Featured News

The LINC Information Session will take place on Wednesday 27th February at 7pm in the Offaly Centre for Independent Living for all those interested in finding out about the entry
requirements and other elements of relevace as well as how you can apply to get a place on the programme.  

To book a place please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

 Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Capital 2019 Application Announcement

Please note, an additional clarification has been added to the guidelines HERE. Please read this clarification carefully before making an application. Please contact Pobal online support on 01-5117222 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The National Síolta Aistear Initiative is a collaboration between the Department of Children & Youth Affairs, the Department of Education and Skills, Better Start National Early Years Quality Development and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. The purpose of the initiative is to support the coordinated roll out of Síolta and Aistear, the national quality and curriculum frameworks.

Aistear & Play CPD has been developed by a working group with representation from the National Síolta Aistear Initiative, the Early Years Education Inspectorate, DES, NCCA & Better Start.
NSAI Aistear & Play comprises of 5 individual workshops (2 &1/2 hours each) and two onsite support visits from an Early Years Specialist to support application in practice. This CPD will be delivered by Better Start Quality Early Years Specialists. Please note attendance at all workshops and onsite visits is required to receive certification and CPD payment if eligible.
This CPD will be eligible for the DCYA CPD funding pilot subject to terms and conditions. The first round of CPD will begin in March 2019. Aistear and Play will be available to a limited number of settings in the following locations: Dublin City, Fingal, Dublin South, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Wicklow, Kildare, Waterford, Carlow/Kilkenny, Tipperary, Longford, Offaly/Laois, Meath/Westmeath, Galway, Mayo/Roscommon, Donegal, Sligo/Leitrim, Clare, Limerick, Kerry, Cork City, Cork County, Cavan, Monaghan & Louth.

We are now inviting early learning and care settings who wish to apply for a place on this programme to submit a completed expression of interest form which can be found along with more information at www. betterstart.ie. under the NSAI tab.

Registration of Stand-alone School Age Services

• Stand-alone school age services will be invited by Tusla to register their service from 18th February 2019.
• Registration will start with a list of stand-alone school age services that have identified their commitment to be included on the Tusla School Age Services Register.
• School age services wishing to be included on the registration list should in the first instance identify their service to be registered to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• The invitation to register email will direct school age child care providers wishing to register to a link to the school age registration portal.
• An individual user password will then be issued to access the registration portal

Prepare to register your school age setting on line

Registration of School Age Settings is an online process. Payment to register is accepted using all major debit/credit cards. Please note this is the only accepted payment method, Tusla will not accept any other form of payment such as cheques, bank transfers etc.

Before you start the online registration process you will need to have the following documents saved on your computer and ready to upload.

• Garda vetting/Police vetting for proposed registered provider, person in charge (if different), and, where the proposed registered provider is a corporate body, each director of the body
• Garda vetting/Police vetting for the “second person”, where the person in charge operates the service single-handedly
• Two references in respect of the proposed registered provider, and in respect of the person in charge if different
• Evidence of registration from Companies Registration Office, where applicable
• Proof of identity of the proposed registered provider (copy of passport or driving licence or Public Service Card are the only acceptable documents)
• Copy of the Certificate of Insurance or written confirmation of insurance cover
• Copy of Statement of Purpose and Function
• Copy of Safety Statement (if applicable)
• Copy of Child Safeguarding Statement

Policies

• Copy of Policy on Managing Behaviour
• Copy of Complaints Policy
• Copy of Policy on Administration of Medication
• Copy of Policy on Infection Control
• Copy of Policy on Dropping Off and Collection of Children
• Copy of Fire Safety Policy

The following Documents are available to support the registration process.

Explanatory Guide

https://www.tusla.ie/services/family-community-support/school-age-services/prepare-to-register-your-school-age-setting-on-line/

Minister Zappone Welcomes Commencement of School Age Childcare Regulations

Monday 18th February 2019

Regulations requiring the registration of school-age childcare services came into effect today, 18th February 2019.

Childcare services for school-age children must now register with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. School-age childcare services have not, to date, been subject to registration, so this is a significant step forward in ensuring quality school-age childcare.

Services that provide childcare for school-age children only must apply for registration by 18 May 2019 and are encouraged to start this process straightaway. School-age services that are already registered with Tusla as pre-school services must apply for registration by 18 August 2019. New services must apply for registration at least 3 months before opening.

Once registered, school age childcare services will be able to participate in the forthcoming Affordable Childcare Scheme launching in late 2019. This means families availing of these services will be able to access the financial benefits provided by the scheme.

Minister Zappone stated: “Today is another milestone in the development of quality, accessible and affordable early learning and care and school-age childcare in Ireland. I am delighted that the new School Age Childcare Regulations have now commenced. The new Regulations, which require that all school-age childcare services be registered with Tusla, will help to ensure that children attend services that are suitable, of high quality, and safe.”

The Regulations that came into force today are preliminary regulations. Later this year the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will embark on a public consultation process on the development of comprehensive regulations and national quality standards for school-age childcare.

Both the Regulations and an Explanatory Guide are available on the Department’s website.

School-age childcare services can apply for registration online at www.tusla.ie

If a school-age childcare service wants any support regarding the registration process, they should contact their local city/county childcare committee www.myccc.ie