ECCE Scheme

hjr

Hi there,

Quick query for people in the know!

My daughter currently goes to crece for one day per week, we reduced her hours due to redundancy in the home.

She turned three in January so just wondering what relief we would be entitled to for her in creche. From what I see she is entitled to 15 hours per week, but is that dependent on her being in for x amount of hours in total, or do we get 15 hours regardless of the amount of time she spends in creche?

Thanks in advance, and hopefully this makes sense

Lovephones

It's actually 3 hours per day, 5 days a week ie you can't do two days of 7 1/2 hours to make up the 15. You also have to register with the creche as the places are pretty high in demand, it runs from September until June but you'd want to register quickly as possible to make sure you get the place for September

hjr wrote: »

Hi there,

Quick query for people in the know!

My daughter currently goes to crece for one day per week, we reduced her hours due to redundancy in the home.

She turned three in January so just wondering what relief we would be entitled to for her in creche. From what I see she is entitled to 15 hours per week, but is that dependent on her being in for x amount of hours in total, or do we get 15 hours regardless of the amount of time she spends in creche?

Thanks in advance, and hopefully this makes sense

Lovephones

Btw the ecce place is free but it follows the same holidays as primary schools, ie. 2 weeks at easter, Xmas etc and a few other mid term breaks, there is an option to pay extra per week to have your child in over these periods if you wished

hjr

Thanks for that. I presumed as much, may put her in for three days, and get nine hours covered. Then pay for another nine as normal, then she has three days of 6 hours each for pretty much same price as now. Now, what to do with the One year old!

Lovephones

hjr wrote: »

Thanks for that. I presumed as much, may put her in for three days, and get nine hours covered. Then pay for another nine as normal, then she has three days of 6 hours each for pretty much same price as now. Now, what to do with the One year old!

Why don't you put her in the 5 days and just pay the extra for the long days you need, be a waste not to use the 15 allocated hours, especially with a one ear old at home too, ;-)

hjr

I know, but at the moment, we pay €30 for 8 hours. So I'm thinking if we maybe put her in for three days, it would cost us about €45, which isn't a huge jump. The other option is to put her in two days, which would cost €30, plus put the one year old in for one day at another €30. That way, they both get time with other kids, and it doesn't cost us a fortune.

Decisions, decisions...hmmm!

hjr

Sorry, should at, that at present the creche is a 50km round trip, so thats another consideration!

Lovephones

hjr wrote: »

Sorry, should at, that at present the creche is a 50km round trip, so thats another consideration!

I know what your saying but if you at least sign her up for the 5 days you will keep them if your circumstances happen to change and worst case scenario you don't use the days you don't need but it's nice to have the option to send her if you need to or just fancy a couple of hours for shopping etc, I work in a creche myself and I've seen so many parents doing what your thinking and then coming back looking for extra days during the year when it's too late to be able to get them, my only advice service think very hard about it :-)

hjr

Might see can I find a closer creche, that way we'd better be able to use three hours per day without any additional costs, and the money being saved could be used for 1 year old to spend time interacting with other kids.

Lovephones

hjr wrote: »

Might see can I find a closer creche, that way we'd better be able to use three hours per day without any additional costs, and the money being saved could be used for 1 year old to spend time interacting with other kids.

If there was a nearer creche I'd definitely recommend that, it's saving you at least €30 per week plus petrol

hjr

Ya, but not sure how keen a creche would be of a new starting just there for the free hours...although I know they get paid from state, but still.....

Lovephones

hjr wrote: »

Ya, but not sure how keen a creche would be of a new starting just there for the free hours...although I know they get paid from state, but still.....

It's set hours so everyone will be there for the ecce at the same time, where I work its from 1.30-4.30 every afternoon, some places may have a morning session but where I work its only afternoons from September so you would need to check the hours before to see if they suit you as all crèches are different

hjr

Interesting, I didn't realise it was set hours like that. That makes a big difference especially if distance is an issue.

Lovephones

hjr wrote: »

Interesting, I didn't realise it was set hours like that. That makes a big difference especially if distance is an issue.

Well where I work its set hours, heck with your daughters creche but to be honest I'd say it's all set hours as the ratios for the ecce scheme are higher than for full day children of the same age so it would make sense for staffing to have everyone on the ecce there at the same time

gabsdot40

Your daughter will qualify for the ECCE starting this coming September.
At that stage she will be entitled to 3 hours per day, 5 days per week of preschool free of charge, for the 38 weeks of the school years.
The preschool gets a payment of 63euro per week. If the child is in full day care then the 63 euro per week can be deducted from the weeks fees. e.g. so if the usual fees are 200 per week then from September you will only pay 137 per week. for the 38 weeks of the school year.
So to get the most value from the free year I would recommend that you enroll your daughter in a more local preschool for the 5 days per week and if you need a her to be minded for a full day then perhaps a childminder

hjr

Thanks gabsdot40,

Is it strictly September it starts? I have heard from one source that it can be started earlier depending on positions vacant in creches?

Lovephones

hjr wrote: »

Thanks gabsdot40,

Is it strictly September it starts? I have heard from one source that it can be started earlier depending on positions vacant in creches?

Yes it runs from September until June

gabsdot40

Lovephones wrote: »

Yes it runs from September until June

Its definitely sept to june.