ELC/SAC/ Childminding Services
Setting up an ELC or SAC
If you are considering opening a childcare service, Tipperary County Childcare Committee
provides a wide range of guidance and resources to support you through the process. You
can explore the information available on our website or contact us directly
at gerboland@tccc.ie for further assistance.
Initial Consultation (Phone or Email)
Our phone and email consultations offer an overview of the key requirements involved in
establishing a childcare service, including:
- The registration process with Tusla
- Planning permission and fire safety regulations
- Insurance requirements
- National Vetting Bureau (Garda Vetting): https://vetting.garda.ie
- Tusla Early Years Regulations: https://www.tusla.ie/services/preschoolservices/early-years-regulations/
- Qualification requirements and available training opportunities
- Information on national childcare funding schemes such as:
- Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme
- Community Childcare Subvention
- Training and Employment Childcare Scheme
We will also guide you on how to apply to participate in these schemes.
Face-to-Face Meetings
For those progressing further, we offer in-depth, face-to-face consultations. During these
sessions, we will:
- Explore all regulatory and operational requirements in greater detail
- Provide tailored advice specific to your proposed service
- Support you in carrying out a needs analysis
Thinking of Becoming a Childminder?
If you are a childminder or are interested in becoming a childminder, Tipperary Childcare Committee provides a number of supports such as network and training events, setting up your service, policies and procedures as well as funding opportunities and ongoing support.
- A childminding service involves an individual taking care, by themself, of children under the age of 15 years, for payment, in the childminder’s home.
- A childminder is self-employed and provides a paid childcare service for a minimum of 2 hours a day in their own home.
- If you are employed by a child’s parents and you look after the child/children in their home, you cannot register as a childminder.
- If you only mind children who are closely related to you, e.g. your grandchildren or nieces/nephews, you do not need to register as a childminder.
See new Regulations and Explanatory Guidance below:
Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Childminding Services) Regulations 2024
Under the new Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services ) (Childminding Services) Regulations 2024 all childminders must register with Tusla.
To register with Tusla you must have the following documents:
Garda Vetting & Police clearance for the childminder & emergency cover person/s
- Two references
- Proof of identity
- Copy of insurance certificate
- Certificates for Pre-Registration Training, First Aid training and Children First Training
The Childminding pre-registration training is a mandatory course for anyone who intends to register with Tusla for a childminding service.
To take this training course you must be:
- 18 years old or over
- Self-employed and providing a paid childcare service in your own home
- Either currently working as a childminder and intending to register with Tusla, or Intending to work as a childminder and register with Tusla
If you are unsure as to whether or not you are eligible to register with Tusla, contact your local Childminding Development Officer for information and support.
The aim of the training programme is to help you:
- Understand the new childminding regulations.
Apply the regulations to your childminding practice. - Understand the Tusla registration process for childminders.
- Understand the documentation required to register with Tusla.
- Access supports and resources.
To register your interest in attending a Pre-Registration course, please click on the link below to complete the expression of interest form:
For further information please contact us on 062 64200 or email aideenmccormack@tccc.ie
Pre-school Regulations
Please refer to Early Years (Pre School) Inspectorate section of the Tusla Website for more information on the Pre-School Regulations, Registration, Inspection Reports and other useful information in relation to the provision and inspection of Early Years (Childcare) Services. We have linked some of this information below.
Tusla has produced a question and answer document on the above regulations. It was developed following briefing sessions that the Early Years Inspectorate had with the sector in May and June 2016. Questions gathered came from providers, city & county childcare committees and from stakeholder groups. See the full Regulations 2016 FAQ – Version 3 1st March 2017.
For Registration System – please go to New Registrations Tusla – Child and Family Agency.
Register of Early Years Services by County here.
Pobal Compliance Visit
Pobal is contracted, on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Affairs (DCEDIY), to conduct compliance visits with each participating childcare service who operates one or more of the National Childcare Programmes:
ECCE: Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme
CCSP: Community Childcare Subvention Plus Scheme
NCS: National Childcare Scheme
The purpose of the Compliance Visit is to verify that:
That the children who have been registered with the DCEDIY under one of the Childcare Schemes are actually enrolled in and attending the service.
