ECCE Programme Guide to the Programme and the Administrative Procedures – for Service Providers and Parents

Most of the information in this guide relates to administrative procedures and is targeted towards service providers. However, parents may find some sections helpful, particularly the Overview of the ECCE programme (section 1), the procedures which must be followed when moving children from one service to another (section 5), and the rules governing the waiving of the upper age limit (section 6). The forms referred to in the text are available for download at Appendix 1.

Contents

1. Overview of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme

2.     Applications by service providers to participate in the programme
2.1    Minimum size of service
2.2    Staff Qualifications
2.3    Staff Ratios
2.4    HSE Compliance
2.5    Contract
2.6    Electronic Fund Transfer
2.7    Tax Clearance
2.8    Outstanding Debts

3. Electronic Returns

4. Payments

5.    Changes in enrolment details after the Electronic Returns have been submitted
5.1    New/Late Entrants
5.2    Transferring from one Service Provider to another
5.3    Child ceasing to participate in the ECCE programme
5.4    Transfer from the ECCE programme to the CCS programme, and vice versa
5.5    Transfer from the ECCE programme to the CETS programme
5.6    Transfer from the CETS programme to the ECCE programme
5.7    Transfer between 38 week and 50 week programme models
5.8    Deferral of ECCE place to the following year
5.9    Appeals

6. Applications to waive the upper age limit and for pro-rata arrangements

1. Overview of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme

As part of the April 2009 Budget, the Government announced a new programme to provide for a free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) with effect from January 2010.

The programme is administered by the Childcare Directorate of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, with the local operation of the programme managed by the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs).

The objective of the ECCE programme, which is open to both community and commercial service providers, is to benefit children in the key developmental period prior to starting school. Children are eligible to avail of the programme where they are aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months on 1st September each year. (Children aged more than 3 years 2 months and less than 4 years 7 months are accepted as qualifying.) The upper age-limit may be waived in certain circumstances (see section 6).

Payment under the ECCE programme is by way of capitation fees which are paid directly to the service provider. A capitation fee is payable in respect of each child enrolled in the free pre-school year. A higher rate of capitation is payable in respect of sessional playschool services with highly qualified staff.

It is a fundamental principle of the scheme that the pre-school year is available free to parents, and all participating services are obliged to meet the costs of the free pre-school year out of the capitation fees. Services may, however, charge parents for any additional services provided, including additional hours and additional activities, provided that these are optional to parents and that appropriate programme-based activities are available to children not participating in the additional activities.

2. Applications by services to enter or re-enter the programme

The application process for entry or re-entry to the ECCE programme for the September to August period will, generally, take place in the period February-July of each year. Services which are already participating in the programme will be sent an Expression of Interest (EOI) form by their City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) and invited to re-enter. Services which are not currently participating in the programme but wish to enter should contact their local CCC to request an EOI form.

The CCC carries out an initial appraisal of each application and liaises with the local HSE Pre-school Inspector regarding the service’s regulatory compliance. The CCC will compile and collate all relevant information in relation to applications and, if the HSE has no issue with the service entering the programme, and the CCC has no reservations, then the CCC will recommend the application. The collated information and hard copies of the applications are returned to the Childcare Directorate.

When received by the Childcare Directorate, the applications are examined for (a) staff qualifications, (b) notification to the HSE, (c) Tax Clearance, and (d) outstanding debts to the Department. If everything is in order, the applications are submitted for approval of contract.

2.1 Minimum size of service

Services are expected to have a minimum enrolment of at least 8 qualified children to participate in the programme, and a service that does not have this level of participation has no entitlement to be funded under the programme. Exceptions to this minimum requirement will be considered where, for good reason, a service which is an appropriate setting for the pre-school year has (a) an enrolment of at least 8 children of whom at least 3 qualify for the programme and the remainder will qualify in the following year, or (b) has an enrolment of at least 5 qualifying children. For services entering or re-entering the programme in September 2011, services which are marginally below the minimum requirement for enrolments may be recommended for entry by the CCC. The number of exceptions to the minimum enrolment requirements is expected to decrease from September 2012.

2.2 Staff Qualifications
Pre-school leaders in the programme must, by September 2012, hold a nationally accredited major award at FETAC Level 5 (or equivalent) in childcare/ early childhood care and education.

