We are writing to remind you of the attendance rules for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS), and in particular the flexibility under the Scheme to support families when there are occasional changes to a child’s attendance pattern.

We recognise that there will be occasions where a child’s attendance is less than their registered hours. This could be due to illness, appointments, short-term holidays, early collections and late drop offs. This will not affect the claim.

However, if a child has consistently not attended their registered hours for 8 consecutive weeks, then this must be reported via your weekly return. A notification will be sent to both you and the parent/guardian to advise that if the under-attendance continues for a further 4 weeks, the claimed hours will be reduced. Please take this opportunity to review the agreed hours with the parent/guardian and makes changes if necessary.

If a child has been absent for 4 consecutive weeks, this must be reported via your weekly return.

For more information on absenteeism and under-attendance please click here.

Exemptions

Please be reminded that there are exemptions available for certain circumstances in relation to both absenteeism and under-attendance, for more information on the exemption options available and the criteria required, please click here or see the relevant FAQ here.

Attendance and paid closures

For claim weeks that include a bank holiday or a subsidised closure, there is no additional action required by you, the service provider, provided the closure is correctly entered onto your NCS service calendar.

Regards,

The Early Years Team

Following the circulation of the Provider FAQ after Budget 2027, providers submitted a number of additional questions seeking clarification. Please find attached our responses, which we hope will provide further assistance.

Budget 2027 Provider FAQ: Responses to Follow-Up Queries

Kind regards,

Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Division

The November Review and Confirm window will open from 1 November to 14 November 2026.

This process enables Core Funding payments to continue by facilitating Partner Services to review their most recent application information.

Partner Services can complete their Review and Confirm with two options available:

1. Review and Confirm with Changes
2. Review and Confirm without Changes

Prior to completing the Review and Confirm process, Partner Services must ensure their Service Profile is up to date and their most recent Core Funding application record is at an ‘Approved’ status.  If your application is at ‘Referred back’, you must address the reason for ‘refer back’ prior to completing the November Review and Confirm process.

If you have an Update Due Date populated on your most recently ‘Approved’ Core Funding application record, on or before the 14 November, prior to the date you complete the Review and Confirm process, you must action this as part of your Review and Confirm, choosing the ‘Review and Confirm with Changes’ option.

As per the announcements posted on 19 and 22 October, Partner Services are reminded of the importance of reviewing and ensuring that their Service Profile and Core Funding application information, which is used to calculate Core Funding allocations for Core Funding Programme Year 5 (2026/2027), is accurate and up to date. A guidance document, created by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality’s (DCDE), is available on the Early Years Hive to support Partner Services make updates where there has been a change to a typical week or changes to operating weeks.

If your service requires support, additional resources are available under the Core Funding Documents and Help and Support sections on the Early Years Hive.

Core Funding Payments

After the Review and Confirm window is closed, Core Funding payments will only continue to be processed as per the payment schedule on the Early Years Hive, provided your November Review and Confirm is at an ‘Approved’ status. Please Note: Service Providers who are also eligible for Equal Start Staffing Supports and Bia Blasta for the 2026/2027 programme year may have their payments impacted if the November Review and Confirm is not completed.

If your service requires support, additional resources are available on the Early Years Hive. Your local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) also remain available to assist you in completing your Core Funding application record.

If you require any further help or clarification on any of the above, please contact the Early Years Provider Centre (EYPC) by raising a Service Request.

Regards,
The Early Years Team

You are invited to attend an AIM Level 7 end-to-end process training session. The sessions will be held on 5 and 9 November 2026. Join the Early Years Trainers, Sophie and Christine, to explore the full AIM Level 7 process and journey through AIM Level 7 scenarios.

In this training session, we will explore the AIM Level 7:

• End-to-End Process
• Capitations & Allocations
• Child-Need & Service-Need Reviews
• AIM Level 7 Scenarios

Webinar Registration Links:

• AIM Level 7 End to End Process Training – Session 1: 5 November 2026,10:30 am
• AIM Level 7 End to End Process Training – Session 2: 5 November 2026, 6:30 pm
• AIM Level 7 End to End Process Training – Session 3: 9 November 2026, 2:30 pm  

Please note, the content for each session will be the same.

We kindly ask that questions asked on the day are kept to the topic being covered.

Kind Regards,
The Early Years Team

Please Note:

⚠️ The use of AI-based note-taking or recording tools is not permitted. This helps ensure we remain compliant with GDPR and uphold data privacy standards. Pobal is solely responsible for the distribution of any training materials and can share these through appropriate channels. Unauthorised use of AI tools may result in removal from the session, a request for access to generated content, and its deletion.

As we approach the October mid-term break, we want to remind Partner Services of the importance of reviewing and ensuring that their Service Profile and Core Funding application information, which is used to calculate Core Funding allocations for Core Funding Programme Year 5 (2026/2027), is accurate and up to date.

