Nurturing Skills

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality welcomes the launch of innovative new ‘Nurturing Skills’ website, designed to support over 30,000 staff in early years settings.

First of its kind portal for staff is a significant milestone towards a national Continuing Professional Development system for the sector.

The Learning Hub will provide educators with learning materials and training opportunities in several areas including Quality & Inclusive Practice, Health & Wellbeing and the Irish language.

The innovative new Nurturing Skills website was launched by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality at the national conference – ‘Continuing the Journey: Exploring the updated Aistear’. This new online platform, nurturingskills.ie, will support over 31,000 staff working with 235,000 children in early learning and care, school-age childcare and childminding settings in Ireland. It offers practical tools, reflective resources and professional guidance to promote inclusive practice and protect their own health and wellbeing.

The Nurturing Skills website will host the new Nurturing Skills Learning Hub, which provides educators with easy access to learning materials and training opportunities in several areas including Inclusive practice, Health & wellbeing and the Irish language. The website also represents a significant milestone towards achieving a national Continuing Professional Development system for the sector, which was a commitment in Nurturing Skills.

Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (NSLF) Update
The NSLF will continue in 2026 for educators seeking to upskill for the academic year 2026/2027 commencing autumn 2026.

NSLF 2026 applications are expected to open in Mid-March 2026.

The NSLF aims to assist early year’s educators to pursue early learning and care (ELC) qualifications at level 7 and level 8 that have been approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board (QAB) while continuing to work in the sector.
Since its inception in 2024 the NSLF scheme has been in a position to offer financial support to over 700 NSLF applicants.

Further information on NSLF application date will be notified to you, and be available on the Nurturing Skills website: Home | Nurturing Skills

NSLF 2026/2027 Eligibility Criteria
Those wishing to make an application for NSLF in 2026 must meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Be working with children in a Tusla-registered Early Learning and Care (ELC) or School Age Childcare (SAC) service.
• The service in which the applicant is working in, must have a current signed Core Funding contract with DCDE.
• Applicants must have worked within an ELC or SAC service for the six months prior to their application.
• Applicants must have a current application/offer for 2026/2027 entry to a Level 7/8 Degree course approved by the Qualification Advisory Board (QAB) that is eligible for NSLF.
• Be a new entrant to an Approved Course for the academic year commencing 2026/2027 (Autumn 2026).
• For clarity purposes, at time of application an applicant must not hold (or be already undertaking) an Approved Course at level 7 or level 8 in Early Learning and Care.
Note: Only applicants who fulfil all the above Eligibility Criteria will be considered for NSLF funding in 2026.