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Regulations PDF Print E-mail
Parents
 
The law in Ireland provides for the regulation and inspection of pre-school childcare services. Under the Child Care Act 1991 the Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland is charged with ensuring the health, safety and welfare of preschool children attending services. Pre-school children in Ireland are defined by law as “children under 6 years of age, who are not attending a national school or equivalent”. Pre-school services include pre-schools, playgroups, day nurseries, crèches, childminders and other similar services looking after more than 3 preschool children.
 
2006 Childcare Regulations
 
The Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No.2), Regulations 2006 was introduced on September 3rd 2007 and revokes the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 1006 and (Amendment) Regulations 1997.
 
The main amendments to the Regulations are:
 
  • An expansion of the Regulation on Child Development which requires the service provider to ensure that each child’s learning, development and well being is facilitated within the daily life of the service
  • The introduction of a pre-time day care service, which allows providers to operate a service for up to 5 hours.
  • The inclusion of a requirement that all staff, students and volunteers in the service will be appropriately vetted.
  • Training of pre-school staff to ensure uniformity of inspection across the HSE
  • Establishing improved administrative systems to facilitate a national standardised inspections service
  • Ensuring that standardised inspection reports are publicly available under the Freedom of Information Act
 
Inspection
 
Pre-school care providers (outlined above) are required to notify the HSE that they are providing services and register details of each child in their care.
 
Under the Regulations, parents are entitled to ask for and be given information on the name, position, qualifications and experience of the person in charge; details of the maximum number of pre-school children at any one time; and the age range of the group.
Parents are also entitled to know staff/child ratios in the service (the minimum ratios are set out in the guidelines); the type of care or programme provided in the service; the facilities available; the opening hours and fees and the policies and procedures of service.
 
 
Choosing a Childcare Service
 
As a parent you will have a good idea of the type of childcare service that would suit your children’s needs best. The following pages are aimed at assisting you in identifying the types of childcare service available and the issues to the aware of when choosing a childcare service for you child/children.
 
Sessional Day Care: Service providing childcare for a maximum of 3.5 hours per day i.e. Playgroups, Montessori Groups, Playschools, Naionraí, Childminders
 
Part-time Day Care: This offers a structured day care service for pre-school children for more than 3.5 hours and less than 5 hours per day.
 
Full Day Care: Services providing childcare for more than 5 hours per day. Providers would include Nurseries and Créches.
 
Childminders: They care for children in the childminder’s own home providing childcare for more than 3 and less than 6 children per day.
 
Drop-in Services: Services where children are cared for a short period of time (maximum two hours), where parents avail of services or attend events.
 
Exemptions
 
Certain services that are not obliged to register or notify with the HSE and include:
 
  • A relative of the children or the spouse (brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandparent or step-parent of the child)
 
  • If you are caring for 1 or more pre-school children of the same family and no other children (other than you own) in your own home.
 
  • If you are caring for not more than 3 pre-school children from different families (other than your own) in your own home.
 

Publications
 
Barnardos, Ireland’s leading children’s charity, has published a parent’s guide to pre-school regulations – detailing what to look for, what questions to ask and what standards to expect (A Parent’s Guide to the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 2006) is available in PDF format from www.irishhealth.com/index.html
 
 
 
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