The proposed "free" preschool year?

ruthkell

Hi, my little one will be 3years, 2 months next September 2010. Will she be eligible to start the free preschool year? Will there be any exceptions being a month too young for set guideline age?

I hope to send her to school the following September at 4yrs, 2 months.

Sponge Bob

The depts of finance / health / education and social welfare are all engaged in a turf war as to who runs this scheme in reality , mileage on creche inspections is a major +++ to whoever gets the gig .

Expect a resolution around January 2011

dvpower

I think there was a supposed to be a closing date sometime in July for cheches to apply to participant in the scheme. So it should all be sorted by now.

Sponge Bob

Not at all , every creche in the country has applied for it ( nearly) and have not even had acknowledgements sent out so far.

wuzzik

I believe that it is a typical government scam. The child needs to be between 3 years and 7 months old and 4 years 10 months old in January. It is not for a year as it runs from January to September but the real catch is that it is only for a few hours a day and only during SCHOOL TERMS so work it out
When you take the 8 months up to the begining of September take out the two months of the summer holidays and a few weeks for Easter and a few mid term breaks you are not left with much.:D:D:D

Sponge Bob

Correct Wuzzik.

They have taken an €1100 a year allowance, payable for the first 5-6 years of a childs life and replaced it with 3 hours a day of preschool for no more than 20 weeks between Jan 6th and June 30th in the year they start school .

And they cannot even sort that much out , no creche has a clue what will happen and whether they need to hire unemployed national school teachers to deliver the scheme ( as is rumoured) and not the qualified Montessori teachers they already have on staff and who will end up teaching them after lunch anyway .

This is about as child centric as a steaming fresh turd , typical Fianna Fáil gob****ery

nayorleck114

my local creche has it all sorted, best scheme ever!

wuzzik

nayorleck114 wrote: »

my local creche has it all sorted, best scheme ever!

Really is that because your creche only opens for a few hours a day?? I queried it with my Grandsons creche today and they advised that they have some of the details but not all of them.

Sponge Bob

nayorleck114 wrote: »

my local creche has it all sorted, best scheme ever!

Eh ?????

It will give you about a €50 a week creche rebate for 20 weeks = €1000

The little fecker qualified for 5.5 years x €1100 Pre School child support at one point ( early this year) = €6050

How is a cutback of 85% the best scheme ever ???? Unless you are a Fianna Fáil or Green Party hack trying to get the oul lipstick on the pig that is , as FF hacks do

ruthkell

So much for FREE!! My child will have to pay. Just had an email back from the childcare directorate in the government health dept. and the child has to be 3 years 3 months on 1st September to get the free year. My child will be only 3 years 2 months so wont qualify. The following year at 4 years 2 months she will be going to primary school. Anyone else missing out??
Cant believe this! They will make exceptions in certain cases if the child is too old but nothing for too young and this is only with a report from HSE if child has learning difficulties and parents want to delay primary school.

Sponge Bob

ruthkell wrote: »

They will make exceptions in certain cases if the child is too old but nothing for too young and this is only with a report from HSE if child has learning difficulties and parents want to delay primary school.

The waiting list to be assessed by the HSE is typically one year meaning you had better start the process at 2 years old to be sure !

ruthkell

HSE will only be considering kids older than the limits, so this will not apply to my child. I want my child to avail of free year when she will be 1 month under the limit at 3 years 2 months but there will be no exceptions in this case. So any parents with kids born in June/July will not get the free year when the child is just 1 or 2 months under the age limit. Most kids born in these months will go to school at age 4 so won't get the free preschool year!!
Another saving for the government!! And we lose out again!!

PinkTulips

scarlet... i stay home with my kids for the most part but they do go to playschool (even when it breaks us financially to send them) as it is a vital tool for teaching kids how to behave around other kids, teaching them that not only mommy and daddy have rules but society as a whole does and teaching them to follow simple routines in preparation for school (not to mention they get all the messy stuff like painting out of their systems there meaning we don't have to do quite so much of it at home )

playschool made a massive differance in my daugher, she was chronically shy and terrified of strangers... now she's friendly and outgoing and has lots of 'best friends'. she's far better prepared to cope with school in september than if she hadn't gone to playschool.

my son is almost 3 and is bored out of his mind at home with me, he's gone to playschool for a week before summer to try it out and the differance was shocking, he was so much happier with something to do for a good chunk of the day other than tag along with me.

the scheme is great for us as there were times we struggled to pay for my daughters playschool with just one wage coming in, but i wouldn't have given it up for anything as it really helped her so much, and she's now starting school more confidant and already knowing most of her class

PinkTulips

ruthkell wrote: »

HSE will only be considering kids older than the limits, so this will not apply to my child. I want my child to avail of free year when she will be 1 month under the limit at 3 years 2 months but there will be no exceptions in this case. So any parents with kids born in June/July will not get the free year when the child is just 1 or 2 months under the age limit. Most kids born in these months will go to school at age 4 so won't get the free preschool year!!
Another saving for the government!! And we lose out again!!

ruthkell, my son is a july baby so i thought we'd have the same problem as he'll go to school at 4 but the commitee treasurer at his induction day was adamant they'd find a way to get him the free place, no idea whther it'll work but it would be no harm you approaching your county childcare board with your playschool and causing a fuss... the more of us that do the better the chance our kids won't lose out

ruthkell

Thanks Pinktulips, gives me a bit of hope. Will see what I can find out and hopefully lots of july parents will moan. Even if we didnt get the grant until October when the are 3yrs 3months, I woul'nt mind. But they say no and I'm not willing to hold my child until shes 5years 2 months to go to primary school just to avail of the free preschool year.

