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Email: OnlineSupport@pobal.ie

Telephone: 01 511 7222

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Kings Island Community Créche

This is Limerick at its absolute best, putting out its best for its children so that they will be the best and they will have the best. Looking at this magnificent new creche makes you wish you were three-years-old again!.


Mary McAleese, Former President
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Pobal’s Building Resource Manual

“ The document is a valuable resource and will be helpful for us for reference whilst working on building projects”.

Equator Architects of Dublin and London

Kincora Kids Com Childcare Svs

 

Pobal provides a range of services to and on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in the area of early education and childcare. A brief introduction to each of the services can be viewed by clicking below.
         Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) View all page content
On the 15th June 2016 the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone TD announced the Better Start Access and Inclusion Model programme, or AIM. This programme will support access and inclusion for children with disabilities in the ECCE Programme. 

A dedicated website has been created at www.preschoolaccess.ie.  This contains comprehensive information on the programme and explains how to apply for the new scheme. Parents/guardians and service providers should consult the website at get information on the seven levels of supports available.

The role of Pobal/Better Start
Pobal and Better Start will oversee a number of the AIM support services.  Protecting the privacy of all parents/guardians and pre-school providers is important to us.  Therefore, please download and read the privacy statement.  This statement, in conjunction with the informed consent form governs collection, retention, use and sharing of personal information about a child, parent/guardian/carer and pre-school service under this initiative.

Accessing support
Under level 4 of AIM, advice and support from the Early Years Specialist Service (Access and Inclusion) is available by phone (01- 5117222), e-mail (Onlinesupport@pobal.ie) or by filling out an online access and inclusion profile. 
A grant is available through Pobal to provide specialised equipment, appliances or capital grants towards minor alterations in situations where they are required to facilitate a child’s participation in pre-school. Service providers, in partnership with the parent can apply for this grant on-line through the PIP portal.
Applications for therapeutic supports (level 6) can be made by completing the online access and inclusion profile.  In cases where all other supports are not sufficient to meet the needs of a child; service providers, in partnership with parents/guardians can apply for additional money to fund extra supports in the classroom or to help reduce of the staff, child ratio.  The request for this support (level 7) is also made by completing the online access and inclusion profile. 
Applications for the Equipment, Appliances and Minor Alterations Grant (level 5), and Extra Capitation (level 7), will be reviewed by a Pobal.  The outcome of this process will be communicated to the parent/guardian and service provider.

 

Applications must be submitted on-line via the PIP portal. Paper applications are not considered. Samples of the application forms and guidelines can be found on the AIM website www.preschoolaccess.ie.
         Early Years Capital Funding View all page content

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is aiming for greater improvements in the quality of early childhood care and education services. A range of capital investment programmes has supported progress to date, including the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, the National Childcare Investment Programme, the Childcare Capital Programme 2012/13 and EYC2014. The Department secured €7M  for Early Years Capital 2015.

         National Childcare Investment Programme Capital Funding View all page content
The National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2011 was a major investment by the Government in childcare infrastructure. The programme increased the number of childcare places available in Ireland by over 24,000 (including more than 10,000 places for pre-school children). The funding was open to community and private childcare providers and was administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
 
Pobal continues to manage €420m of previous investments in into early education and childcare facilities. It works to ensure the delivery of services through national capital programmes.
         Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) View all page content

The objective of the TEC Programmes is to support parents on eligible training courses and eligible categories of parents returning to work, by providing subsidised childcare places.

The Training and Employment Childcare Programmes (TEC) are administered by the Department of Children & Youth Affairs (DCYA) on behalf of the Education & Training Boards (ETB)/Solas and the Department of Social Protection (DSP).
         Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) View all page content

The CCS programme subvents the cost of childcare for disadvantaged families. Pobal made payments totalling over 17 million in 2014 to beneficiaries. It also provides supports to community childcare services and visits all participating services to ensure compliance among  the 988 participating schemes.

         Early Childhood Care & Education Programme (ECCE) View all page content

The Early Childhood Care and Education programme (National Free Preschool Year) was delivered through more than 4,200 providers across the country in 2014. Total investment was €170 million in 2014. Pobal also makes unannounced visits to participating providers to check their compliance, on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

         City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) View all page content

Pobal manages the funding of City and County Childcare Committees, on behalf of Department of Children and Youth Affairs. It oversees their work, supports their development, and carries out on-site checks to ensure investment by the Department is appropriately spent.

         Voluntary Childcare Organisations (VCOs) View all page content

Pobal manages the funding of a number of Voluntary Childcare Organisations, which represent the interests of and provide support services to early education and childcare service providers. The organisations report to Pobal on the delivery of their funded programmes. Pobal carries out onsite checks to ensure investment by Department of Children and Youth Affairs is appropriately spent.

         Comhairle na nÓgView

The Comhairle na nÓg Development Fund is overseen and administered by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. It aims to provide children and young people with a voice on topics that affect their lives at local and national level (e.g. by acting as a consultative forum).