With the free Pre-School Year Scheme in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) set to start in the new year the Wicklow County Childcare Committee has been offering parents advice. The scheme was announced as part of the last budget and is being introduced by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, with local work carried out by the Wicklow County Childcare Committee.
Jeremy Kynaston, co-ordinator of WCCC, is letting parents know that the first year of the scheme will be shorter than those that follow. 'Children who were born between 2 February 2005 and 30 June 2006, will be eligible for the free Pre-School Year from January next. As it was not possible to have arrangements in place by September of this year, the first year of the scheme will be shorter than in future years, starting in January rather than September.' Parents of children in the age range can avail of the free Pre-School Year by enrolling their child in a local participating pre-school service.
According to Jeremy, 'the majority of pre-school services in the county are participating in the scheme and many are advertising that they will have places available. If a parent hasn't enrolled a child in this range for a PreSchool Year place, they should do so now.' Parents of children born between February 2 2006 and June 30 2007 will be eligible for the following Pre-School Year starting in September 2010, providing that they didn't register for the scheme starting from January 2010. There is also slight differences between the services playschool services and creche places. Jeremy explains, 'a free pre-school year in a playschool will generally last for three hours a day, five days a week over the primary school year, 38 weeks in a full year, 23 weeks from January to June. The service will be paid the full €64.50 per week for each pre-school place, and parents won't have to make any payments to the service.'
Participating pre-schools and creches can offer additional services to parents for which charges are made, but these may only be offered on an optional basis. Plus parents who don't want to avail of such services must still be provided with a full pre-school year in early learning for their children or child. These additional services could include extra hours, meals or special classes.
Parents can contact WCCC at 0404 64455.
Myles BUCHANAN, Irish Independent, December 2009
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