FAS&VEC Childcare Places Scheme(CETS)

Postgrad10

Hi Parents,
Just thought you might be interested in this new scheme from the government.
Childcare places will be reserved for children of qualifying parents who are attending a FÁS training course or an educational programme administered by a Vocational Educational Committee (VEC). This covers full day care, half day care, and afterschool places and is for children of all ages in both community and private childcare facilities.
Please see link for terms. http://omc.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/childcare/ECCE_Scheme_Pack/Terms_and_Conditions_CETS_Sept_2010.doc

Bananaramama

I started a VEC course (FETAC 5 Childcare) yesterday and was expecting to get my crèche fees paid via this scheme. I've been on to my local VEC about this for the last two weeks and they have now told me that it does not cover PLC courses!!! When I tried quizzing her on why etc she just got very vague and said that was what she was told. I'm a mature student on the back to Education scheme with 2 children. Does anybody know about the CETS scheme? Looking at the terms and conditions here it just says

"Childcare places will be reserved for children of qualifying parents who are attending a FÁS training course or an educational programme administered by a Vocational Educational Committee (VEC). Qualification for the scheme will be determined by FÁS and the VECs."

Does anyone know what the qualification criteria is? I can't believe I can't qualify somehow? Where can I get more info on this?

Thanks!

SuperTyper

I would speak to the BTEA officer in your college asap. They should be able to answer your questions. Good luck

Martina05

Thats very odd, I'm on the BTEA, due to start a FETAC 5 next week, & it seems I'm eligible to get free creche fees for the year? Its very hard to get any info in the CETS scheme, the creche manager told me I was eligible & that was that, I just booked a place for my son & he's going in tomorrow for a bit. That said, I'm still waiting for official verification.....nobody seems to know the full story on it. I hope somebody hasn't made a mistake, no way can I afford full creche fees.

slave2kids

Hi,
I started DFE dundrum yesterday, and have been told Im not entitled to the CETS for my little one, because Im not on VTOS/BTEA.
BUT THE INFORMATION every where states anyone doing fas/vec is entitled to it.
no one seems to know anything about it, I have rang my local vec and they are saying they dont know anything about it, Fas and local childcare commitee are all off the understanding that it is for anyone doing fas/vec.

I may have to dropped the course because I cant afford to pay the creche fees.

Anyone find out any more on it ?

Martina05

Don't give up yet, I'm starting a Fetac 5 on Monday & I've been told I'm eligible for CETS. I will be on the BTEA, but from what I've researched on CETS, all qualifying Fas/BTEA students are entitled to get it. The only problem is, I can't find the conditions of eligibility are anywhere, even the VEC offices gave me the runaround. Also, even though I've been verbally told I'll be getting the 2 schemes, I still haven't received official confirmation so getting worried. Does anybody else find the whole thing very vague & hard to get info on??????

ilovegalway

We are going through the same process at the moment. There is really a lack of information on CETS.

Martina05

I've found out that only VEC students on VTOS or a scheme such as BTEI are eligible for CETS, the BTEA isn't eligible.

ilovegalway

Can you let me know where any of you found out the criteria. I am specifically interested in regards btei

matizka28

hello, i need to know where can i get the list of free creches in county cork? im startin course on 21/03/2011 and i need to get place for my baby fast before they re all gone... somebody help pls...

Martina05

The quickest way is to contact the creche or information office in your college & they will give you a list, but you do have to move fast

suzerxxx

grr!! i went for an interview today and they told me that they dont do it but there is some scheme that i should apply for but they didnt say where or how and the course starts on monday, is there any link to a website or a phone number i can ring? anyone have any luck finding out about this??

John Mason

the CETs scheme is for FAS and VEC courses only.

you should contact your local county childcare committee, they will have a list of all the facilities in the CETs, ECCE and subvention schemes.

this is a link for a the CCC's

https://www.pobal.ie/Funding%20Programmes/Early%20Education%20and%20Childcare/Pages/CCCContacts.aspx

bredacq

Is this scheme still running and does anyone know what the criteria is? My husband and I are both starting a VEC Course in the next 2 wks and we hope to be either on BTEA or VTOS.

ilovegalway

Told this year vtos or back to education courses not plc qualify for cets. Only 2000 places in whole country.

