Dear Service Provider,
As the new programme call 2026/2027 is in operation, on-site inspections for ECCE (including AIM Level 1, AIM Level 7), CCSP Saver and Core Funding programmes will commence shortly. The compliance process will involve a series of standardised checks aimed at confirming adherence with programme rules and contract conditions as set out by the Department of Children Disability and Equality (DCDE).
Compliance Training for Service Providers
Pobal will be delivering three webinars for providers covering the ECCE, AIM Level 1 and Level 7, CCSP Saver and Core Funding Compliance processes. Invitations will issue shortly for the webinars two of which will be scheduled on 13 October and one 14 October 2026. Each webinar will cover the same content. We encourage you to take the opportunity to attend a webinar. Following the conclusion of the webinar sessions, a recording of the session will also be made available on the Early Years Hive together with the PowerPoint slides. In addition, a Questions & Answers document will be compiled and added, to address questions raised at the webinars.
Onsite Compliance Inspections
To ensure minimum disruption and expedite the compliance inspection, it is advised that services prepare for an unannounced compliance inspection. We recommend that services collate relevant information for review (e.g. Staff qualifications for ECCE sessions only, signed Parent Statements, Core Funding Opt-Out Templates, ECCE / CCSP Saver Applicant Declarations, as applicable) in a Compliance File which can be made readily available to the Visit Officer(s) on arrival.
Access to child attendance records is essential (i.e. with child attendance recorded in real time, per room and any absences recorded).
The Partner Service is legally required to maintain, and make available on request, appropriate information, data and records to enable verification that a Partner Service is compliant with the Agreement for the Provision of Core Funding for Programme Year 5 (2026/2027). This includes appropriate records to enable verification of all data provided by the Partner Service under this Funding Agreement. Such appropriate records will include but are not limited to records of a Partner Service’s Operating Hours per Week and Operating Weeks per Year as well as staffing records, which are sufficient to enable verification of the Partner Service’s Application and Service Profile. Staff records/rosters/rotas, which are prepared in advance, will not be accepted for Core Funding compliance and verification purposes.
In addition, fee records must also be available on-site to enable the Visit Officer(s) to complete the compliance inspection in a reasonable timescale. In this regard we request that the person in charge on-site has access to the Compliance File / records in the event of an unannounced inspection. Please only maintain compliance related information in the Compliance File.
The Visit Officer will seek to review records from the beginning of the programme call i.e. 24 August 2026 for ECCE/AIM and 10 August 2026 for CCSP Saver. Core Funding 2026 commenced on 01 September 2026.
In relation to attendance records, we bring your attention to the following extracts from programme rules:
ECCE Rules 8.2 Requirement to Maintain Attendance records
“Weekly attendance formats are highly recommended (as opposed to separately kept daily formats) as they facilitate establishing patterns of attendance”
CCSP Rules 10.2 Requirement to Maintain Attendance records
“Weekly attendance formats are highly recommended (as opposed to separately kept daily formats) as they facilitate establishing patterns of attendance.”
ECCE and CCSP Rules: The Good Practice Guide- Child Attendance Records
‘Don’t use individual daily sheets/diaries. Weekly formats are strongly encouraged. This will facilitate tracking patterns of attendance to assist with keeping registrations up to date.’
Compliance Resources on Hive
The Pobal Compliance team have uploaded the relevant programme compliance support documents which are available on the Early Years Hive under the Compliance – Documents section. The documents are listed below and can also be accessed through the following link
- ECCE Compliance Checklist for Approved Providers 2026/2027
- ECCE Compliance Guide for Approved Providers 2026/2027
- ECCE Post Inspection Rectification Actions for Approved Providers 2026/2027
- CCSP Saver Compliance Checklist for Approved Providers 2026/2027
- CCSP Saver Compliance Guide for Approved Provider 2026/2027
- CCSP Saver Post Inspection Rectification Actions for Approved Providers 2026/2027
- Accessing the Compliance report on Hive 2026/2027
The following documents will be made available under the Compliance- Documents section on Hive in due course.
- AIM Level 7 Compliance Checklist for Approved Providers 2026/2027
- Core Funding Compliance Checklist for Partner Services 2026/2027
Please note – these documents are only supports, intended to assist you. There is an obligation on each Provider to familiarise themselves with their responsibilities under the relevant ECCE, AIM, CCSP Saver and Core Funding contractual conditions and programme rules.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank providers in advance for your continued co-operation with compliance checks.
Regards,
Pobal & DCDE Compliance & Schemes Teams
