WELCOME TO
CORK COUNTY CHILDCARE COMMITTEE

• TODAY 17 October: 

Deadline for the Learner Fund Bursary for Graduates and Childminders.

• 13 October – 19 October:

Application change in the Core Funding Application for Staff Funding Additional Contribution

• 23 October:

AIM L1 application deadline to receive payments from employee start date for 25/26 programme.

• 31 October:

Deadline for 2025/26 Quality and Inclusive Plan (QIPP)

To avail of the Staff Funding Additional Contribution, eligible partner services must submit an Application Change between 10am 13 – 19 October 2025 in order to generate the allocation for this funding. The Change Effective will be 13/10/2025 in the ‘Staff Member and/or Capacity Change Effective Date Field. Further information can be found on the HIVE under announcements.

All services in receipt of AIM capitation will benefit from a 10 percent capitation increase from October 13th. This will match the 10 percent increase in the minimum rates of pay for early years educators and school age practitioners, which have been provided for in a new Employment Regulation Order.

Force Majeure Guidelines are now available on HIVE. These guidelines are designed to support services when applying for Force Majeure and completing a Force Majeure Application Form. The Guidelines and Application Form can be accessed here.

This is a mandatory training programme for existing or potential childminders who wish to register with Tusla. This training will support understanding of the new childminding regulations and will provide all the information required to register with Tusla. This is a FREE training course and takes approximately 7 hours to complete. There is no assessment, and participants will receive a certificate upon completion. There is no expiry date for this training certificate. Attendance at the training will support one to make an informed decision regarding registration with Tusla.  
Upcoming Training dates:  
November 2025:   Saturday 15th November; Macroom; 9.30am – 5pm
If you are interested in attending any of these Pre-Registration Training courses, please click on this link to book your place:  https://forms.office.com/e/BK0xWmUmrY
Any queries about the training or childminding can be made to dquinlan@corkchildcare.ie  / 022 23880.

The new Change in Circumstance and Cessations forms are now available on the Tusla website. Please see links below:     
Childminding:  New CIC page: 
https://www.tusla.ie/early-years-inspectorate/childminding-services/change-in-circumstances-cessations/
Preschool:  EYI Tusla webpage:  
https://www.tusla.ie/services/preschool-services/early-years-providers/change-in-circumstance/
School Age: Tusla webpage:
https://www.tusla.ie/services/family-community-support/school-age-services/i-am-a-school-age-provider/change-in-circumstance-cessations/

Minister Foley recently launched the Public Consultation on the Regulation of School Age Childcare and Early Learning and Care Services.  This consultation is an opportunity for parents, school-age childcare practitioners, providers and other stakeholders to shape the legislation that supports the regulation of school-age childcare services.  Further information on the public consultation can be accessed here.  The full press release can be accessed here.

The new employment regulation order revokes the 2024 order commenced on 13th October 2025. Details on the new hourly rates for Early Year Educators and School Age Practitioners can be found here.

Cork County Childcare Committee is planning to host a series of workshops to support providers understanding of the changes to Aistear, and we now invite you to apply to participate.

The workshop consists of two sessions. Participation in the online session is mandatory to attend the next in person session.

Session 1 is theory based and will be run online and session 2 is practical/group work so it will be an in-person session. To begin the online sessions will be run on the following dates:

• Wednesday October 22nd @ 6:30pm – 8:30pm

• Monday November 3rd @ 2:30pm – 4:30pm

To book your place on this workshop please access the link below and complete the booking form

https://forms.office.com/e/9kpquFx5n7

AIM Level 1 applications for existing graduates opened on the Early Years Hive on Tuesday, 22 July 2025. New graduates (i.e. graduating in October 2025) can apply when final exam results have been notified by Mary Immaculate College. The AIM Level 1 application supports the increased ECCE capitation, funded by DCDE in recognition of the leadership and mentoring role which is delivered by the Inclusion Co-ordinator during the 2025/2026 pre-school year. AIM Level 1 is an annual application process. Applications received by 5pm on Thursday 23 October 2025 will be awarded the additional capitation from the Inclusion Co-ordinator’s employment start date relevant to the 2025/2026 programme year. AIM Level 1 application guidelines can be found here. 

