year?

There are nearly 5,000 pre-school services registered with Tulsa in Ireland. All of these services are eligible to apply to participate in the ECCE programme. A list of participating pre-school services is available from Offaly County Childcare Committee. Parents can contact participating services in their area to arrange to enrol their child.  Click HERE to search for a preschool service in your area.  

How many free pre-school weeks will my child be entitled to?

The maximum number of free pre-school weeks to which a child is entitled will be 76 weeks (38 weeks per year).

How is the Pre-School Year funded?

Pre-School services participating in the programme are paid a capitation fee for each qualifying child enrolled. Pre-school services are required to notify the Department of the details of each child enrolled in the programme, so you will be asked by the pre-school service in which your child is enrolled to complete a form which includes your child’s date of birth and Personal Public Service Number (PPSN). You may also be asked to provide documentary evidence of these details (a copy of the child’s birth certificate or passport, and a copy of official proof of the child’s PPSN which can taken the form of a copy of an official document or card showing the child’s name and PPSN (a letter from the Department of Social Protection). In return, the service is required to provide an appropriate programme of activities in early childhood care and education free to parents.

How will the Pre-School Year be provided? 

The pre-school programme is normally delivered for 3 hours per day, 5 days a week, over 38 weeks (September to June). The weekly capitation fee for these sessions is €69.00. If you choose to enrol your child for fewer than 5 days per week, the capitation fee payable to the provider will be reduced on a pro-rata basis. Where the free Pre-School Year is provided in a Creche or full day-care setting, it will generally consist of a daily session of three hours per day. Parents of participating children who are paying for full or part-time daycare must be given a reduction in their daycare fees of €64.50 per week/€12.90 per day by the Creche facility. The parent then pays the balance of fees.  

Will parents have to pay additional charges in respect of the Pre-School Year?

Services participating in the programme must provide the pre-school year free to parents. However, a service may charge parents for additional services as approved by Offaly County Childcare Committee as long as (a) the services are provided on an optional basis and (b) appropriate programme-based activities are provided to any children not participating in an optional activity. Optional additional services can take the form of various activities or services such as 1 outing per year, specific teaching resources such as dance or music, and food, but should not include activities which would generally be regarded as a normal part of a pre-school service, e.g. insurance, graduation diploma/gowns, report cards, worksheets, school concerts, general arts and crafts activities. With the exception of ‘sessional only’ services, no additional time may be included as an optional extra.

Additional services must be offered to parents on a purely optional basis and take-up of these options must not a condition (real or implied) of enrolment in the pre-school service

Can a child availing of the ECCE programme move to another pre-school during the pre-school year? 

A child can be moved from one pre-school to another during the pre-school year. Parents should note however, that the pre-school from which the child is being moved must be given four pre-school weeks advance notice of such a move. Where a child is moved and no notice has been given, the original service will be paid four weeks capitation in lieu of notice and the parent will have to pay the pre-school fees for the following four pre-school weeks in the new service.