The Department of Children and Youth Affairs now invites Private Childcare Providers, actively in contract with the DCYA under at least one of the other childcare funding programmes (ECCE and/or TEC), to submit expressions of interest to enter into contract to deliver CCS.
Other terms:
- Administration of the programme shall be the responsibility of Pobal, on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, via the Programmes Implementation Platform (PIP). The Term of the contract shall be from February 2016 to August 2016, after which new contracts will be agreed in conjunction with the official programmes contracting period in 2016.
- Participating services must demonstrate tax compliance.
- Participating services must agree to use grant funding received under the Community Childcare Subvention programme to reduce, by the subvention amount received, the childcare fees charged to qualifying parents of children attending the service.
- Parents will qualify for reduced childcare fees where they meet the CCS criteria (as at the date of registration/childcare start date), outlined in the DCYA Childcare Funding Programmes Information and Frequently Asked Questions.
- CCS Funding will be granted to cover childcare, as per the level of service registered and approved on the Programme Implementation Platform (PIP), from the childcare start date to the childcare end date or until the child leaves the service if earlier than the initial childcare end date registered.
- Services will be required to complete all contractual requirements and have a counter-signed contract in place with the DCYA before registering children for the CCS Programme for private providers.
- All approved providers will be required to submit for approval, a Fees Policy to their local CCC which demonstrates that the appropriate reductions in childcare fees for qualifying parents will be applied. This is not required to happen before contracts are made active.
- Providers must be aware that the registration process and eligibility validation process takes a period of time after initial registration to confirm approval of funding. While a provisional payment will be made to the service provider based on proposed eligibility, this funding is subject to being refunded to the DCYA where approval is not confirmed. Therefore, service providers should satisfy themselves of proof of eligibility before passing on the subvention to the parent or charge the normal fee until such time as funding has been approved. Once funding has been approved the parent must be refunded back-dated to date from which funding is provided.
How much does the DCYA pay for CCS funded places and what is the eligibility criteria?
Details of CCS eligibility criteria including, Band types and weekly funding amounts may be found on the DCYA Website (www.dcya.ie) or PIP Homepage (www.pobal.ie) under ‘DCYA Childcare Funding Programmes Information and Frequently Asked Questions’. * Different to that of CCS provision in the community sector is that for private providers the eligibility criteria is based as of the date of the child’s registration/childcare start date on the PIP system rather than the ‘snap-shot week’ used for the community sector. Funding approval is on a ‘first come first serve basis’ within the limits of the assigned budget (or redirected budget) for private providers by CCC area.
How will I register children for the CCS funding? Once a CCS (Private) Contract has been countersigned with the DCYA, the DCYA will make the CCS Private (CCSP) Contract active on the PIP System, which will allow CCSP registration forms to be completed. You will already be familiar with the PIP system from the ECCE and/or TEC Programmes. A ‘CCSP How to Guide for Service Providers’ (which will be available from the PIP Homepage) will detail instructions on how to register children for CCSP funding on the PIP system.
I want to apply! What do I do next? Send an e-mail to express your interest in applying for a CCS (Private) Contract to CCSPrivate2015@dcya.gov.ie with the following information:
- Name of your childcare service
- Existing DCYA Reference No. (e.g. 12DY00XX)
- Current postal address of your childcare service
- Proposed CCSP session types to be offered (full-time, part-time, etc.)
- The number of CCSP children you expect to be able to register
If your service already has a contract with the DCYA to run the ECCE and/or TEC Programmes, an application form will be issued, along with a CCSP Contract for completion and signing. Your completed application form and CCSP Contract will be processed upon their return to the DCYA. Contracts will only be countersigned on receipt of all required information.
Online application forms should be available on PIP from week ending the 18th March. Please check PIP announcements for more information on the application guidelines.