Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 July 2018
827. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the child care supports available to lone parents; the criteria to access such supports; the costs involved; and the age limitations in place. [30843/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department administers a wide range of subsidised childcare programmes which one parent families may avail of, depending on their circumstances.
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE):
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a free pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. From September 2018, all children meeting the minimum age requirement of 2 years and 8 months will be eligible for a full two programme years. It provides children with a formal early learning experience prior to commencing primary school. The programme is provided three hours per day, five days per week, 38 weeks per year over the two years.
Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP):
These programmes provide childcare funding support, targeting low income families, in community childcare services and private childcare services, relative to the status of the parent/s with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. They are available to children from six months to 15 years of age. (Please see table 1 below). For example, a parent in receipt of One Parent Family Payment may received a maximum of €145 per week per child in subsidies towards childcare fees.
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Table 1 CCS/CCSP Band Eligibility |
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Level of service |
Band A (with medical card) |
Band AJ (with medical card) |
Band B |
Band D |
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§ One Parent Family Payment § Widow’s/Widower’s Pension § Pre-retirement Allowance § Farm Assist § State Pension § Blind Pension § Guardian’s Payment § Illness/Injury Benefit § Disability Allowance § Carer’s Benefit/ Allowance § Back to Work Enterprise/Education Allowance § Community Employment / Rural Social Scheme § Domiciliary Care Allowance § Family Income Supplement (FIS) § Secondary School students § Invalidity Pension § Disablement Pension § Official Tusla Referrals (no medical card required) § HSE Public Health Nurse referrals (no medical card required) § TÚS § Part-time Job Incentive Scheme Gateway § Gateway |
§ Job Seekers Benefit/ Allowance* § Supplementary Welfare Allowance** |
§ Medical Card § Parents who are in receipt of Social Welfare payments listed under Band A/AJ but have no medical card |
§ GP Visit Card*** (6yrs+ only) § Parents who no longer qualify for Band A/AJ this year but who were verified as being on Band A/AJ at the end of the previous school year |
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Full-day payment (5 hrs +) |
€145 |
€80 |
€70 |
€50 |
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Part-time payment (3:31 – 5:00) |
€80 |
€80 |
€35 |
€25 |
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Sessional payment (2:16 – 3:30) |
€45 |
€45 |
€25 |
€17 |
|
Half-session payment (1:00 – 2:15) |
€22.50 |
€22.50 |
€12.50 |
€8.50 |
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*parents who qualify for Band AJ under Jobseeker’s allowance/benefit receive maximum subvented childcare of €80 for full day care per week **parents who qualify for Band AJ under Supplementary Welfare Allowance payments receive maximum subvented childcare of €80 for full day care per week |
Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) Programmes:
These programmes provide childcare funding support for parents participating in eligible Education and Training Boards /Solas vocational training courses, Community Employment (CE) programmes, or returning to employment (please see table 3 below). The maximum subsidy provided is €145 per child per week. These subsidies are available to children up to 15 years of age.
- After-School Child Care Scheme (ASCC) - provides afterschool care for primary school children for certain categories of working parents and parents on Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection employment programmes (not including Community Employment).
- formerly FAS and VEC) and Secondary Schools.
- Community Employment Childcare (CEC) - provides per-school (PS) and after-school (AS) childcare for children of parents who are participating on Community Employment schemes.
Table 3
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Targeted Programmes: Funding Amounts |
Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) (pro-rata up to 5 days per week) |
After-School Childcare (ASCC) (pro-rata up to 5 days per week) |
Community Employment Childcare Pre-school (CEC PS) Flat Rate*- 5 days per week) |
Community Employment Childcare After- School Childcare (CEC AS) Flat Rate - 5 days per week) |
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Full-Day Weekly Payment (5 to 10 hours per day) |
€145pw |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
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Part-time Weekly |
€80pw + 14wk top-up at €65 extra |
N/A |
€80pw |
N/A |
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Payment |
per week |
* pro-rata when full- |
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(3:31-5:00 hours per day) |
time childcare used a couple of days and child is in ECCE also |
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Sessional Weekly Payment (2:16-3:30 hours per day) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Half Session Weekly Payment(1:00- 2:15 hours per day) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
After-School (up to 3:30 hours per day) |
€45pw + 14wk top-up at €100 extra per week |
€45pw + 10 wk top-up at €100 extra per week |
N/A |
€45pw + 10wk top- up to part-time at €35 extra per week |
|
After-School + Transport |
€80pw + 14wk top-up at €65 extra per week |
€80pw + 10 wk top-up at €65 extra per week |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Maximum Parental |
Full-Day €25pw |
€15pw |
€15pw |
€15pw |
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Contribution (pro-rata applicable) |
Part-time €15pw After-School €5pw After-School with Transport €15pw |
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* Subvention plus parental |
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contribution combined |
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cannot exceed the cost of |
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the place as per service fees |
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list |
Universal Subsidy (CCSU):
As part of its plan to make childcare more affordable, my Department introduced a universal subvention payment from September 2017. This subsidy is available for all parents who are not in receipt of any other childcare subsidy for children aged from 6 months to the first eligible point of entry to the ECCE programme (approximately 3 years of age). (Please see table 2 below)
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Table 2 Universal Subsidy (CCSU) rates |
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UCS Session Type |
Weekly Subsidy |
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Full-time (i.e. 5 hours plus per day) |
€20 |
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Part-time (i.e. 3:31 to 5 hours per day) |
€10 |
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Sessional (i.e. 2:16 to 3:30 per day) |
€7 |
|
Half-sessional (i.e. 1:15 to 2:15 per day) |
€3.50 |
Community Childcare Subvention Resettlement (CCSR):
This programme provides up to 60 weeks of childcare support on a part-time basis to Programme Refugees to support their resettlement and integration into Irish society, up to 5 days per week for children aged 0 – 5 years and for primary school going children during the school holidays. The parents are not charged a fee.
Community Childcare Subvention Resettlement (Transitional) (CCSR(T)): As part of the “Rebuilding Ireland – an Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness” the DCYA provides access to free childcare on a part-time and sessional basis for pre-school children (ages 0 – 5) and primary school going children during the school holidays only of families experiencing homelessness. In addition, a daily meal is provided for each child. The parents are not charged a fee.
The Affordable Childcare Scheme:
The above schemes, with the exception of ECCE, will be replaced with a single scheme, the Affordable Childcare Scheme when it is introduced. The legislation for this scheme, the Childcare Support Act, was signed off by the President last week. This new scheme will further enhance childcare supports for many parents including lone parents. Further details can be found at www.affordablechildcare.ie
