Core Funding supports Partner Services with their financial sustainability while enhancing the quality, affordability, and accessibility of their services. In accordance with Partnership for the Public Good, (DCEDIY 2021) the Core Funding model commits to drive high-quality service provision. To support this, Core Funding requires all early learning and care (ELC), school-age childcare (SAC) and childminding services that benefit from Core Funding to complete a Quality Action Plan, using tools provided by the Department and their agents.
In 2024, the Equal Start model, the fourth element of Together for Better, was introduced, to provide additional supports to ELC and SAC services where there are high proportions of children who are at risk of poverty to mitigate the impacts of early disadvantage. To support this, Equal Start requires ELC, SAC and childminding services that benefit from the Equal Start Model to complete a Tackling Disadvantage Plan, using tools provided by the Department and their agents.
Diversity, equality, and inclusion are fundamental characteristics of quality early learning and care and school age-childcare provision. In recognising this, and in an effort to minimise the administrative ask of Partner Services, the contractually required Tackling Disadvantage Plan and the Quality Action Plan have been amalgamated into a single Quality and Inclusive Practice Plan (QIPP).
The QIPP will be permanently housed on the Core Funding Contractual Requirements Reporting System and will no longer need to be uploaded to the Early Years Hive for validation. End-of-year reporting requirements have been minimised and can now be completed throughout the year, as Partner Services progress their identified quality and inclusion actions.
While the updated process closely resembles that of Year 1 and 2, a guidance document outlining the changes will be issued to all partner services by Wednesday 16 October.
Access to the QIPP template on the Core Funding Contractual Requirements Reporting System will commence from Wednesday 13 November.
Partner Services are requested to complete their Quality and Inclusive Practice Plan by Monday 16 December.
Should you have any queries please contact your local City or County Childcare Committee for support (www.myccc.ie).
