Funding available increased to €500,000
The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, announced the opening of the 2024 Childminding Development Grant.
The total budget of €500,000 is double the budget announced in 2023. This increase reflects the high demand for the Grant in 2023. It also reflects the Government’s commitment to support childminders to prepare for the planned extension of regulation, subsidies and supports to childminders from this autumn, in line with the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028.
The Childminding Development Grant provides up to €1,000 to assist childminders who are providing a childminding service in their own homes.
The Grant aims to support childminders to enhance quality and safety in their service through the purchase of toys, childcare equipment, safety equipment, equipment to support inclusion and STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths), as well as IT equipment to assist childminders to engage with training and registration processes later in the year.
The grants are open to all childminders, including those who are planning to open a childminding business in 2024. 75% of the grant is paid in advance to help childminders with the upfront costs of purchasing equipment.
Making the announcement, Minister Roderic O’Gorman said:
“I am delighted to announce the launch of the 2024 Childminding Development Grant. I am committed to putting positive supports in place to help childminders, and the doubling of the budget for the Grant this year reflects this.
“In addition to quality and safety measures, this year childminders can apply for an IT grant, in advance of registration which will be opening to childminders later this year. Registration of childminders is a key component of the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028.”
For further information about the Childminder Development Grant or the National Action Plan for Childminding, visit www.gov.ie/childminding or contact your local City or County Childcare Committee.
Applications for the Childminding Development Grant opened on 16 May and close on 7 June 2024.
To find out more about the childminding development grant and the learner fund bursary annual grants, please find contact details for your local CCC at myCCC.ie