A nationally accredited major award at Level 5 will usually be accredited by the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) and will comprise 8 component (minor) awards. The structure of a major award at Level 5 is as follows:

Four mandatory component awards related to the required skills and knowledge needed for practice in early childhood care and education settings, e.g. Child Development, Early Childhood Education, Working in Childcare

Two general component awards (mandatory), one being work experience/practice-related and another drawn from a list of core skills areas, e.g. Communications, Information Technology (IT)

Two component awards drawn from a pool of elective subjects which may relate to specific areas of practice in early childhood care and education, e.g. working with children with additional needs. For more details of the structure of Level 5 awards see http://www.fetac.ie/fetac/awardsinfo/awards.htm

2.2.1 Qualifications that are equivalent to a nationally accredited major award at Level 5

There are two categories of qualifications that fall into this category. These are:

Legacy awards made by Irish awarding bodies prior to the establishment of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)

Awards made by international awarding bodies

2.2.2 Legacy awards

This term refers to awards in Childcare made by the National Council for Vocational Awards (NCVA) or FÁS. These bodies made awards at Levels 1, 2 and 3 and these are now placed on the NFQ at Levels 4, 5 and 6. Therefore, if you have an award certificate issued by NCVA or FÁS for a level 2 Major award, i.e. all required elements have been completed, this is recognised as equivalent to a Major Level 5 award.

2.2.3 International qualifications

Many staff in ECCE settings in Ireland have undertaken programmes of study leading to awards accredited in the United Kingdom. In many cases, the awarding bodies that accredited the awards have gone through processes to establish the equivalence of their awards with Irish awards. The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) has responsibility for the recognition of international awards in Ireland and more information on this can be found on www.nqai.ie or www.qualrec.ie .

Qualifications from the UK can be also checked online at the Children’s Workforce Development Council qualification database at www.cwdcouncil.org.uk. In general, if a UK award has been made at Level 3, it is equivalent to a Level 5 award in Ireland.

NOTE: The NQAI will not comment on the relevance of the award for the ECCE programme, only the level to which it is equivalent in Ireland. The Childcare Directorate reserves the right to determine the relevance of the award.

Qualifications from other countries can be checked with the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland. For details of the process of qualification recognition see www.qualrec.ie

2.2.4 Interim Measure

During the period up to September 2012, pre-school practitioners who have achieved non-nationally accredited qualifications in a relevant discipline or who have not achieved a major award are considered eligible for the ECCE programme if their qualifications cover specified core knowledge areas as follows: Child Development, Early Childhood Education, Working in Childcare, and Caring for Children 0 – 6 AND have at least two years experience of working in a position of responsibility with children in the 0 to 6 age group. This approval is on an interim basis only.

2.2.5 Higher capitation fee

A higher capitation fee is payable to playschool sessional service providers where all the Pre-school Leaders in the service hold a bachelor degree in childhood/early education (minimum of Level 7 on the NFQ or equivalent) and have 3 years experience working in the sector, and where all the Pre-school Assistants hold a relevant major award in childcare/early education at level 5 on the NFQ or its equivalent.

The higher capitation fee applies to playschool sessional services only. While the higher capitation fee does not apply to day care services, a daycare provider who operates a separate playschool sessional service can apply for the higher capitation fee for that service. Where a provider operates a daycare service which incorporates a playschool sessional service, i.e. where children may be attending both rather than either, this is outside of the criteria for the higher capitation fee.

Not all Level 7 or 8 awards are acceptable as qualifying for the higher capitation fee as they must have included significant content in core knowledge areas such as child development 0-6 years and early childhood education theory and practice in order to qualify. For example, secondary school teaching qualifications are not acceptable as they do not cover these core knowledge areas.

As with lower level awards, international awards at higher level may be recognised as meeting the qualifications criteria. The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland can advise on the equivalent level of the award on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (www.qualrec.ie). However, the Childcare Directorate reserves the right to determine the relevance of the content of the award.

