Over 100,000 children will not be returning to ECCE preschool places next week

The Government has now announced that the The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) pre-school scheme which caters for over 100,000 children nationally will not reopen until January 11.

It comes despite an earlier indication that all childcare and early learning services would remain open in the new phase of Level 5 restrictions.

However, this afternoon, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman said, following consultation with the early learning and childcare sector, he was announcing that the resumption of the ECCE pre-school programme will be postponed until 11 January.

Minister O'Gorman said the Cabinet had now agreed that the pre-school ECCE programme can resume at a slightly later date of January 11. The ECCE pre-school programme is delivered by over 4,000 services nationwide and provides two years of State funded pre-school for all children in the eligible age cohort. Over 100,000 children are currently enrolled on this programme.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme provides early childhood care and education for children of pre-school age. The scheme is offered in early years settings (pre-schools, Montessoris, creches, playgroups) for three hours a day, five days a week, 38 weeks of the year.

All children are entitled to two full academic years on the ECCE scheme.

In a statement, he said: "By postponing the return of these children to the pre-school programme, social mixing will be reduced, which will help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the post-Christmas period. The pre-school programme will now resume on 11 January, in line with the reopening of schools. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth will provide funding to providers for the pre-school programme for the week of 4 to 8 January."

However, he stressed that, early learning and childcare services, including childminders that provide services other than, or in addition to, the pre-school programme, can continue to operate.

"These services provide an essential service which supports parents to go to work."

The Minister said he is asking these services, which are private businesses, to reopen as planned from January 4 to provide childcare, particularly to priority groups. The Department will provide guidance to services on how to prioritise demand for places in their services, if they are short staffed and unable to reopen with a full staff complement for the week of 4 to 8 January."

The change in approach for the ECCE programme comes after Minister O’Gorman met with the Early Learning and Childcare COVID-19 Advisory Group on December 31 to discuss this matter.

The Minister said: "Representatives from the Advisory Group shared their concerns about the full resumption of early learning and childcare from early January. While accepting the need to maintain early learning and childcare for priority groups, the Advisory Group asked that the pre-school programme (ECCE) would be aligned with the reopening of schools on 11 January."