Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)

The benefits for children of quality early childhood care and education are well documented.

Under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, all eligible children in the Republic of Ireland are entitled to free early childhood care and education (otherwise known as ‘free pre-school’) in the period before they start primary school.

With effect from September 2018, there will only be one intake of children in September each year – increasing all children’s participation on the ECCE programme to two full pre-school years, (please see the ECCE eligibility calendar).

In order to support children with a disability to access free pre-school, a major new programme of supports, the Access and Inclusion Mode (AIM), has been introduced.

Next page:  Access and Inclusion Model