2.3 Staff Ratios

The number of Pre-school leaders required is determined by the adult/child ratios set out in the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006 and is as follows:

Sessional model of provision – 10 children:1 Pre-school leader

Sessional model 20 children -1 Pre-school leader and 1 assistant

For each group of up to 20 children in a sessional ECCE setting there must be at least 1 Pre-school leader who meets the qualification requirements outlined above (i.e. minimum FETAC Level 5 or equivalent)

Full day care model – 8 children :1 Pre-school leader

Full day care model – 16 children: 1 Pre-school leader and 1 assistant

For each group of 16 children in a full day care setting there must be at least 1 Pre-school leader who meets the qualification requirements outlined above (i.e. minimum FETAC Level 5 or equivalent)

2.4 HSE compliance

Pre-school services are required to be notified to the Health Service Executive (HSE). A list of all applicants for entry or re-entry to the programme is forwarded by the CCC to the local Pre-School Inspector. The Inspector will advise the CCC where an applicant is not notified to them. In addition, where a pre-school service is being prosecuted by the HSE for non-compliance with the Pre-School Regulations, the HSE will advise the Childcare Directorate of the position. A service which has been closed for reasons of child welfare and protection, or which has been successfully prosecuted, may not be admitted to the programme. Where these circumstances apply to a service already participating in the programme, the contract may be terminated.

The requirement to notify the HSE does not apply to services which are registered with the Irish Montessori Educational Board (IMEB).

2.5 Contract

A list of all the applicants who meet the requirements for entry to the programme is submitted for approval of contract. Two copies of the programme contracts are issued to approved applicants. The applicant is required to sign both copies of the contract and return them to their local CCC *. The CCCs collate all the signed contracts and return them to the Childcare Directorate. Both copies of the contracts are signed by an authorised signatory in Childcare Directorate. One copy is returned to the applicant and the other is placed on the applicant’s file. In general, this process is completed by July of each year. However, a later date may be accepted where the Childcare Directorate considers this appropriate.

* In the case of commercial providers, the contract must be signed by the owner of the service. In the case of community providers, including School Boards of Management, the contract must be signed by a member of the Board of Management.

2.6 Electronic Fund Transfer

Payments under the ECCE programme are made via electronic fund transfer. To facilitate this, service providers must advise the Childcare Directorate of their bank account details using ECCE Form 8 – EFT Form. If a provider changes his or her bank account, s/he must notify the Childcare Directorate as soon as possible, using ECCE Form 9 – EFT Change Form.

2.7 Tax Clearance

Services are required to demonstrate tax compliance by providing a valid, up-to-date Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) from the Revenue Commissioners when returning their application form to the CCC. The TCC must be in the name of the provider or the service; certificates in the name of another person will not be acceptable. Services which are already participating in the programme are required to ensure that a renewed TCC is provided to the Childcare Directorate when it falls due. Where a service is awaiting a TCC at the time of application to enter the programme, this should be noted on the form. Contracts will not be issued to a service until the TCC is received by the Childcare Directorate. No payments in respect of ECCE services will be issued in the absence of an up-to-date Tax Clearance Certificate.

2.8 Outstanding Debts

Each application is checked against the Childcare Directorate’s database to confirm whether there is an outstanding debt due from the provider in respect of the ECCE programme. Any such debt will be automatically deducted from future payments due.

3. Electronic Returns

Applicants who have entered into contract for the programme will receive a Returns Information Pack, normally in August. This pack contains blank Parent Declaration forms / letters, instructions for completing and submitting the return, and the Service Declaration Form (which contains the e-form password and User-ID). Services are required to distribute the letters and forms to parents early in September, to be returned to the service by a specified date. The service must then make an electronic return to the Childcare Directorate of the information collected. It is in the interest of service providers to request proof of a child’s date of birth and Personal Public Service Number (PPSN), as any errors in these details on the electronic return will result in payments being delayed while the details are being validated manually *.

* Proof of a child’s PPSN can take the form of a copy of an official document or card showing the child’s name and PPSN, e.g. a Drug Repayment Scheme card, a Medical Card, or a letter from the Department of Social Protection.

The date by which the electronic return must be submitted will be indicated in the Returns Information Pack.

The completed parental declaration forms and the completed service declaration form must be returned to the Childcare Directorate as soon as possible following submission of the electronic return.

The electronic returns from services are collated and examined by the Childcare Directorate. The PPSNs of the children included on the return are sent to the Department of Social Protection for verification of the dates of birth.

On return from the Department of Social Protection, the verified data is uploaded onto the database. The level of funding due to each service is calculated, and each service is sent (by e-mail) a list which includes details of the children included in their return, the level of service for each child, the status of their verification, and the model of the scheme (38/41/50 weeks) in which the child is enrolled. This process is normally completed by mid-October.

