NCIP CCS
The Community Childcare Subvention Scheme is available under the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) to support community-based, not-for-profit childcare services to enable them to provide quality childcare services at reduced rates to disadvantaged parents. The CCS is the successor to the EOCP staffing funding and, as recommended in the Value for Money Review of the EOCP will build on the successes of the EOCP by ensuring that resources are directed specifically to disadvantaged parents with children attending community childcare services.
Under the Subvention Scheme, services are subsidised (through a grant) to enable them to offer reduced fees to disadvantaged parents. The subsidies are available in respect of parents who are in receipt of social welfare payments or are engaged in education, training or work experience programmes where an underlying entitlement to a social welfare payment is established, and for persons in receipt of Family Income Supplement (FIS). To avail of CCS, community not-for-profit childcare services – in addition to providing a quality service – are required to operate an effective tiered fee system, with maximum and minimum fees set at appropriate levels. The Scheme commenced on 1 January 2008.
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CCS Re-entry Forms
Application forms for all services that are currently particpating in the Community Childcare Subvention scheme (CCS) are required to complete a re-entry form if they wish to continue taking part in the scheme from September 2012.
These forms have been posted to all services on our mailing list. If you have not received the forms, please contact us and we will send them to you.
If you would like to receive the forms in Irish, please contact us.
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Compliance Visits:
All participants in the CCS will have a compliance visit from Pobal to ensure that the conditions of the scheme are being complied with and to assist services to benefit fully from the new arrangements. It is envisaged that, while this process will form part of the general monitoring arrangements under NCIP which are overseen by Pobal, the City and County Childcare Committees will also play a key role in assisting this process, building on the extensive work undertaken this year in assisting services in relation to the operation of the CCS.
The visit will:
- Check the Fees Payment Policy, as agreed with OMCYA, is being implemented. That parents are paying the agreed fees
- Verify the full range of childcare services is being delivered (i.e. sessional, P/T and F/T sessions) as agreed with OMCYA
- Check the that the relevant NCIP/EOCP publicity requirements are being adhered to
- Identify further supports/interventions required by the group
Note: the visit is NOT an audit of accounts or examination of the service’s corporate governance
Assessment of Compliance:
A group is deemed to be compliant on the following two criteria:
- The group is implementing the fee payment policy as agreed with OMCYA on the basis of the sample checks and information provided by OMCYA and group in its service returns
- The group is providing the range of services (full-time; part-time sessional etc.) as per the information submitted to the OMCYA in its service returns
Note: re compliance check on publicity requirements:
The report to OMCYA will contain information on what was demonstrated and/or visible (at the time of the visit) by the group - groups are advised by Pobal how to rectify any non-compliance identified
The Visit……preparation:
On receipt the signed-off Fee Payment Policy, Service Return and sample names of parents attending the service (relating to a specific Band A, B, C, D) from OMCYA, Pobal will proceed to:
- Contact the service by phone to notify of visit (normally 1 week in advance). Visit is sought with Childcare Manager & Committee member(s).
- Issue letter confirming detail of visit & documents required to be available on the day
Information required for the visit:
Check list:
- 4 week attendance records (dates confirmed in letter of notification)
- 4 week fee records - same 4 week period as attendance records
- Ensure EOCP and/or NCIP posters are displayed! Also, evidence use of logos e.g. letter head, booklets, job adverts etc.
The Visit….…on-site
Pobal will:
- Review information from OMCYA along with Pobal reporting requirements (financial/impact returns & verification)
- Check the fee payment policy agreed with OMCYA is being implemented – the agreed Fee Payment Policy should be displayed and available to parents
- Verify that the full range of services (full-time, part-time, sessional etc) is actually being provided
- Review the paper/payment trail of sample parents (Bands) & check that the correct subvention is applied
- Check the relevant publicity requirements (EOCP & NCIP) are being adhered to & gather proof for project file
- Note reason for any discrepancies in figures / fees etc
- Identify future support needs required
The Visit……concluding
- Service will be advised of areas of non-compliance with supportive measures of how to address them
- Service will be required to sign-off on the information collected in the course of the visit
- Pobal will link with the local County Childcare Committee to arrange additional supports /interventions if required
- A Compliance Report is produced by Pobal for OMCYA
- OMCYA reviews Compliance Reports