STATUTORY REGULATIONS

The registration of school age services was introduced on the 2nd January 2019 with the publication of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018.

From the 18th February 2019, all school age service providers are required to register their school age service with Tusla by completing the online registration process in order to comply with The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018.

School age childcare services had not, to that date, been subject to registration and, so, this is a significant step forward in ensuring quality school age childcare for thousands of working families.

Once registered, school age childcare services will be able to participate in the National Childcare Scheme which launched in October 2019. Click here to view: Childcare Support Act 2018

This means families availing of these services will be able to access the financial benefits provided by the scheme.

Tusla Website for more information on School Age Registration

National Quality Guidelines for School-Age Childcare Services, launched 24th September 2020

Please see the following online links to the National Quality Guidelines for School-Age Childcare Services and the report on the public consultation –

School Age Childcare (SAC) Comprehensive Regulations and Quality Standards | Report on the Findings of the Public Consultation – https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a7195-development-of-school-age-childcare-sac-comprehensive-regulations-and-quality-standards-report-on-the-findings-of-the-public-consultation-july-2020/

National Quality Guidelines for School Age Childcare Services | Guidelines, Components and Elements – https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/b66c5-national-quality-guidelines-for-school-age-childcare-services-guidelines-components-and-elements-september-2020/

Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY),  conducts compliance visits with each participating School Age service who operates one or more of the National Childcare Programmes.

We advise services to maintain a compliance folder/file which can be made readily available to the visiting officer on arrival. This will ensure minimum disruption and speed up the compliance visit. We understand that some services file their records in other ways, but records must be available to enable the visiting officer to complete the compliance visit in a reasonable timescale.  There should always be a staff member on site with access to the compliance folder/records in the event of an unannounced visit.

Carlow County Childcare Committee’ Development Officers are available to support Early Years services in relation to statutory regulations,

Contact 059 9140244.