4. Payments

An advance payment to services is made in late August. The advance payment covers the capitation fee for the first 8 weeks of the September term. For services who participated in the programme during the previous year, the payment will be calculated on the basis of 8 weeks for the number of children enrolled the previous year. For services new to the programme, the advance payment will be limited to an 8 week payment in respect of either 5 or 10 children (this decision is made by the Childcare Directorate on a case-by-case basis).

Following verification of the data provided in the electronic returns, a balancing payment is issued. This payment covers the total amount due to the service for the September term based on the number of children enrolled and verified, minus the advance payment already made, and is usually made at the end of October.

Payment in respect of the January term is issued as early as possible in January; payment in respect of the April term is issued in late March. For services operating the 50 week programme option, payments in respect of the final term will be issued in late June.

Details of the terms and the expected payment dates for the current ECCE contract period will be on the website. REFERENCE WEBSITE

Service providers should note the following:

Payments will not be made to services where the tax clearance certificate provided is out-of-date; it is the responsibility of the service provider to ensure that a current TCC has been submitted to Childcare Directorate.

The main term payments may not include adjustments in respect of children moving into or out of the service for any reason. These adjustments have to be managed manually, and may not have been processed by the time the main term payment issues.

Where an additional payment is due to providers, this will be paid as soon as possible. Where a decrease in payment applies, this amount will be deducted from future payments due.

Where it is not possible to deduct overpayments from future payments due within a particular contract period, service providers will be required to repay the amount by refunding the funds directly to the Childcare Directorate. Contracts will not be issued to providers in respect of future contract periods where outstanding overpayments have not been refunded, or where arrangements for repayment have not been agreed with the Childcare Directorate.

5. Changes in enrolment details after the Electronic Returns have been submitted

5.1 New/Late Entrants

Where a child joins the pre-school service after the beginning of the September term, and has not been included on the electronic return, a new entrant application must be completed (ECCE Form 1 – New Entrant Form). The completed form must be submitted to the Childcare Directorate, together with a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a copy of official proof of the child’s PPSN (i.e. a copy of an official document or card showing the child’s name and PPSN, e.g. a Drug Repayment Scheme card, a Medical Card, or a letter from the Department of Social Protection).

New /late entrants can only be accepted into the ECCE programme up to 30th September, or from the first Monday of the subsequent pre-school terms, i.e. January, April and July. Please note that capitation fees in respect of children who register with a service after 30th September will only be paid with effect from the beginning of the following pre-school term.

5.2 Transferring from one Service Provider to another

With the exception of cases referred to in paragraphs 5.4.3 and 5.4.4, parents may choose to transfer their children from one service to another with effect from the start of the following pre-school year term. To exercise this option, a parent must give written notice of the transfer request 4 weeks in advance of the start date of the following term. This is to ensure that sufficient notice is provided to all parties that the capitation fee for that child will be transferred from the existing service of enrolment to the new service of enrolment. Parents are required to complete a transfer form (ECCE Form 2 – Transfer Form) which requires input from the manager of the existing service and the manager of the new service, and which must be signed by both managers as well as the parent. The completed form must be received by the Childcare Directorate 4 weeks in advance of the start date of the next term.

If the form has not been fully and properly completed, the Directorate will contact the providers to ensure that they have been made aware of the proposed transfer. As this may delay processing of the transfer request, parents are advised to ensure that the transfer form is fully completed and signed by all relevant parties.

As already outlined, the capitation fee for the child will only be transferred with effect from the commencement of the next pre-school term. If a child transfers from one service to another during a term, the charging of fees by the new service for the remainder of that term is a matter between the parent and the new service provider.

5.3 Child ceasing to avail of the ECCE programme

Where a child leaves a service and is not enrolled in a new service, the provider must contact the Childcare Directorate within 4 weeks to advise them of the position, by completing and returning ECCE Form 3 – Child leaving ECCE programme Form.

Where a child leaves a service to take up a primary school place, the provider must contact the Childcare Directorate within 4 weeks to advise them of the position, by completing and returning ECCE Form 3 – Child leaving ECCE programme Form.

Where such circumstances arise, any ECCE funding already paid by the Childcare Directorate in respect of those children will be deducted from future payments due. The amount of the deduction will depend on the date the service to the child ceased.

5.4. Transfer from the ECCE programme to the Community Childcare Subvention Programme (CCS), or from the CCS to the ECCE programme

There is no entitlement to transfer from the ECCE programme to the CCS, or vice versa in the course of the September to August period. However, exceptional circumstances may arise where a request from a service to transfer a child from the ECCE programme to the CCS programme, or from the CCS programme to the ECCE programme, will be considered. Applications for such transfers must be made in writing to the Childcare Directorate, giving details of the exceptional circumstances which apply.

