Childcare Education & Training Support Scheme (CETS)

What is the CETS Scheme?

The Office of the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs (OMCYA) is introducing a new childcare support scheme, the Childcare Education & Training Support (CETS) scheme, from September 2010.

The CETS scheme will support the childcare needs of participants in training and educational courses operated by FAS and Vocational Educational Committees (VECs).

The scheme is open to applications from childcare services which:

  1. provide full daycare and/or afterschool care and
  2. are participants in the Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) scheme and/or the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) scheme

Where a service is solely engaged in the provision of afterschool care for children attending primary school criteria (b) above does NOT apply

Services will be paid a capitation fee for each childcare place it is contracted for with the OMCYA. Contracted childcare places must be made available for free to FAS and VEC trainees who are eligible for free childcare support under the scheme.

The OMCYA will pay participating services for the agreed number and type of free childcare places and will advise FAS and the VECs of where these are located. Local FAS and VEC officers will then advise qualifying trainees of the location of free childcare places.

Participating services will be paid a weekly capitation fee for each place reserved at the rate of:

  • €170 for a full-day service – at least 10 hours per day (to include 8am to 6pm)
  • €95 for a half day service – at least 5 and a half hours per day (to include 8am to 1.30pm)
  • €50 for an after school service – at least 3 hours per day (to include 2pm to 5pm)

The capitation fee will be paid for an agreed number of weeks within the September to August term.

This will vary between 43 and 51 weeks depending on the particular FAS/VEC Childcare Service provision which is agreed with the participating service provider in each case.

List of CETS Providers in County Westmeath

Service Provider Contact Address
Grovelands Childcare Regina Bushell IDA Business Park Dublin Rd, Athlone, Co. Westmeath
Scallywags Childcare Centre Shelly Welton + Mary Kearney Garrycaslte, Athlone, Co. Westmeath,
Sonas Busy Kids Crech Athlone Pauline Gately Cloghanboy, Ballymahon Road, Athlone Co. Westmeath  
Dalton Community Childcare Ltd. Anne Rogers Riverside Community Cantre, Dalton Pk Mullingar, CO.Westmeath 
Dunaree Childcare and Preschool  Mairead Hyland 1 Mayfield, Guildford, Tyrellspass, Co Westmeath
Grovelands Childcare Ronan Bushell The Weir, Market Point, Mullingar Co. Westmeath
Mullingar Academy of Childcare and Education Kathleen Egan 105 Ballinderry Rd, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
On Cloud Nine Creche Fiona Foran 2 Assumption Villas, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Step by Step Monica Cronin 29 College Vale, Irishtown, Mullingar Co Wesmeath