Community Childcare Subvention Scheme

ECCE/CCS 2010 Timeline click here

CCSS updates

The OMCYA have announced that the CCSS (2006-2010) is to be superseded from the 1st September 2010 by a new Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) Scheme. The CCS is a mainstream scheme, and there is no end date associated with it.  Contracts will be entered into on a rolling one-year basis.

Band A

• This band will now include recipients of Family Income Supplement

• Weekly Subvention for recipients of Jobseekers Benefit/Assistance will be capped at 2 ½ days per week, i.e. a part-time place each day.  The rate is unchanged, and so full capitation will apply to such parents availing of sessional and half-day places, but where the child attends full daycare, no more than €50 subvention will apply per week.  This will NOT apply to other Band A parents, e.g. One Parent Family Payments.

Band B & C

• Band C parents (i.e. low income working parents above the FIS threshold e.g. medical and GP visit card holders) will be reclassified as Band B.  This new Band B may also apply to parents who were Band A last year, although most of these are expected to qualify for Band A as a result of the re-classification of FIS.

Sessional & Part Time Places

• Places of exactly 3 hours 30 minutes duration will be brought in line with the Pre-School Regulations, and will be classified as sessional places.  Places of at least 3 hours 31 minutes, but no more than 5 hours duration, will continue to be counted as part-time places

Other Changes

• The baby supplement of €30 p.w. will be discontinued

• The minimum grant for services on the islands or isolated rural locations will be retained at the current rate.

CCS & ECCE

The CCS year will be in line with that of the ECCE scheme (September-August), and services will make their first CCS returns in September 2010. The effect of this is that the CCSS return made in January will calculate subvention levels for the period January-August 2010 (i.e. 8 months). All calculations for January-August funding will therefore apply on a pro-rata basis, including any relevant top-ups.
Services that made an October return have been awaiting their 2010 amounts, and these have been held pending today’s decision.  These will now be re-calculated and sent out over the coming weeks, based on the 8-month period January-August 2010.
If you have any queries about the information contained in this note please contact your project development officer in South Dublin County Childcare Committee.

Pobal have recently updated and revised all the Frequently Asked Questions about the CCSS 2006-2010. 

Supports

We’re rolling out additional supports for Community Childcare Providers in receipt of CCSS Funding including the following:

• Practical supports to help you complete your returns to Pobal (Pobal Returns Page)
• Supports to develop your fee policies and procedures
• Upcoming Finance & Sustainability Pack
• Help to work out what the ECCE Scheme means for your service