5.5 Transfer from the ECCE programme to the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme
Where a child who was included in the ECCE programme return takes up a new place under the CETS programme, either within the same childcare service or in a different service, his or her entitlement to ECCE should immediately be transferred to CETS by completing and returning ECCE Form 4 – Transfer from ECCE to CETS Form to the Childcare Directorate. If the CETS placement ceases, and the child is to be transferred back to the ECCE programme, ECCE Form 5 – ECCE/CETS/ECCE must be completed and returned to the Childcare Directorate.

5.6 Transfer from CETS programme to ECCE programme

If a child is in a CETS place from the start of the pre-school year and the placement ends at a later point in the pre-school year, he or she may enter the ECCE programme in the same service or a different service on submission to Childcare Directorate of the completedECCE Form 1 – New Entrant Form.

5.7 Transfers between 38 week and 50 week programme models

Transfers from the 38 week model to the 50 week programme model are not allowed, as this would result in the payment of a higher capitation fee than is provided for. Applications for transfers from the 50 week model to the 38 week model within the same childcare service should be made by completing and returning ECCE Form 6 – Change in Level of Service Form to the Childcare Directorate. If the child is transferring to a different childcare service, ECCE Form 2 – Transfer Form must be completed and returned to the Childcare Directorate, and the change in level of service will be facilitated under the normal transfer rules.

5.8 Deferral of ECCE place to the following year

Where a parent, having enrolled a child in the ECCE programme, subsequently decides that it would be more beneficial for the child to defer the pre-school year until the following year, s/he may apply for a deferral. Such applications require completion and submission of ECCE Form 7 – Deferral Form to the Childcare Directorate and can only be made:

within the first term of the pre-school year and

where the child will still fulfil the eligibility criteria for admission to the programme in September of the following year

If the application to defer the pre-school place is approved, any capitation fees already paid to the service provider in respect of that child will be recouped by the Department. It is necessary, therefore, for the parent to come to an arrangement with the service provider to repay the capitation fee in respect of any weeks in which the child has received the ECCE service. For this reason, the deferral application form must be signed by the service provider as well as the parent.

5.9 Appeals

Where it has not been possible for the Childcare Directorate to verify the eligibility of a child for the ECCE programme (generally due to the provision of an incorrect PPSN), capitation fees will not be paid to the service provider in respect of that child. Parents may appeal this by writing to the Childcare Directorate, providing evidence of the child’s date of birth and PPSN to the Childcare Directorate (i.e. a copy of the child’s birth cert and a copy of an official document or card showing the child’s name and PPSN, e.g. a Drug Repayment Scheme card, a Medical Card, or a letter from the Department of Social Protection). The correspondence should be marked “ECCE Appeals”.

Each appeal is examined and, where entitlement is established, the child is approved for participation in the programme and the appropriate payment will issue to the service provider.

6. Applications to waive the upper age limit and for pro-rata arrangements

Children with special needs

Parents who wish to apply for a waiver of the upper age limit or to avail of the pre-school year on a pro-rata basis over two years (e.g. 2 days per week in year 1 and 3 days per week in year 2) on the grounds that their children have special needs, must apply in writing to the Childcare Directorate (see conditions below).

School admission policies

Parents may also apply for a waiver of the upper age limit where their child will not be able to commence primary school until they are aged at least 5 years and 7 months, due to the local schools’ admissions policies, on condition that the child has not already availed of the ECCE Programme.

Applications should be made to the Childcare Directorate not later than 1st July each year. The Directorate will require the following details before making a decision:

i) a copy of the child’s Birth Certificate

ii) evidence of the child’s PPSN (i.e. a copy of an official document or card showing the child’s name and PPSN, e.g. a Drug Repayment Scheme card, a Medical Card, or a letter from the Department of Social Protection).

iii) the name and address of the pre-school service in which the child will be enrolled, and

(iv) EITHER

a detailed assessment report from the HSE, or treating consultant confirming that the child has special needs which will either delay his/her entry to primary school or make it more suitable that s/he avails of the pre-school year on a pro-rata basis over two years (children with special needs)

a letter from the Principal of the local primary school confirming the age admissions policy applied (school admissions policies)

whichever is appropriate to the application.

June 2011 - www.dcya.gov.ie