The Department for Children, Disability and Equality announced the launch of Bia Blasta (Delicious Food), the pre-school nutrition programme to provide daily lunches for pre-school children in disadvantaged areas. The full press release can be found HERE.  Bia Blasta is being provided to all Equal Start Tier 1 and Tier 2 designated services that provide ECCE, and to other ECCE sessional services with the highest concentrations of disadvantage, as identified by the Equal Start Identification Model. ECCE Programme services that have not been invited by email to participate in Bia Blasta, cannot apply to participate, at this time.

We invite you to visit our website HERE and like and follow our Facebook page Cork County Childcare Committee Ltd for updates and relevant content HERE​ Or scan QR code below

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• Guidance video which provides information on different types of inspections. You can access the video here.

• New regulator notice relating to the use of nappy binds in Early Years Services, click here to read the full notice.

The QIPP template opened 8th October and remain open until 31 October. The guidance document and videos can be accessed the Core Funding – Documents  - Service Provider Portal

The Public Consultation on the Regulation of School Age Childcare and Early Learning and Care Services is now open for submissions. It is an opportunity to shape the legislation that supports the regulation of school-age and ELC services.  Further information on the public consultation can be accessed here.  The full press release can be accessed here.

The Learner Fund Bursary is now open for application. Completed applications for the 2025 Learner Fund Graduate and Childminder Bursary must be received by Cork County Childcare Committee by 5pm on Friday 17th October 2025.

Please click on the link for application forms for graduates HERE and childminders HERE. For more information, including the rules for the above schemes, please visit the following page on the new Nurturing Skills website: Learner Fund Graduate and Childminder Bursary 2025 | Nurturing Skills   

Always Children First Foundation Level Training                  *Final training dates for 2025*

• Vienna Woods Hotel, Glanmire:                      Saturday 11th October 9.30am -4.30pm

This is your last opportunity to avail of this training for 2025.

You can request a booking form for this course by emailing cptraining@corkchildcare.ie

Diversity Equality & Inclusion Training

• Dunmanway CCC Office:                   

Saturday 1st November @ 9am – 5pm

Thursday 6th November @ 6pm – 9pm

​Monday 10th November @ 6pm – 9pm

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Each course consists of 15 hours of training in total. You must attend all 15 hours to receive your certificate. Following training the service will receive a resource pack to the value of €200. There is no cost for the training and lunch will be provided on the first day. To book places on the training please clink on the following link  https://forms.office.com/e/HMhFFUhDYz. Further information or queries can be made to 022 23880 / cpdtraining@corkchildcare.ie

We encourage all services to check the Early Years register Early Years register or School Age register or your current Tusla certificate to confirm your current registration date. Services are required to complete a registration renewal every 3 years. Services are required to have a completed application submitted on the Tusla portal 2 months before the expiry of the current registration date. Tusla facilitate registration renewals up to 6 months in advance of the current registration date. It is advised that you apply for updated Garda Vetting in a timely manner. Due to the recently implemented changes to Garda Vetting procedures, the process may take extra time. You can access details of the new Garda Vetting procedures here. Further information on the registration renewal process can be accessed on the Tusla early years registration renewal webpage

Click HERE to find a useful checklist when preparing for your 2025 registration renewal with Tusla’s Early Years Inspectorate.

There is a new Garda Vetting process in place for ELC/SAC services since 1st February 2025, and it can take over 2 months to complete. The following now applies: 
•    TUSLA manage Garda Vetting services for registered providers, including childminders, as well as Chairpersons of Boards of Management (where they are the registered provider) and board members who have access to children. Further information is available here.
•    Early Childhood Ireland (ECI) manage Garda Vetting services for all employees in ELC and SAC services. For more information, go to the ECI website.
•    Barnardos no longer provide vetting services

Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNBV) Affiliate Registration Number

For Services previously with Barnardos requiring a new GNBV affiliate registration number you can find the step on applying here.