Please note in particular that if there are changes to the Operating Weeks at a room or service level, a Partner Service must submit an Application Change to reflect the reduction in weeks. Any change to the Operating Weeks per Year alters the level of operations which the Partner Service originally committed to delivering in their original approved Application Module. Therefore, the Change Effective Date associated with any change to the Operating Weeks per Year must be set as the date of submission of the original Core Funding Application Module.

Partner Services are reminded that the Agreement for the Provision of Core Funding Programme year 5(2026/2027) states that “All information about a Partner Service and its Service Profile together with the relevant information about their Core Funding Application on the Early Years Hive must be kept up to date throughout the Programme Year. Failure to update the information may result in their Core Funding allocation being placed on hold or terminated in the manner set out at Clause 7 and 8”.

As per the announcement posted on 19 October, a guidance document, created by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality’s (DCDE), is available on the Early Years Hive to support Partner Services.

This should be read and used alongside the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement, Core Funding Programme Rules, and other guidance documents available on the Early Years Hive.

Your local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) also remain available to assist you in completing your Core Funding application record.

If you require any further assistance or clarification on any of the above, please contact the Early Years Provider Centre (EYPC) by raising a Service Request.

Regards,

The Early Years Team

The backdating deadline for AIM level 1 applications is today.

All applicants are encouraged to submit their application as soon as possible.

Applications received by 5pm on Thursday 22 October 2026 will be awarded the additional capitation from the Inclusion Co-ordinator’s employment start date relevant to the 2026/2027 programme year.

Any applications after this date will not be backdated and funding will commence from the Monday following approval.

Please see ‘How to submit an AIM Level 1 application’ on the AIM Level 1 section of Help & Support on the Early Years Hive for guidance. Service providers must ensure that they have completed their ECCE programme readiness steps and activated the ECCE Funding Agreement.

If you require further assistance in relation to the AIM Level 1 application process, please raise a Service Request on the Hive using the following categories:

• Programme: AIM Level 1
• Request Type: Application
• Request Type Detail: How To

Regards,
The Early Years Team

20 October 2026

National Childminding Week Highlights the Value of Childminders

Childminders play a vital role in cities, towns, villages and communities across Ireland. They support parents to work, study and train, while giving children enriching early learning experiences in a safe, nurturing home-from-home environment.

As demand for high-quality childcare continues to grow, the contribution of childminders has never been more important.

National Childminding Week is a chance to raise awareness of childminding and to celebrate the dedication childminders show every day. It also promotes childminding as a high-quality childcare option, one that offers flexibility, continuity of care and the comfort of a home setting, with benefits that reach well beyond the family.

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley said:

“Childminders make a real and lasting difference to children and families across Ireland. In homes in every county, they help children learn, play and grow in confidence, become a trusted extension of the families they care for, and give parents the reassurance to work, study and train knowing their children are safe, settled and loved.

National Childminding Week is our opportunity to say thank you. I encourage families and communities everywhere to take a moment this week to celebrate the childminders who mean so much to them.”

Throughout National Childminding Week, a range of local events and activities will take place nationwide. These events will provide opportunities for childminders to connect with one another, share experiences, learn about available supports and celebrate the positive impact they have on the lives of the families they support.

To find out about events and activities taking place in your area during National Childminding Week, visit www.letstalkchildminding.ie.

Local Childcare Committees are available to support any childminder, or anyone thinking of becoming one, visit https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/campaigns/city-and-county-childcare-committees/

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• National Childminding Week takes place from 19 to 23 October 2026.
• The week aims to:
  • Celebrate the contribution of childminders to children, families and communities.
  • Raise awareness of childminding as a high-quality childcare option.
  • Promote understanding of the unique benefits of childminding.
  • Provide opportunities for childminders to connect, share experiences and learn about available supports.
• Events and activities will take place nationwide throughout the week.
• Further information is available at www.letstalkchildminding.ie.

With apologies, the list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the impacts of Budget 2027 on the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare sector which we shared with you a short time ago was not the final version.

Ignore that last email and instead, please access the finalised FAQs by clicking this link here: Budget 2027 FAQs for Providers

Kind regards,

Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Division

As Early Learning and Care settings complete their Quality and Inclusive Practice Plans (QIPPs), the Better Start Quality Development Service is available to support the implementation of quality development goals identified within the plan.

Through on-site and online mentoring, Better Start Early Years Specialists work alongside settings to support reflection, quality improvement and meaningful practice development linked to their identified priorities.

If you would like mentoring support as part of your QIPP, you can apply through the Early Years Hive and select Better Start Quality Development Service as a quality development action.

Not sure if mentoring is right for your setting? You can raise a request through the Early Years Hive to speak with a member of the Better Start Quality Development Service team. We would be happy to discuss how mentoring works and explore how we can support your quality development goals.

View our short video to learn more about mentoring and how to apply through Hive.

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