Getting Started and Accessing Supports
Where you have agreed to enrol a child in your pre-school and consider that you will need additional support to meet the needs of the child in an inclusive way, you can, in partnership with the parent, apply for supports under AIM. Applications are made via the Programmes Implementation Platform (PIP) on the Pobal website.
The AIM application process, in advance of each new pre-school year, will open in May in order to enable the relevant supports to be put in place prior to the child commencing on the ECCE programme in the September.Please note that for some very specialised equipment more time is required.
A telephone support line is also available to you at the following (contact (01) 511 7222 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday).
Applications can only be made with the full consent of the parent or guardian or carer. A copy of the parental consent form can be viewed here. This form should be printed and signed by the parent or guardian or carer and should then be uploaded and submitted with the completed online application. In providing consent for an application to be made, the parent is also providing consent for information on the application to be shared with relevant professionals involved in processing the application and providing supports under AIM (eg. Early Years Specialist, HSE occupational therapist, Pobal officials).
Where an application for supports has been made, Pobal will process the application and will inform both the parent and the pre-school provider of the decision reached. Where a pre-school provider, in partnership with a parent, is unhappy with the decision reached by Pobal, they can seek a review. More detail in relation to the process of decision making is available at www.pobal.ie.