Our aim is to provide a planned and co-ordinated approach to the support and development of high quality childcare in County Laois that responds to the assessed and different needs of communities in the County.

Laois County Childcare Committee (LCCC) was initiated in 2001, after an intensive development period the Committee became incorporated in February 2002. 33 County and City Committees were established nationally by the Department of Justice Equality aand Law Reform under the Equal Opportunities Programme. LCCC’s remit was and still is to support the development of quality childcare in the County.

The actions and initiatives as outlined in our 2nd Strategic Plan can be broadly categorised into these main areas, training, information, networking & quality initiatives. A Childminding Strategy has also been developed which is specific to childminders again focusing on the main areas above. These support measures are targeted at the following groups, Parents, Pre-School Providers, Afterschool Providers, Childminders, local Groups and Communities.

As part of the National Childcare Strategy, the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) was launched in 2006 by the Office of the Minister for Children. The key objective of the childcare strategy is to further develop the childcare infrastructure to meet the needs of children and their parents for quality early childhood care. The NCIP is delivered locally by the CCC’s under the co-ordination of Pobal.

For further information about the OMCYA or the NCIP: Lo-call 1890 20 90 30 or visit www.omcya.ie or www.pobal.ie