merrion street

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone TD, is
delighted to announce that funding has been made available to provide a
bursary to certain childcare staff who have completed degrees in early
childhood education and care at their own expense.

All early years services currently contracted with the Department of
Children and Youth Affairs to provide various childcare programmes were
notified of the availability of the bursary before Christmas. Applications
for the bursary must be received by the local City or County Childcare
Committee by 5pm on Tuesday 17th January 2017.

In order to qualify for the bursary, which will amount to €750 per
applicant, applicants must:

· Have graduated with a major award in early childhood education and
care at Level 7, 8 or 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications
in 2013, 2014, 2015 or 2016. The qualification must be on the DCYA
Early Years Recognised Qualifications list;

· Have been working in a registered early years service prior to
beginning the course;

· Be currently working in a registered early years service;

· Not have received any State funding to assist in completing the
course (including funding from City or County Childcare Committees);

· Complete and forward the application form BY POST OR BY HAND –
together with all relevant documentation – to their local City or
County Childcare Committee by 5pm on Tuesday 17th January 2017.

The application form for the bursary can be obtained from local City/County
Childcare Committees, or downloaded from the Department of Children and
Youth Affairs website.

Minister Zappone said that she was delighted to be in a position to make
some funding available to staff who had undertaken higher level courses at
their own expense. “Up to now, available funding has been targeted to
support staff to achieve the minimum childcare qualification (Level 5) that
is now a requirement under the Early Years Services Regulations, or to
achieve the Level 6 qualification required by pre-school leaders under the
ECCE contract”, the Minister said. “My Department hopes now to focus on
the higher level childcare qualifications, and providing some support to
staff who have undertaken such courses of study on their own initiative is
the first step in this process.”