Sponge Bob

Hassle your local Fianna Fail and Green TD forthwith !

ruthkell

I have just emailed my 2 local fianna fail TD's. See what happens!

Sponge Bob

ruthkell wrote: »

I have just emailed my 2 local fianna fail TD's. See what happens!

They will be back in their constituencies for most of the next three months so now is the time to get them . The trick with TDs is to contact them week in and week out instead of 'leaving it with them' which means nothing .

sarahmum2

ruthkell wrote: »

So much for FREE!! My child will have to pay. Just had an email back from the childcare directorate in the government health dept. and the child has to be 3 years 3 months on 1st September to get the free year. My child will be only 3 years 2 months so wont qualify. The following year at 4 years 2 months she will be going to primary school. Anyone else missing out??

1. Are you sure the school will allow him to start primary school at 4 yrs 2mths. Each school has different enrolement policies, but bear in mind that he will probably be youngest in his class. My neice started school at this age and now at 9 she has struggled through school and her parents have decided to hold her back a year - they and the school all agree she is just too young.

2. my daughter is a sept baby, so will be 5 before she starts school (4yrs 11 mths). therefore I have/will have to pay for 5 years childcare instead of your 4 years. It all evens out over time. Don't forget the govt pay for primary school, so it's not like you are paying for playschool when he is 4 yrs 2mths and in primary. saying that I do think they are being ever so slightly regimented with the age restrictions.

sparklepants

From what I understand the "free school year" will not even last a year for most children next year. Your child will need to be between 3 years 7 months and 4 years 10 months on Jan 1st 2010 to qualify. As the majority of children between these ages will be starting school in September 2010, the pre school support will only last 8 months!!

sparklepants

some info

I am a parent. How do I apply?
Details of pre-school services which have entered the scheme will be available from your local Childcare Committee by October 2009. You can then contact a local service to enrol your child. If you are using a service already you can ask your provider if they plan to enter the scheme.

Is it only for community providers?
No, all pre-school services which are notified to the HSE (or registered with the IMEB) can apply to participate.

I am a parent. Can I get the money sent to me instead?
No. The capitation fee will be paid to the provider.

What ages are eligible?
Any child that, on 1 January 2010, is aged between 3 yrs 7mths and 4 yrs 10 mths is an eligible child. This may be appealed where a child has special needs that make this limit inappropriate to them.

What if my childcare provider is not taking part in the scheme?
The scheme is not obligatory so it is up to childcare providers to apply if they so wish. Details of participating services in your area will be available by October 2009.

My child will be 3yrs 7mths in in December 2009. Is she eligible?
Yes. On 1 January 2009, she will be between 3yrs 7mths and 4 yrs 10mths, so she will be eligible.

My child will be 5 years old on 1 January 2010. He will not start school until September. Is he eligible?
The scheme does not cover a child over 4 years 10mths on 1 January 2010.

How much will providers get?
Playschools in the scheme - providing three hours a day, 5 days a week for 38 weeks of the year - will get a grant basis on €64.50 per child a week for providing a free playschool service.

Full-time or part-time services operating on a 50 week a year basis will be able to provide 2hrs 15min a day free pre-school for eligible children, and they will receive a grant based on €48.50 per child per week for this. Parents will benefit by a reduction in their childcare costs of this amount.

Do I have a right to free pre-school for my child? My local centre says it is booked out. Do they have to take my child?
No, the scheme is subject to availability and a free pre-school place cannot be guaranteed in every case. However, it is expected that almost all parents will be accommodated. If you have difficulty finding a place for your child, you should contact your local City/County Childcare Committee for advice.

Will the scheme be means-tested?
No, it will not be means-tested, and will be available to all parents based on local availability.

ruthkell

Schools around us accept kids from 4 years. They always have. I actually know 2 more kids who will be 4 years 2 months who will be starting same time as my little one. If she was born in August/sept I would prob wait till she was five. Just the way it turns out!!!!

Sponge Bob

4 years and 2 month is too young ...whether the school accepts them or not . They will be 12 years and 2 months starting secondary and will do the leaving at 17 even if they do a transition year .

Keeping them back twice ( thats what transition year is) will knock their confidence so you expose yourself to a lose lose there.

ammg

1st Ruthkell I totally agree with you - in my nievity I thought he would qualify at 3 and 3 months. He is exceptionally tall for his age and very very coherently vocal. He can say the alphabet, count to 20, do jigsaws etc. I think he will be bored silly if he has to wait till 4 and 2 months for playschool and 5 and 2 months for primary. I hear there is supposed to be some other scheme for children who are starting school next year. It covers the same amount for preschool. If I find out anymore I will post here - likewise if you find out anything else can you advise. Ta

2nd Spongebob I was 17 and a half doing my leaving cert and was way to immature. There was a girl in my year who was just able to do it as she had just reached 16 and she was by far more mature than me. It has nothing to do with age!

3rd ScarletOHara - both your name and opinion suggest a different era

Liam Byrne

So those of us without children - and who prefer to postpone having any until such time as we can provide for them both financially and time-wise - are expected to subsidise those who chose to have children even more ?

Welease

Liam Byrne wrote: »

So those of us without children - and who prefer to postpone having any until such time as we can provide for them both financially and time-wise - are expected to subsidise those who chose to have children even more ?

I doubt it's a case of "even more".. this will most likely save the government money over the previous schemes...

and yes you do pay for services that sometimes you don't avail of.. everyone does..