Government Schemes

What is the ECCE scheme?

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme provides early childhood care and education for children of pre-school age. There will be only one eligibility entry point to the ECCE scheme from September 2018. Children must be 2 years 8 months by the 31st of August to start on the ECCE scheme in September. See below chart for information on eligibility.

All children are entitled to 2 full academic years or 76 weeks from September 2018.

For more information and to check if your child is eligible for ECCE, please click here.

What is the CCS Programme?

The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) Programme is a childcare programme targeted to support parents on a low income to avail of reduced childcare costs at participating community childcare services. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) pays for a portion of the childcare costs for eligible children, a payment described as a subvention payment, with the parent paying the remainder.

Eligibility for CCS

If you are currently availing of one or more of the following supports, you may qualify for a reduced cost childcare place under the government Community Childcare Scheme (CCS):

  • Medical card
  • One Parent Family Payment
  • Illness/ Injury Benefit or Disability allowance
  • Carer’s Benefit/Allowance
  • Family Income Supplement (FIS)
  • Job Seekers Benefit/ Allowance
  • Secondary School students
  • Widows/Widowers/Invalidity/State Pension
  • Tus Payment
  • Community Employment/Back to Work Allowance
  • Springboard/ETB/Solas Students

In order to apply for this childcare scheme we will require copies of your government support letter and medical cards, together with dates of birth and pps numbers.

For more information on CCS, please click here.