Funding Programmes for Childcare Providers

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE) operates several schemes providing free or reduced-rate childcare to eligible families. Rules & Regulations: Please visit the Early Years Hive to access the latest rules and guidelines for all DCDE funding programmes.

The Early Years Hive

The Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Aged Childcare (SAC) service Provider portal for programmes funded by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE). If you need assistance, please check the Help and Support section of the Early Years Hive:

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme is a universal childcare programme with the stated objective of providing children with their first formal experience of early learning. The programme is delivered to children of pre-school age (2 years 8 months to 5 years 6 months) prior to commencing primary school.

National Childcare Scheme

NCS is the first ever statutory entitlement to financial support for childcare. It establishes an equitable and progressive system of universal and income-related subsidies for children up to the age of 15. It also provides an innovative and user-friendly online application process to access those subsidies.

Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP)

The Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) Saver Programme provides support for parents on a low income to avail of reduced childcare costs at participating privately owned childcare services and at community not-for-profit childcare services.

As of October 2019, the CCSP Saver Programme is closed to new applications.

National Childcare Scheme Sponsor Referral

The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) allows “Sponsor Bodies” to refer families with high levels of need for childcare support due to welfare, protection, or family support reasons. Referred families automatically qualify for a subsidy covering the full cost of the hours recommended by the sponsor, bypassing standard income or eligibility requirements with no parental co-payment required.

Parent Support Centre – Phone (01) 906 8530
Monday to Friday – 9.00am to 5.00pm
Early Years Provider Centre (EYPC) – Phone (01) 5117222
email – eypc@pobal.ie

Core Funding

Core Funding is a grant to Early Learning and Care (ELC) and/or School Age Childcare (SAC) providers towards their operating costs. It is designed to deliver:

Affordability for parents through ensuring no increases in fees and offering NCS and ECCE to all eligible children;
Quality in services, including through better terms and conditions for staff and supporting graduate leadership in services; and
Sustainability for providers through substantially increased funding to the sector, paid on a consistent and equitable basis.

Pobal Compliance Visits

Pobal conducts compliance visits on behalf of the DCDE to ensure participating services follow the rules of the National Childcare Programmes.

The children registered with the DCDE under one of the Childcare Schemes are enrolled in and actively attending the service.
The Fee Payment Policy, Parent Letters (where applicable), Calendars (where applicable), and the Parental Statement are displayed in the service, and a signed copy from the parent/guardian of each child is kept on file.
Records of optional extra charges, deposits, voluntary donations, and/or fees for additional hours are maintained and are in accordance with the service’s Approved Fee Payment Policy.
Evidence of the qualifications of staff working directly with ECCE children is maintained. Services in receipt of the Standard Capitation will have the Room Leader’s qualifications checked, while services in receipt of the Higher Capitation will have the qualifications of both the Room Leader and the Assistant checked.

Pobal on behalf of DCDE conducts compliance visits with each participating Service who operates one or more of the National Childcare Programmes. Pobal Compliance Checklists are available on The Hive.