This Weeks News & Information Bulletin
Click HERE for this week in Childcare Bulletin
Deadlines/Important Dates:
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06th July
Aim Level 1 application 26/27 process opens for existing graduates
ECCE Calendar 2026/2027
The 2026/2027 ECCE Calendar has been changed giving flexibility to ELC providers to facilitate their obligations under the terms of their ECCE funding agreements i.e. to provide 38 payable weeks/182 days over the 2026/2027 programme year. The updates to the minimum payable weeks in Term 1 and Term 3 are as follows:
Term 1: will now require 15 minimum payable weeks (previously 16)
Term 3: will now require 8 minimum payable weeks (previously 9).
For further information on ECCE Calendar rules, and guidance on how to submit your calendar please, click here
Aim Level 4 & 7 Preliminary Decisions
This year the level of support allocated to a child is determined following submission of their AIM Level 4 application and a further review of the child’s needs by Better Start. From early July; service providers will receive a preliminary decision for the following:
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all AIM Level 4 applications reviewed by Better Start to date, and
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applications where a child is eligible for a second or third year of AIM Level 7 support.
When the redesigned and simplified AIM Level 7 application form is available on the Early Years Hive, all service providers will need to submit the new application for all children availing of AIM Level 7 support for the 2026/2027 programme call. Guidance materials on the support levels awarded, along with common practical examples are available on The Early Years Hive here. Guidance on submitting an AIM Level 4 application can be found here.
West Cork Education Support Centre Training
The West Cork Education Centre are running two in person courses that may be of interest to those working in Early Learning and Care settings; Outdoor Learning Using a Forest School Approach and Active Approaches to Teaching and Learning of Literacy. These face-to-face courses will run in early July across five practical and engaging days exploring child-led, experiential and inclusive methodologies that support wellbeing, creativity and cross-curricular learning. Further details and registration information can be found below:
• Outdoor Learning Using a Forest School Approach: here
• Active Approaches to Teaching and Learning of Literacy: here
My Little Library 2026
Minister Foley has announced the launch of My Little Library 2026. The book bags are for children finishing pre-school and starting primary school in September and will be delivered to libraries.
The DCDE would appreciate if the invitations could be shared with parents. The links to are here in English and Irish, and QR codes.
AIM Level 1 Application Process 2026/27 opens for existing graduates
AIM Level 1 applications for existing graduates will open on the Early Years Hive on Monday, 06 July 2026 at 10am. The AIM Level 1 application supports the increased ECCE capitation, funded by DCDE in recognition of the leadership and mentoring role which is delivered by the Inclusion Co-ordinator during the 2026/2027 pre-school year. Please note AIM Level 1 is an annual application process.
New graduates (i.e. graduating in October 2026) can apply when final exam results have been notified by Mary Immaculate College (expected September 2026
Application guidelines can be found here
Programme Readiness for Core Funding 2026/2027
Applications for the Core Funding 2026/2027 are now open. Partner Services contracted for Core Funding 2025/2026 that have completed the May Review and Confirm process and have an approved status can auto-populate their application using the information from the most recently approved 2025/26 Core Funding application. All retrospective Update Due Dates(s) for the 2025/2026 Core Funding programme year must be actioned before beginning the new application.
Following submission providers will have 21-days to accept the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement 2026/2027. Additional resources are available under the Help and Support section on the EY Hive. You can access the Core Funding Year 5 (2026/2027) Funding Agreement here. The Overview of the changes to Core Funding Year 5 can be found here.
QIPP Report Template 2025/2026.
The Core Funding QIPP Report Template 2025/26 is now open on the CFCRRS Portal. The deadline for completion of the 2025/26 QIPP Report is Friday, 31 July 2026.
