USEFUL RESOURCES

÷ AFFORDABLECHILDCARE.IE This website, which is run by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, offers information on the various childcare subsidies available, including the universal subsidy and the subsidies paid under the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS), Community Childcare Subvention Private (CCSP), and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) schemes. There is also a useful FAQ here for parents, where you can get a list of the childcare providers that have signed up to the subsides — and a list of the providers registered with Tusla. The ‘Need to Speak to Someone’ link will bring you into a list of contact details for the city and county childcare committees that you can call for further information on the subsidies. ÷ MEDICALCARD.IE This website, which is run by the Health Service Executive, has information on the medical card and the GP Visit card. You may qualify for the means-tested childcare subsidies available under the CCS, CCSP and TEC schemes if you are a parent or guardian with a GP visit card (apart from the under-6 GP-visit cards) or a medical card. You can check your eligibility for — and apply online for — a medical card or GP-visit card on this website. ÷ DCYA.GOV.IE This is the website of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Here you can find out about a range of national issues and government policies affecting children and young people. You can also download a number of reports, including the ‘State of the Nation’s Children’s Report’, which gives an overview of the lives of children. ÷ EARLYCHILDHOODIRELAND.IE This is the website of Early Childhood Ireland, which is a lobby group for childcare providers. Parents can search for a creche in their area in the website’s ‘Childcare Search’ section. ÷ CHILDMINDING.IE This is the website of Childminding Ireland, which represents childminders. It has a section that offers advice on how to choose a childminder — and there is also a directory that allows parents to search for a childminder in their area. Its ‘news’ section is worth checking for any updates on moves being made to get more childminders covered by the More Affordable Childcare scheme. ÷ EUMOM.IE This website has information on a range of parenting issues, including childcare. Click the ‘Childcare’ tab in the ‘My Family’ section for advice on childcare costs and choosing childcare. ÷ CITIZENSINFORMATION.IE/EN/ EDUCATION/PRE_SCHOOL_EDUCATION_ AND_CHILDCARE/EARLY_CHILDHOOD_ CARE_AND_EDUCATION_SCHEME.HTML This link, which is part of the Citizens Information website, offers a good overview of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme. It includes a handy link to an eligibility calendar when you can check the date that your child will qualify for the ECCE scheme.