That the service is implementing the Fee Payment Policy approved by Roscommon Childcare Committee.
That the Fee Payment Policy, Parent Letters (where applicable),Calendars (where applicable) and Parental Statement are displayed in the service and that a copy signed by the parent/guardian of each child is on file.
That records are maintained of optional extra charges, deposits, voluntary donations and/or fees for additional hours and are in accordance with the Approved Fee Payment Policy of the service.
Evidence of the qualifications of staff working directly with ECCE children. Services in receipt of the Standard Capitation will have the qualifications of the Room Leader checked. Services in receipt of the Higher Capitation will have qualifications of both the Room Leader and Assistant checked.
For more information on Pobal Compliance visits see the Pobal Website:
Childcare Funded Programmes
There are Government funded childcare support schemes in operation. Childcare services enter into a contract with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to receive funding to deliver childcare through the support schemes.
Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE)
If a child is eligible for the September start date but the parent decides not to start him/her for a little longer. The child can still join in on the ECCE scheme but will not get the full 2 years.
National Childcare Scheme (NCS)
The National Childcare Scheme provides subsidies to help parents meet the cost of quality Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare. It will replace all previous targeted childcare support programmes with a single, streamlined and user friendly Scheme.
Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) Saver Programme
The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) replaced a number of childcare supports, including the CCSP Saver Programme. If you are already on the CCSP Saver Programme, you can choose to stay on this as long as you are eligible, or until you transfer to another scheme.
The CCSP Saver Programme helps disadvantaged parents and parents in training, education or low-paid employment to get childcare at reduced rates. The subvention is available to children going to a participating Tusla registered childcare service.
Equal Start
Equal Start is a funding model and a set of associated universal and targeted measures to support access and participation in early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) for children and their families who experience disadvantage.
Access and Inculusion Model
Does your child have a disability or additional need and require support to participate in the preschool classroom? The AIM Access and Inclusion Model could help! For information about AIM and the application process please see the website below.
Children First
Children First is National Guidance that promotes the protection of children from abuse and neglect. It states what organisations need to do to keep children safe, and what different bodies and the general public should do if they are concerned about a child’s safety and welfare.
A new child protection and welfare training course for the early years sector is now available and is being delivered by accredited trainers in Tipperary Childcare Committee.
There are three levels to this training:
Foundation Level:
The first level of training to be offered is Child Protection & Welfare: Foundation Level. This is a Child & Family Agency accredited module that has been developed for the early years sector. The new programme replaces the ‘Keeping Safe’ child protection training course. This free series of workshops is held over one full day (6 hours) or two evenings (3 hours each evening). It is a recommended course for all childcare providers. This certificate lasts three years after this time you are required to do a refresher.
Refresher Course:
The Children First Refresher course is for practitioners who participated in the full foundation level children First training and their certificates are now due for renewal. This Course is run over 1 evening.
Developing a Children First Policy Course:
A key element of effective child safeguarding is the development and
implementation of a robust Child Protection and Welfare Policy. The purpose of this course is to support early years services to develop, implement and review their Child Protection and Welfare Policy.
The information in this course and its documentation has been derived from: Children First:National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children and Our Duty to Care – The Principles of Good Practice for the Protection of Children and Young People, it will support services to develop policies which are consistent with both. This Course is run over one evening.
For further information on any of the above courses please check the calendar on the home page or email : info@tccc.ie
Protection Services
Mandatory Reporting and Child Safeguarding Statements – New Requirements
Theresa Sweeney, National Coordinator, Early Years Child Protection Programme
There are new legal obligations for early years service providers in the area of child protection and welfare. This article looks at what they are and what they mean for early years services.
Mandatory reporting of child abuse concerns and the requirement to publish a Child Safeguarding Statement are about to become law. From December 11, 2017, when the Children First Act 2015 is fully commenced, there will be new legal requirements in the area of child protection for professionals and services with a key role in the lives of children and families. Early Years services and the people who work in them will have new legal obligations under the act.
| On December 11, 2017 |
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| On March 11, 2018 |
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Mandated Persons
Mandated persons are people who have contact with children and families and who, because of their qualifications, training and/or employment role, are in a key position to help protect children from harm. All persons carrying on or running a registered pre-school service and all who are employed in them as childcare staff are Mandated Persons. Mandated Persons will have a legal obligation to report child protection concerns over a certain threshold to Tusla.
