Information on Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) Scheme
The Free Pre-School Year in the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) is a universal childcare programme designed to give children access to 2 years free pre-school education before they start primary school.
If your child is eligible for the free pre-school year then your child is entitled to a pre-school session of 3 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 38 weeks, for free.
Childcare services can charge for additional services that they provide, such as additional hours and optional extra activities, such as trips, swimming, parties, etc. Please be advised that parents are not obliged to avail of any optional extras.
If you avail of extra hours/optional activities, your ECCE payment will be applied as a reduction of €69 weekly for 38 weeks. It is not mandatory that children attend 5 days per week but, where they do not, the capitation fee will be reduced on a pro-rata basis.
You should make contact with some local childcare services to see if they have ECCE places available. They will explain their fees to you, along with any extras that they offer. Once you have found a childcare service that you wish your child to attend, they will ask you for some information about your child, such as your child’s PPS number and date of birth.
You may choose to transfer your child from one ECCE service to another at any stage during the pre-school year. However you must give 4 weeks’ notice to the childcare service you are moving from. Please request a leaver form from the original service to be taken to the new service.
Please see the ECCE Eligibility Table below for further information on eligibility and entry points.
If your child is above the upper age limit for the ECCE programme there are some circumstances where the child can continue to participate in the ECCE programme. In exceptional circumstances, exemptions from the upper age limit may be granted where a child has additional needs which delay their entry to school. Applications for such exemptions must be submitted in writing to the DCYA and must include a letter of recommendation from a specialist stating support for the child to avail of a further year of preschool. Exemptions will not be granted where a child will turn 6 during the pre-school year.
Budget 2018 changes in relation to the ECCE Programme
Changes will take effect from September 2018
The following is a summary of changes to the ECCE programme with effect from September 2018:
- All eligible children will receive two full programme years
- Age of eligibility reduced from 3 years to 2 years and 8 months
- Upper age limit remains 5 years and 6 months
- Number of enrolment points changed from three to one in September
- Standard capitation increased to €69
- Higher capitation increased to €80.25
The new measures will fully benefit those born from 2015 onwards whilst those born previous to that will continue to benefit from the expanded programme announced in Budget 2016.
| The following table sets out relevant eligibility dates by year of birth: Table 1: Eligibility for ECCE by month of birth and of enrolment in pre-school | ||
| Birth date between | Eligible Enrolment date(s) | ECCE end date |
| 1st January 2014 – 31st March 2014 | 1st April 2017, 1st September 2017 + 1st September 2018* | June 2019 |
| 1st April 2014 – 31st August 2014 | 1st September 2017 + 1st September 2018* | June 2019 |
| 1st September 2014 – 31st December 2014 | 1st January 2018 + 1st September 2018* | June 2019 |
| 1st January 2015 – 31st March 2015 | 1st April 2018, 1st September 2018 + 1st September 2019 | June 2020 |
| 1st April 2015 – 31st December 2015 | 1st September 2018 + 1st September 2019 | June 2020 |
| 1st January 2016 – 31st December 2016 | 1st September 2019 + 1st September 2020 | June 2021 |
| 1st January 2017 – 31st December 2017 | 1st September 2020 + 1st September 2021 | June 2022 |
| 1st January 2018 – 31st December 2018 | 1st September 2021 + 1st September 2022 | June 2023 |
| 1st January 2019 – 31st December 2019 | 1st September 2022 + 1st September 2023 | June 2024 |
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