Childminding Network Event
Cork City Childcare is hosting a Childminder Network Event on Saturday 11th July in the Cork City Childcare Office. Deirdre Field O’Sullivan from Cork College of FET, Cork’s Further Education and Training Services will facilitate a workshop in Lego® Serious Play®. Please view poster here and directions to Cork City Childcare Office can be found here. If you are interested in attending places are limited so secure your place by completing the following booking form:
Childminder Network Event Lego® Serious Play® Workshop – Prefilled form
Refreshments will be provided on the day and will include a selection of scones and pastries, tea, coffee, water, and biscuits. Please indicate on the booking form if you have any food allergies or intolerances. If the refreshments provided does not suit your needs, you are welcome to bring your own.
National Parents Council (Parent Survey) to share with parents
New childminding regulations have been introduced to bring all paid childminding services under a national registration system. At present, there is a transition period in place, which means childminders can choose whether to register with Tusla. From 29 September 2027, all childminders providing paid childcare in their own home for children under 15 will be required to register. We would love to hear your thoughts and experiences, what has worked well for you and what has not. Your voice matters, and your feedback will play a key role in shaping a more effective and inclusive consultation process. Please use the link below to access the survey
Programme Readiness for ECCE, NCS, and CCSP Saver Programme 2026/2027 is now available
Programme Readiness for ECCE, NCS and the CCSP Saver Programme 2026/2027 is now available for services to complete on the Early Years Hive.
NCS Subsidies
A gentle reminder that NCS subsidies can only be paid once a CHICK has been registered and the parent/guardian has confirmed that all details are correct via the parent portal.
For payments to flow, all claim weeks for a child must be confirmed. Please review any unconfirmed claims for your service and request parental confirmation from applicants where necessary.
Update to Scheme rules
Please note clause 4.13 of the NCS 2026 Funding Agreement, “The Scheme Administrator may, at any time during the Term, establish an administrative process to cancel Unconfirmed Claims. The administrative process will provide for the cancellation of a Registered Claim which has not been confirmed by the Qualifying Applicant within 3 months of the expiry of the CHICK.”
If you have any questions, contact the Early Years Provider Centre (EYPC). Simply raise a request the Early Years Hive by selecting the relevant programme and request type from the dropdown menu.
Training Courses: Cork County Childcare Committee Training
Always Children First: Child Safeguarding Awareness Training for Organisations (Foundation)
The Maritime Hotel, Bantry Date: Saturday 12th September @9:30am – 4:30pm
Designated Liaison Person Training
Talbot Hotel, Midleton – Thursday 24th September @10am – 1:30pm
Blarney Woollen Mills Hotel – Tuesday 6th October @10am – 1:30pm
This training is open to DLP/Deputy DLP in an ELC or SAC service
For further information and to book a place please contact the office on 022-23880 or email cptraining@corkchildcare.ie
Happy Talk
We know that children learn best when they are having fun, and this month's Happy Talk calendar is full of activities that combine language and movement. Try out the calendar games (click here to view) 'Waiting for GO!' and 'Catch the Dragon's Tail' - to practice listening to action instructions, body part vocabulary and position words.
Public Consultation on Review of Childminding Regulations
Minister Foley has launched ‘Let’s Talk Childminding’, the public consultation on the childminding regulations. This is an open call for submissions as part of the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 and is open from 19th June – 20th July 2026. Submissions can be made by email to Qualitydevelopment@DCDE.gov.ie
The consultation seeks to
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Evaluate how the regulations are operating in practice
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Access whether the regulatory model is appropriate and proportionate
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Examine the effectiveness of support available to childminders
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Identify barriers to registration and compliance.
Further information on the consultations is available here
Creative Spaces for Children
The children loved making the leaves and flower as we see them every day on our facility grounds and it depicts the children growing as do leaves and flowers
Their favourite place in our setting is the outdoor area
We love artwork and storytime..we also love the dinners cooked onsite
We do not like coming in sometimes in the early morning but we do not like going home in the evenings as we like to stay and play with our peers and the many resources in the room!
Our friends and Sharon Orla and Shell make this place fun for us everyday..also our pawpatrol figurines. We enjoy playing with sand, painting, playdough, Numberblocks and lego!