You are a mandated person if you are:
- A person carrying on a pre-school service within the meaning of Part VIIA of the Child Care Act 1991.
- A childcare staff member employed in a pre-school service within the meaning of Part VIIA of the Child Care Act 1991
Child Safeguarding Statement
A Child Safeguarding Statement is a written statement that specifies the service being provided and the principles and procedures to be observed in order to ensure, as far as practicable, that a child availing of the service is safe from harm. It includes a risk assessment, measures to manage any risks and a number of mandatory safeguarding policies and procedures. Early years services (including preschools and school age services) who employ at least one other person will have a legal obligation to publish a Child Safeguarding Statement. Services will have 3 months from December 11, 2017 to comply.
If you are a pre-school or a school-age service who employs one or more persons you are legally required to have a Child Safeguarding Statement.
New Children First National Guidance
Children First National Guidance for the Protection & Welfare of Children has been updated to include these new provisions and contains important information for professionals working with children and organisations providing services to children. Everyone working in an early years service should read and be familiar with the new Guidance document. All early years services will be provided with a copy over the coming weeks.
The Children First Guidance, the e-learning course and a number of other useful resources can be found at www.tusla.ie
These new requirements are a further, welcome step towards keeping children safe from harm by ensuring that all child protection concerns are passed to Tusla and that organisations providing services to children have taken all the measures necessary to protect the children in their care.
More information
- The Early Years Child Protection Programme will run regional briefing sessions in early 2018 on the new requirements.
- Tusla have launched an e-learning programme, Introduction to Children First, an interactive course that provides introductory information on the new legal requirements and it recommended that all staff and providers of early years services complete it. It can be accessed at tusla.ie
- Children First Guidance and a number of other useful resources can be found at tusla.ie
Qualification Requirements
The minimum qualification of Level 5 on the National Framework for Qualifications, is required for all staff working with children in Early Years Services from 31st December 2016.
DCDE Early Years Recognised Qualifications
The DCDE has published a list of recognised qualifications, for the purposes of meeting the minimum qualification requirement in the pending Early Years Regulations and for meeting the contractual requirements for the DCDE Childcare Funding Programmes.
This list enables employees working in the Early Years sector in Ireland to verify whether the qualifications they hold will be recognised under the pending Early Years Regulations.
It also sets out the qualifications that will be recognised for the purposes of the DCDE Childcare Programmes, in particular, if the qualification they hold meets the requirement for the room leader in the ECCE programme and for a service to receive the ECCE Higher Capitation rate.
Where a qualification is not published on the list of DCDE Early Years Recognised Qualifications but the holder considers it to be an appropriate Major Award at Level 5 on the NFQ or equivalent, the holder can apply to have their qualification assessed for approval.
The list of ‘Early Years DCDE Recognised Qualifications’ can be accesses here.
The list will be updated on a regular basis as other qualifications are approved.
ECCE Capitation Payments
As part of the Early Years Quality Agenda, new qualification requirements for Early Years (Childcare) staff have been introduced. All staff caring for children in an Early Years service will be subject to a minimum qualification requirement of Level 5 or equivalent from the 1st January 2017.
The minimum qualification for all Pre-School Leaders, delivering the ECCE programme, is Level 6 (on the National Framework for Qualifications).
Payment under the ECCE programme is by way of capitation fees which are paid directly to the service provider. A capitation fee is payable in respect of each eligible child enrolled in the ECCE programme, on a pro-rata basis if applicable.
Core Funding
Core Funding is a new strand of funding to Early Learning and Care (ELC) and/or School Age Childcare (SAC) providers which will form part of the new funding model as recommended by an Expert Group and approved by Government in December 2021.
The Core Funding Programme will support partner services (ELC/SAC providers who has entered Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement) in meeting their operating costs, including increased costs related to improved quality measures, in return for a commitment that fees to parents will not increase. The majority of Core Funding will be allocated to partner services based on their capacity. Services with graduate-led provision will also be able to attract a graduate premium.