# 2 x 'free' pre-school years



## Delboy (9 May 2017)

When is free not free...when your in Ireland of course! Take the Govt's free pre-school years announced with great fanfare by various Ministers over the last few years.

I have a child born in September 14 and so isn't eligible to start the free scheme until Jan 18. So it's not 2 school years they'll get, it's 1.5 school years.
So we talked to a few local pre-schools (Sth Dub) about signing up and they all have said the child must start in Sept 17 or they won't get a place in Jan 18. That means 4 months (sept-Dec) of full fees at an average of €350 per month = €1,400 to in effect get a 0.5 school year.
+ they all said they want a top up as the Govt isn't giving enough funding for the scheme so that's another €150 per month from Jan to June = €900.
So a total of €2,300 for the 1st year of the free scheme!!!

Might as well leave her at home for the 1st year of the scheme with our existing childminder even though I think the exposure to other kids would be good. No point paying on the double and pushing ourselves to the pin of our collars to afford everything.

I haven't heard much noise or debate about this in the media surprisingly. Or have I missed it


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## Clara16 (9 May 2017)

in same situation myself, my son is Oct 14.  he is currently in creche and the preschool room is in the creche and they still wont take him until Sep 18.  they said they are not taking in children in Jan as they dont have a room or teacher for them fair enough, and they lose out by holding places from Sep-Jan.

there is a possibility of starting him in Sep 17, but he would have to be fully potty trained ( probably not going to happen)!


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## Suebee (9 May 2017)

Yeah it's a bit of a joke to be honest. It's only of benefit for children born between June and September really.  

Any kids born after January will only be free from April and to get a place you would have to pay from the September.  

Worthless really


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## Mrs Vimes (9 May 2017)

I didn't think they were allowed to ask parents for a top-up?


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## Delboy (9 May 2017)

I don't think it's illegal to ask for a top up from what I have read on this. 

Another half ar5ed Govt initiative that actually costs some people more money than if the Govt just left things alone. Either do it properly or don't do anything at all.
Another item for my list to blast TD's/Councillors out of it with at election times.


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## llgon (9 May 2017)

Unlike the previous scheme that was a one year scheme the new scheme in budget 2016 should never have been regarded as two years free preschool, that was just an interpretation that was made of it.  It can be availed of after a child turns three. Depending on when a child is born and when they start school this could mean one year on the scheme or up to two and a half years.


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## Delboy (9 May 2017)

Wel thats how the Govt at the time spun it...2 free years of pre-school. 'Bringing us closer to the best European standards' etc etc


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## Clara16 (9 May 2017)

there is definitely an advantage for May-July babies they are guaranteed 2 pre school years.  I wouldn't mind if my son an October baby could start in Jan and have 1 1/2 years for 'free' but no preschool I have called can offer that.  They don't have room or staff to take in January classes.  The scheme simply doesn't work unless you pay for Sep-Jan or Sep-April yourself.


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## JoeRoberts (9 May 2017)

It would have been better to use the funding to double the daily hours rather than make it 2 years.
That would have been a real benefit to parents and providers.


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## DeeKie (10 May 2017)

My little one turned 3 in January and was only eligible in April. Her Creche started her in January and claimed from April. Some places do have phased starts during the year.


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## Delboy (10 May 2017)

DeeKie said:


> My little one turned 3 in January and was only eligible in April. Her Creche started her in January and claimed from April. Some places do have phased starts during the year.


Was that Dublin?


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## DeeKie (10 May 2017)

Yes


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## argentina (11 May 2017)

Feel hard done by the scheme too; I have an April (2011) child who availed of the scheme in 2014/2015 but was not ready for school in 2015/2016 so we had to pay for a second year of pre-school - even though when Minister Reilly announced the extension of the scheme in Dec 2104 he stated 'from now on Children will be entitled to 2 years pre-school'.
I also have a Jan child who is ready for School at 4.8 but is entitled to another year if we want it.  One of my work colleagues has a child 2 weeks younger (end December) but is not entitled to the second (academic) year and her son needs the extra year - slow to talk and been recommended by pre-school teachers to keep him back.  
Scheme is not taking account of individual childrens' needs.

Our pre-school too does not take Children in midway through the academic year, they will also not convert a part time (< 5 days) to to more days mid-year as they do not have the space.  They expect a top-up of €150 per month that is neither anonymous nor voluntary (there is no pre-school near me that does not expect a top up).  The owner says there is no way she can run the scheme without the extra.

On the face of it Jan-March children seem to fare the best, and are entitled to 88 weeks of preschool.  Sep-Dec kids are entitled to only 61 weeks.  But in reality, given the demand for pre-school spaces, you would have to enrol your Jan-Mar child in preschool from 2.5 years old and pay for 26 weeks of the first year; your child would have 3 years of pre-school before starting school at 5.8/5.7.
[broken link removed]

Agree that it works best for summer babies (May - August), or in a creche setting where they normally deduct the subsidy from the monthly fees when the scheme kicks in.


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