Prior to the 20 ECE hours begining, the Staff at Bizzy Buddyz attended work shops and web conferences to learn about Free ECE for our 3 and 4 year olds.
It was decided that Bizzy Buddyz would be able to offer this service to our families.
What are the facts?
This is what we know about the 20 ECE hours:
- 20 ECE hours commenced on 1st July 2007
- The Government will fund 20 ECE hours for all three and four-year-olds that attend an eligible Early Learning Centre from 1st July 2007.
- It is available to all three and four year olds attending a teacher-led licensed or licensed/chartered ECE service such as Bizzy Buddyz Home Based Care and Education. However ECE services do not have to enter into the 20 ECE hours scheme.
- All teacher-led licensed ECE centers and licensed/chartered homebased care services will be eligible to offer 20 ECE hours from 1st July, 2007. Bizzy Buddyz is a licensed homebased care service and is therefore eligible to offer 20 ECE hours FREE!
- Each three and four year old is eligible for up to 20 ECE hours FREE per week in total. This includes all of the ECE services the child may attend, such as Preschool and Kindergarten. Parents can choose how they allocate their 20 ECE hours. For example a child attending three afternoon sessions at Kindergarten may allocate 9 Hours to Kindergarten and 11 Hours to Preschool.
- Each three and four year old is eligible for up to 6 Hours ECE per day in total. The Kindergarten child may use 3 hours for their Kindergarten session leaving 3 hours that can be used at Preschool that same day.
- Any centre that offers 20 ECE hours cannot ask parents to pay a compulsory charge for any of the 20 ECE hours that their child attends. Parents, however, can be asked to make a voluntary contribution. Parents can also be asked to pay optional charges for any services provided over and above the minimum required by the Early Childhood Regulations. An example of this would be providing lunches. Bizzy Buddyz will not ask parents to pay an optional charge.
- No compulsory fees can be charged for any of the 20 ECE hours that your child attends an ECE service.
After much consideration Bizzy Buddyz decided to offer 20 ECE hours FREE to its families. Just ask for an attestation form and you can begin to use your 20 ECE hours with no hidden costs.
