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Letter from Deputy CMO to Parents and Reopening Video 

Dear Provider

We are writing to you this evening to provide you with an open letter from the Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) to parents of children returning to ELC/SAC over the coming weeks. Please accept our sincere apologies for the late circulation of the letter which we have just received from the CMO’s office.

The letter has been published on the Department’s website and is being circulated through social media. Given the content the Department felt it was important to share it directly with providers.

The Department has also published a video for providers and parents on reopening and you can view/access the video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hfomokzr58.

The Department would like to take this opportunity to wish providers every success with the reopening of ECCE on Monday and the return to full service provision in a few weeks.

Kind regards

EY Comms Team
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Letter from DCMO

Important information on Emergency Measures 8 - 28 March 2021 

Dear Service Provider,

Full details of the funding arrangements for the period 8th March to 28th March were announced by the Government on Tuesday, 23rd February and can be found  here.

Covid-19 Operating Support Payment (COSP)

This scheme has been extended to cover period 8th March to 28th March. All services eligible for COSP will be required to accept the terms and conditions of funding including:

• During the period 8 March to 28 March, be open and providing ELC or SAC, or closed with permission of the Department or at the direction of the Government, Department or public health authorities;
• Not charge parental fees for the period 8 March to 28 March, for any children who are not attending the service, whether or not they are receiving subsidy under any of the following Department funding schemes – NCS, ECCE, CCSP and TEC;
• Maintain places for all children in the service, including those who do not attend between 8 March to 28 March;
• Make all reasonable effort to retain all of the staff in the service;
• Make all reasonable effort to engage with children not attending the service; and
• Make all reasonable effort to engage staff who are not attending the premises to participate in continuing professional development or planning or administrative activities.

The COSP funding agreement will be available on HIVE from Friday, 12th March and further guidance on the application process will be published next week.

Force Majeure

Closed services must continue to apply for Force Majeure by raising a Service Request on Hive. Force Majeure applications will be reviewed and approved/declined accordingly. All approved closures, with the exception of those directed by public health, will be required to agree to the terms and conditions as outlined above in order to receive and/or maintain any funding from DCEDIY for this period. Please note force majeure will no longer be approved for services claiming no demand from 8th March 2021.

Payment Schedule

Eligible COSP services who have accepted the terms and condition of funding by COB on Monday, 15th March, will be paid on Friday, 19th March. Thereafter payments will be issued on a weekly basis.

Help and support

Should you have any queries in relation to the Covid 19 Operating Supports outlined above please contact the Early Years Provider Centre by raising a Request on Hive and selecting the following categories:

• Request Type Detail: COSP General Query
• Request Type: COSP
• Programme Request: Covid 19 Supports

Thank you,
Early Years Team

DCEDIY have provided the following clarification with regard to the resumption of ECCE from 08 March, ( Question 22 of the March FAQs).

Children eligible to return on 08 March

All children within the eligible age range and currently registered on the ECCE programme on the Early Years Hive

Children within the eligible age range, availing of ECCE provision but are funded through CCSP/TEC

This is in addition to children considered vulnerable or children of essential workers who continue to be eligible to avail any service during this period.

Children not eligible to return until 29 March

Children who are not children of essential workers, are not considered vulnerable or, are not ECCE-eligible (based on age) and availing of ECCE provision within a service.

For clarity, children who are ECCE eligible (based on age) and are availing of ECCE provision can also avail of non-ECCE hours during the same period. For example, if a child resumes on March 8th and requires full-time provision they can attend for the three hour ECCE provision and remain within the service for remainder of the day.

Dear Service Provider,

The PPSN Checker on PIP will be unavailable on Saturday, 6th of March, from 6pm – 10pm.

During this time, the PPSN details of parents and children cannot be validated with the result that CCSP/U/RT registrations or AIM applications cannot be submitted through PIP.

We apologise for the inconvenience.

Kind regards,

Early Years Team