Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 February 2021
633. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to review the early childhood care and education programme entry time; if he will examine a potential exemption for children born prematurely, as a consequence of which, parents feel the child may not be able to enter early education within the current window; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10354/21]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the September start date and a child cannot turn 5 years and 6 months of age during the course of the ECCE programme year.
The ECCE programme is not mandatory, and a parent may choose to delay their child’s entry in to the programme and avail of one year of ECCE only.
Supports are available for children with additional needs through the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) to enable them to take part in ECCE. AIM is a programme of supports designed to ensure that children with additional needs can access the ECCE Programme in mainstream pre-school settings. Its goal is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every child can meaningfully participate in their full two years of the ECCE Programme alongside their peers and can reap the benefits of quality early years care and education.
Parents can receive further information on ECCE and the AIM supports from their local County Childcare Committee, details of which can be found at www.myccc.ie
