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5th December 2022
01:02pm GMT

Together for Better brings together three major schemes, as follows:
The National Childcare Scheme (NCS), which provides two types of subsidy to offset against fees: Universal subsidies and Income Assessed Subsidies. Universal Subsidies are available to all families with children between 24 weeks and 15 years of age, and is not means-tested. Income Assessed Subsidies are available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years. This subsidy is means-tested and will be calculated based on the applicants' individual circumstances. You can find a full list of NCS subsidies and changes that will come into effect from 2 January right HERE.
At present only Tusla-registered childminders are able to offer the National Childcare Scheme. Currently, the legislation prevents most childminders from registering with Tusla. Work is underway through the National Action Plan for Childminding, to extend regulation to all paid non-relative childminders, which will open the National Childcare Scheme to a much wider cohort of childminders.
Together for Better Partner Services must offer the NCS and/or ECCE to all eligible parents to ensure that parents can avail of their full entitlement to subsidised early learning and childcare provision. Parents in participating services will receive a Parent Statement, explaining the Partner Services commitments under Together for Better in relation to fees and, the ECCE programme and NCS.
Together for Better supports improved quality of services by better enabling providers to attract and retain qualified staff; pay the new rates of pay introduced under the recent Employment Regulation Order; establish career structures; introduce or improve other features of high-quality provisions, such as non-contact time, planning, training, and curriculum implementation.
Together for Better is already having an impact with more than 4,000 Partner Services who have increased financial stability, 25,000 staff in the sector receiving pay increases, 200,000 children and their families who stand to benefit from greater affordability and better quality of services.
If you are already receiving a subsidy through the National Childcare Scheme then you will not need to make any change in order to benefit from the new uplift in subsidy which will apply automatically from 2nd January 2023. If your provider is registered with Together for Better and you are not receiving the National Childcare Scheme and want to find out more, you can go to www.ncs.gov.ie or call the NCS Parent Support Centre Monday to Friday 9am-5 pm on 01 9068530.
Parents can also contact their local City/County Childcare Committee if they have any questions about Together for Better: https://myccc.ie/where-is-my-nearest-ccc
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