Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 October 2022
108. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will introduce some flexibility in the ECCE scheme to enable children with disabilities to repeat a pre-school year if needed in order that they can have a successful primary school transition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50602/22]
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.
One of the commitments within First 5, A Government Strategy for Babies and Children, was to undertake an end-of-year-three evaluation of AIM. The report is due to be published over the coming weeks. Subject to evaluation findings and other relevant developments, Department officials will be considering enhancements to, and/or extension of, AIM to, for example, all ELC services and/or to children outside of the eligible age range for the ECCE programme.
This will also link in with the current 12 month review of the ECCE scheme, which is due for completion in Q3 2023. The review will consider whether the programme is meeting its objectives and subject to the findings consider whether any changes need to be made. As part of this review, there will be wide stakeholder engagement.
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.
Overage exemptions to the upper age limit of the ECCE Programme were introduced in 2010 in a context where the ECCE programme was for a year only; and the supports provided under the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) did not exist. It is important to note that the overage exemption for the ECCE programme was never intended as a mechanism to delay a child’s entry to primary school.
A review of overage exemptions, undertaken by the National Disability Authority, concluded that children with disabilities would be better served by starting school with their peers and that overage exemptions should cease once enhanced transition supports available to children.
Pending the development of these enhanced transition supports, as committed to in First 5, overage exemptions remain available in certain circumstances. Parents can get information on how to apply for an overage exemption from their local County Childcare Committee, details of which can be found on www.myccc.ie
I would encourage parents of children attending the ECCE Programme to discuss their concerns as early as possible with the provider and with the Better Start AIM team. Further information on the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) can be found on aim.gov.ie
