ECCE Programme
The ECCE programme is a universal programme available to all children within the eligible age range. It provides children with their first formal experience of early learning prior to commencing primary school. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year and the programme year runs from September to June.
Childcare services taking part in the ECCE scheme must provide an appropriate pre-school educational programme which adheres to the principles of Síolta and Aistear, the national frameworks for early years care and education.
In certain circumstances, a service may receive an exemption from the minimum number of ECCE children required per session. For more information on this please click here Minimum ECCE Enrolment Exemptions
The Exemption form can be downloaded here: Min ECCE Enrolement Exemptions Form
You can also download the Minimum Numbers Check List Quick Guide.
Registering a child on the ECCE
Parents must complete an ECCE Pre Registration Form
The Childcare Service must provide the parent with a Fee Policy and Calendar.
**ECCE Payments Schedule is available to download here: ECCE Payment Schedule
Higher Capitation
The ECCE Higher Capitation rate is equivalent to an additional €11.25 per child per week above the €69.00 standard rate. Where a child is attending a part-time or full-time service that is in receipt of the Higher Capitation rate, the Childcare Provider must reduce the fees paid by the parent/guardian by €64.50 (which was the Standard Capitation rate before the 7% increase in the Standard Capitation rate intended for the benefit of the Service Provider in the 2018 budget). The Higher Capitation Quick Guide is now on the Hive see Higher Capitation Quick Guide
Rules for DCYA Funded Programmes 2020-2021
Fees List and Service Calendar – 2020/21
Service providers are required to develop a Fees List for the ECCE programme that they provide. It is important to capture all the session types that a service provider offers to parents.
The ECCE Fees List must reflect that ECCE funding from the DCYA is not a subvention payment, it is intended to support services providers to provide three free hours per day of ECCE. Please click on the Link here for the How To Guides for ECCE Fees List & Calendar.
Programme Readiness: 2020 / 2021
For Information on the Primary Authorised User, Certification and Online Contracting please click on the link here: How to Guide PAU, Certification and Online Contracting
More Information & Other Scheme Registration Forms
DCYA Childcare Funding Programmes Optional Extras Guide
ECCE Higher Cap FAQ’s
DCYA Change of Circumstances Form