Our friends and our teacher are with us when we learn
We think if we had Roblox Minecraft and Peter Rabbit toys it would be magical!!!
The story of our group artwork is the flowers and leaves are growing when we water and take care of them just like we grow when we eat up all our dinners and we get hugs and love!!❤️
The pretty colours on the flower..they are the same colours as vanilla and strawberry ice-cream! We would you to write that we are the best boys and girls for making this artwork together and that we are good at teamwork like our storybook says!
The Bumblebee Room - Le Cheile FRC, Mallow aged from 3-4 years
This is me and my teachers. I like playing with the tuff tray and the kitchen.
Ciara – Age 5
Cottage Childcare, Killavullen
That’s the playhouse outside and that’s the sand tray. That’s my two teachers and my friend, Harry.
I made two soccer balls and I drawed the playdough. I like the zoo and the playdough.
My favourite is the new fruit chart and the sign-in board that we do.
That’s the tuff tray. I drawed the sand and playdough.
Joshua – Age 5
Cottage Childcare, Killavullen
This is the school and me and my teachers. That’s me playing playdough and that’s the balls. I like the tuff tray and I like playing with the chalk.
Méabh – Age 4
Cottage Childcare, Killavullen
I like my teachers putting out the toys. My favourite is the marble race.
I made a chocolate bar.
That’s outside and that right there is the gate. If you want to play soccer, you can play soccer!
That’s the door outside. I like water at the table. I like planting peas and guess what?... they’re almost getting bigger and bigger. Peas will start to grow and they will pop on!
Freddie – Age 4
Cottage Childcare, Killavullen
This is the school. That’s the zoo and that’s a Lego person at the zoo. I love playing with the zoo.
That’s my teachers.
I love pretend the motorbike is a real motorbike.
Before you letted us bring our journals home and we got to show our mums and dads what we made and we got to remember the stuff we putted in our journals.
If we had no teachers we’d get to do whatever we want and mess the school, but we’d tidy it up again!
Harry – Age 4
Cottage Childcare, Killavullen
I wanted to do the school, outside.
This is my teachers - I like the way you have skirts on.
That’s a triangle magnet and that’s a square magnet because that’s my favourite thing to play with.
I don’t play with the playdough that much coz it’s kinda hard to make stuff out of it. There’s loads of toys here that I can play with.
I like being able to put the things out and playing with the zoo together and I liked that you listened to our ideas.
Méabh – Age 5
Cottage Childcare, Killavullen
This is my preschool. It has a chimney. This is my teachers. My teachers always be nice. My favourite activity is the blocks.
Mia – Age 4
Cottage Childcare, Killavullen
The children in Bluebells room, Grà Childcare, Carrignavar expressed their creativity through art, sharing what Grá means to them—the special place where they spend at least three hours each day. Through their drawings and colours, they showed their feelings in the most heartfelt way. As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Amaia - Age 4
Grá Childcare
Sadie - Age 4
Grá Childcare
Daisy - Age 4
Grá Childcare
Rebekah - Age 4
Grá Childcare
Julian - Age 5
Grá Childcare
The Afterschool Club boys and girls (5ys -12yrs) of
School Around the Corner, Glanworth
Creative Artwork on "Where I learn and Play "
The artwork from some of the children at Blue Nest in Midleton. They were all so happy to take part in this initiative, which is lovely.
Art activity for National Conversation on Education Childrens Creative Spaces from Ray of Sunshine Canovee
Cork County Childcare Committee was formed in 2001 and is funded by the Department of Children, Disability, and Youth (DCEDIY) to improve the quality of childcare in Cork County.
In addition to supporting the administration of all Government funding programmes for childcare; City and County Childcare Committees work with early childhood services and childminders looking for support with quality development, HR, governance, financial sustainability and continuing professional development.
We also work with Parents to locate childcare best suited to their families needs, and advise on relevant government funded schemes etc.