babsybaby01

When you sign onto the course fas give you a list of creches running the free places....If the person running the course dosent tell you go to your local fas office and they will tell you...Anyone doing a fas course is entitled to free child places

ziggy23

I've applied for this and need a letter from the college stating I'm eligible for CETS, only the college doesnt seem to want to do this. I've rang the VEC and they've said yes some colleges wont do it! It's ridiculous without this letter I can't put my son into creche!

annacanna

ziggy23 wrote: »

I've applied for this and need a letter from the college stating I'm eligible for CETS, only the college doesnt seem to want to do this. I've rang the VEC and they've said yes some colleges wont do it! It's ridiculous without this letter I can't put my son into creche!

the vec should give you a letter and a form saying you need a cets place and the college fills it in and you hand that form into the creche you want a place in. its not up to the college to say you have a need for a cets place

ask the vec for a letter to give to the creche

are you a vtos student or on a fas course? as far as i know these are the only courses that will allow you a cets place

ziggy23

yea rang them again today so they sent me an email to forward on to the college hopefully they'll fill in in now. The VEC had previously said that my letter of acceptance should be fine but no they no the creche now needs a letter signed from the college saying I am eligible. And yes am getting vtos

annacanna

ziggy23 wrote: »

yea rang them again today so they sent me an email to forward on to the college hopefully they'll fill in in now. The VEC had previously said that my letter of acceptance should be fine but no they no the creche now needs a letter signed from the college saying I am eligible. And yes am getting vtos

the vec or your vtos co-ordinator should send you a form that the college fills out, name of course, hours per week, number of weeks etc. and you take that along to your creche of choice and you send a copy back to the vec.

the vec should also have sent you a letter saying that you have a place as a vtos student and have a need for childcare and have being given a cets place you also give this to the creche along with your course acceptance letter.

i went thru all this last week, its alot of work! hope that helps!

ziggy23

annacanna wrote: »

the vec or your vtos co-ordinator should send you a form that the college fills out, name of course, hours per week, number of weeks etc. and you take that along to your creche of choice and you send a copy back to the vec.

the vec should also have sent you a letter saying that you have a place as a vtos student and have a need for childcare and have being given a cets place you also give this to the creche along with your course acceptance letter.

i went thru all this last week, its alot of work! hope that helps!

Cheers Annacanna

Yea see what happened was I was offered a creche near the college with VTOS but my son was already in a local creche beside me and it took him so long to settle into it that I didnt want to move him also it was too long a journey to bring him on every morning (an hour and a half on the bus with a 2 year old:eek:) So I rang up the Childcare committee and asked them could I get a CETS place in the creche he's in at the moment. Oh god don't talk to me about filling in forms its all i've been doing the past few months!!

Weight

Martina05 wrote: »

I've found out that only VEC students on VTOS or a scheme such as BTEI are eligible for CETS, the BTEA isn't eligible.

I get CETS on BTEI which is great VTOS students get childcare but not through the CETS scheme. The only issue with CETS is that I am not attending every day so my children only need school bus two afternoons per week which CETS will only pay for the two afternoons even though you cannot get a place on a bus for two afternoon only so I have to pay the difference every month which sets my back €88 per month. Little compared to the childcare but still a lot out of my budget

Weight

bredacq wrote: »

Is this scheme still running and does anyone know what the criteria is? My husband and I are both starting a VEC Course in the next 2 wks and we hope to be either on BTEA or VTOS.

Yes it is still running you need to ask your VEC centre or where ever your going to give you a letter stating what course you are doing. I think you need to do a minimum of 12 hrs per week to qualify. My VEC centre didnt know anything about this scheme and are now asking me everytime someone enquires about it. VTOS get childcare but not in the same way as CETS. It may be the same scheme but if you are BTEI, you will find your own creche you can contact local childcare commitee for a list and then you apply direct to the creche with letter from school/college. All I know is it is for Qualifying VEC/FAS students NOT VTOS(they organise childcare funding at source)

Eniola

I just had a place in Galway community college to study Advanced child care and supervision Level 6. Need to know if I could qualify for child care CETS. Thank you

MouseTail

Eniola wrote: »

I just had a place in Galway community college to study Advanced child care and supervision Level 6. Need to know if I could qualify for child care CETS. Thank you

Are you getting a VTOS allowance?