Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme a crèche supplement is available to assist with the cost of child-care where there is a proven and verified on-going need due to individual circumstances, usually where a child may be in difficult circumstances, and would benefit by attending a community crèche.
A crèche supplement will only be considered where a Public Health Nurse or Health Service Social Worker recommends that a child, in difficult circumstances, would benefit by attending a community crèche or that the parent(s) of a child needs to avail of counselling services, addiction treatments or similar and that crèche services are necessarily required to facilitate this.
In general, where on-going provision of community child care services is required to meet particular social needs in an area, funding from sources other than under the supplementary welfare allowance may be more appropriate.
It is advised that the person referred to by the Deputy contacts their local Department representative administering the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to assess their entitlement to this scheme.