My Department oversees a case management process, through which local City and County Childcare Committee (CCCs) and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to all Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Care (SAC) services experiencing difficulties, and through which Sustainability Funding may be granted should the need arise.
Under the direction of my Department, Pobal co-ordinate the overall case management process with the CCC administering on-the-ground case management assistance. This can include help for services with completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances.
In some instances, financial supports through Sustainability Funding may be appropriate, in tandem with this case management process. Pobal undertake a detailed financial review of any service wishing to apply for sustainability funding in order to assess their financial eligibility and need for funding. At the conclusion of this process, Pobal decide on the basis of the funding criteria and the information gathered whether or not to recommend sustainability funding. These recommendations come to my Department for decision.
A total of 3 services have been approved for sustainability funding since September 2022. Please see below in tabular form.
|
CCC
|
Services approved for Sustainability Funding
|
|
Limerick
|
1
|
|
Longford
|
1
|
|
Mayo
|
1
|
|
Total
|
3
|
In 2022, I introduced a new strand of Sustainability Funding to ensure that services participating in Core Funding, whether community or private, would remain sustainable with the introduction of the new funding model, which includes public management requirements, like the fee freeze. With this new Strand of support, a service works with both their local CCC and Pobal in order to assess their financial eligibility and need for funding. 9 services were considered for this new Strand of funding but were deemed ineligible by the relevant CCC (7) or Pobal (2). Please see below in tabular form.
|
CCC
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No. of services in case management deemed ineligible for Sustainability Funding
|
|
Dublin City
|
1*
|
|
Louth
|
4
|
|
Sligo
|
1
|
|
Westmeath
|
3
|
|
Total
|
9
|
* Please note this service was supported via the case management process, on two separate occasions to submit a Service Provider Declaration and associated supporting financial information in relation to SF S12.
It should be noted that while these services did not meet the eligibility requirements for Sustainability Funding, all ineligible services can continue to avail of the aforementioned operational supports through the Case Management Process should they choose to. If a services circumstances change, they may be re-assessed for Sustainability Funding and can seek this through their CCC.
3 services are currently being considered for Sustainability Funding and in process of providing necessary information to CCC. Please see below in tabular form.
|
CCC
|
Sustainability Funding request pending
|
|
Donegal
|
1
|
|
Dublin City
|
1
|
|
Laois
|
1
|
|
Total
|
3
|
If any service has viability concerns, I would encourage them to reach out to their local CCC to start availing of supports through the aforementioned case management process.
