I would like to inform the Deputy that the deadline for the submission of Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) registrations on the Programmes Implementation Platform (PIP) was extended from 5pm on 21 October 2016 until 6pm on 24 October 2016.
It should be noted that Community services running the CCS programme were informed that children for whom subvention was required had to be in attendance between 19th September 2016 and 14th October 2016. This attendance snapshot window of 4 weeks is an expansion on the one week permitted in previous years. The CCS eligibility window of 12th September 2016 to 14th October 2016 was announced on the Programmes Implementation Platform (PIP) homepage at the time of the launch of the programme for the 2016/17 year.
My Department will contact the Department of Social Protection after the registrations deadline for their assistance with supplying allowance details against the PPSNs supplied in relation to the CCS eligibility timeframe. The PPSNs will also be verified through the Health Service Executive (HSE) database in relation to medical cards and GP Visit cards (6 yrs +). When the Bands have been assigned and approved on the PIP system, the parents, through their childcare service providers, will have a further 4 weeks in which to appeal their Band decision. Therefore a parent or child, who had been approved for a medical card during the eligibility window, but had not physical proof of same, still has time in which to make an appeal.
With regard to the differences in the operation of the CCS programme between the community and private childcare providers, I wish to clarify that the private providers with a Community Childcare Subvention (Private) contract are paid only for the attendance of a child based on their CCS eligibility and may obtain 2 weeks payment if no notice is given for a child leaving their service. However, on the other hand, the community providers running the CCS programme are informed of their annual CCS allocation based on the verification process, which may or may not increase following appeals. The childcare service may then organise their financial planning for the year. Their CCS funding for the year may only decrease if the service manager releases the CCS funding if a child leaves or if they choose to close earlier in the year than planned.
Finally, I would like to add that the Department is currently looking at the possibility of providing more flexibility for community childcare providers with regard to the submission of registrations under the CCS programme in advance of the introduction of the Single Affordable Childcare Programme which should allow for rolling registrations.
