ECCE Scheme
Introduction of a free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)

As part of the April 2009 Budget, a new scheme to provide for a free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) was announced by the Government.

The announcement of a free pre-school year for all children is a landmark development in the provision of early childhood care and education services for young children in Ireland. The scheme is implemented by the DCYA and is open to all private and community
pre-school services which meet the requirements
of the scheme.

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CCS Scheme - Community Childcare Subvention Scheme
The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) Scheme has replaced the CCSS as a support scheme for community based childcare services to provide quality childcare at reduced rates to disadvantaged parents. The CCS Scheme operates as part of the National Childcare Investment Programme, which is administered by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA).

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CETS Scheme - Childcare Employment and Training Support Scheme
The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is introducing a new childcare support scheme, the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) scheme, from September 2010.  The CETS scheme will support the childcare needs of participants in training and educational courses operated by FAS and Vocational Education Committees (VECs).

The scheme is open to applications from:
(a) childcare services which provide full daycare and / or afterschool care for children attending primary school, and
(b) except where a service is solely engaged in the provision of afterschool care for children attending primary school, childcare services which are participants in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme and / or the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS).

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