Email to Providers regarding temporary changes to administrative procedures

Dear Provider,

As you know, as part of the July Jobs Stimulus Funding Package for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector running from 24 August to end 2020 the DCYA has introduced, on a temporary basis, added flexibility on attendance rules due to the likelihood in greater variability in patterns of usage (see below).  This will assist providers to maximise income and reduce costs.

• That NCS will allow for 2 hours variation in attendance against registration per week without triggering a report. This is not 2 extra hours per week in terms of registrations, it is a fluctuation against normal attendance patterns which is exceptional to the current environment. This means that as soon as we deem the emergency measure to no longer be required, providers will revert to actual attendance levels.

• For non NCS: A 30 minute variance tolerance per day per child. e.g. If the child is being picked up at 4 hours 45 minutes attendance, this will enable the crèche retain the full-time rate. The purpose of this is to facilitate staggered drop-ins/pick-ups necessary to avoid clustering of parents/children at those times. This applies to non-ECCE services only.

Both these measures are exceptional and will last until December 31 2020. The situation will be reviewed at that time.

Record keeping, attendance tracking, reporting arrangements and compliance facilitation remains in place for the duration.

Regards,

Early Years Division.

DCYA.