School Age Care
School Aged Care
24.09.20 National Quality Guidelines for School Age Childcare Services
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, T.D., today launched National Quality Guidelines for School-Age Childcare Services.
The National Quality Guidelines describe the features of good quality practice in childcare services for school-age children, including both after-school and holiday childcare services. The National Quality Guidelines will be an important resource for the diverse range of services that provide school-age childcare in Ireland today.
This publication is the output of a Working Group set up by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in line with the first action identified in the Action Plan for School Age Childcare (2017). The Working Group brought together stakeholders and experts in school-age childcare, who worked intensively over an extended period to develop the Guidelines.
These National Quality Guidelines will assist, guide and inspire school-age childcare services to reach beyond the minimum standards set out in regulations. The Guidelines give central importance to children’s rights, child protection and welfare, equality and diversity, and environmentalism.
School Age Childcare Registration
On the 18th February 2019, the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018 came into effect. Services who cater for school age children (including childminders) must now register with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. School-age childcare services have not, to date, been subject to registration, so this is a significant step forward in ensuring quality school-age childcare.
The School Age Childcare Team in Tusla is responsible for promoting the quality, safety and appropriate care of the children by assisting in the registration of services within the sector. Applications for registration can only be made online.
For further information please visit https://www.tusla.ie/services/family-community-support/school-age-services/
Childcare Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018