Skip Navigation LinksChildcare Schemes > CETS Frequently Asked Questions June 2010

Community Employment and Training Scheme (CETS)
Questions and Answers June 2010

CETS Places

  1. What is or are there a maximum number of places a service can reserve?
    There is no maximum. But services are not really reserving CETS places. They are offering to reserve places, and we will inform them in July how many we will actually need.
  2. On the application form Q.2, is ‘Maximum number of places available’ referring to the service in total or just CETS Scheme places?
    The number of CETS places, i.e. the number of places the service can provide for the scheme.
  3. How will the places be allocated? Can services apply for as many places as they wish?
    In theory, yes they can. But they should be realistic about how many places they have to spare, if any, and they should remember that no matter how many places they apply for, they are not guaranteed they will get any places at all under the scheme.
  4. Can a service apply for both the 25 and 26 week model and if so why are they split?
    In the terms and conditions, it states:

    “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. Where a period of 51 weeks is contracted; a set number and type of places will be contracted for 25 weeks during September 2010 to February 2011, and for 26 weeks during March 2011 to August 2011.”

    A service contracted to provided CETS places for 51 weeks may be offered a number of places or type of places for the second half of this period that is different to what they will be offered in the first half of this period. For example, the service could be asked to provide 3 part-time places for the period Sept 2010 to Feb 2011 (25weeks) and then 2 part-time and 1 full-time from March to August 2011
  5. Can a service specify the age range of the children they wish to apply for as it is too awkward to apply for 3 babies, 4 toddlers 3 afterschool kids etc as it is too difficult to plan re costs. (Ratios also become an issue)
    You can, if you wish, specify what you are prepared to offer in terms of age-range by writing it in on the form, e.g. I am willing to offer 3 baby places and 2 After-school places.
  6. No distinction is made between the various age groups, i.e. Babies (under 12 months), Toddlers & Montessori. If we offered say 3 places, there would be a big negative impact if we got 3 Babies. Could we refuse to do this?
    We do not have a complete snapshot of what FAS / VEC requirements will be in each area yet. We will work with FAS, VEC and providers to meet the needs of the CETS children as best we can. However, the capitation fee is a flat fee. You can indicate on your application what you are prepared to offer in terms of age-range by writing it in on the form, e.g. I am willing to offer 3 baby places and 2 After-school places

Operation Hours

  1. What are the minimum and maximum opening hours for full-day, half-time and after-school hours?
    The definition of full-day and half-time for the CETS scheme is different from the Pre-school Regulations because we have to take account of the needs of FAS / VEC parents.

    For CETS, the minimum opening hours are:
    • Full-day: at least 10 hours per day to include 8 am to 6 pm.
    • Half-time: at least 5½ hours per day to include 8 am to 1.30 pm.
    • After-School: at least 3 hours per day to include 2 pm to 5 pm.
    There are no maximum opening hours.
  2. Can a service whose usual opening hours are 9.00 to 5.30 join the scheme with the agreement that if there is a requirement for course participants to access childcare earlier they will open at 8.00 am?
    Yes, once they can fulfil the terms and conditions of CETS. The applicant should specify that on their application form if they have not yet sent it in.

Accessing CETS Places

  1. Is the CETS scheme just for VEC and FAS trainees?
    Yes
  2. Can parents who are participating on the CE scheme apply?
    No, CE participants will not qualify for CETS places. Eligibility is decided by FAS & VEC.
  3. Can a VEC/FAS Trainee contact the Provider directly for a place on the Scheme?
    The VEC / FAS trainee will be given a letter by FAS / VEC confirming their entitlement and also a list of participating services locally. The person then contacts the service to book a place.
  4. Who applies to the service, FAS, VEC or the parent? If the parent applies is there a parent declaration form procedure as with the ECCE/CCS?
    The qualifying parent will be given a list of participating services (by FAS or VEC) and they then contact the service. There will be no parental declaration form.
  5. Am I taking on the parents as staff / do I need to train them?
    No, it is for children of parents on VEC / FAS Schemes.

Payment from the OMCYA

  1. Will the capitation be paid for the number of agreed places irrespective of whether they are filled or not?
    The capitation will be paid for the number of contracted places, whether they are filled or not.

    It is important to remember that, for now, providers are just being asked to register their interest in the scheme and to indicate the number of places they expect to have available for the scheme.

    It is very likely that the CETS scheme will be over-subscribed by providers i.e. services will offer far more places than the OMCYA needs. In July, we will have a better idea from FAS/VEC of how many places they will need and where. At this stage the OMCYA will start telling providers how many CETS places they will need from them. In some cases, we will need none or fewer than the provider indicated they could offer. Once contracts are in place, the OMCYA will only pay the provider for the number of places they informed the provider was required.
  2. When will payments start being made?
    Payments will be made from late August 2010.
  3. If a service reserves a place under the CETS for September and then that place does not get filled, are they paid? (This space would normally be offered to a fee paying child)
    We will pay them if we have contracted them to hold a place.
  4. If a child is booked into the service under CETS and does not attend, does the service get paid?
    Yes, the service will be paid.
  5. How many weeks of the year are they paid for? Is it just for the duration of the course e.g.25 weeks etc
    The service will be paid according to the number of weeks it is contracted to provide, i.e.
    • The service will be paid for 43 weeks under the 43 week model.
    • Under the 51 wk model, the service will be paid for a set number of places for the first 25 weeks, and a (possibly different) set number of places for the following 26 weeks.

Fees

  1. Can a provider charge for extra services?
    Yes, providers can charge for
    • optional additional hours provided and agreed with Parents
    • school drop-off and collection services
    Providers cannot charge for food and snacks. Under the Child Care (Pre-school Services) (no2) Regulations 2006 full and part-time services are obliged to provide nourishment. In addition the CETS capitation included for the provision of food and snacks.

CETS and CCS/ ECCE

  1. When FAS and VEC trainees access childcare through the scheme can they revert to CCS once the training period is over?
    In certain cases, yes. However most VEC students will have a CETS place for the Sept/June period and will not be eligible for CCS until the following September.
  2. If a child is starting under ECCE in September and their parent is starting a FAS course in September, can the parent avail of CETS from 8am – 1.30pm and ECCE from 1.30pm – 4.30pm?
    It depends on the circumstances. If a qualifying parent is on a 10 week FAS course, they will get 10 weeks of CETS and then they can get ECCE for the other weeks if their child is the eligible age.
    But if a qualifying parent is on a September to June course, they will get their ECCE place within their CETS place.
  3. Should ECCE participating services turn away ECCE children to hold places for CETS?
    ECCE places are either sessional or part of a full–day care place. Only daycare or after-school places will be considered under CETS.

    If a service is contracted to hold a place for a CETS child, they cannot give that place to an ECCE child.
  4. Can unfilled ECCE places be used for the CETS scheme?
    No. If the service has been contracted by us to provide a CETS place, then they hold that place solely for a CETS.
  5. If a service has VEC and FAS trainees currently on ECCE or CCSS. Should/Can the service apply to the CETS instead?
    • Yes, if you wish to offer full-time, half-time or after school places.
    • No, if you offer only sessional places.

Childminders

  1. Can childminders apply to enter CETS?
    No, childminders are not eligible to apply for CETS. Statutory and voluntary notified Childminders and those offering the ECCE scheme are not eligible.

School Age Childcare (SAC)

  1. Are services that offer SAC only able to enter the scheme (these will not be in the ECCE or CCS Scheme)?
    Yes, private School Age Childcare stand-alone services can apply.
  2. Can a private after school service that is part of a full day care service apply, or is it just after school services receiving CCS?
    Yes, private services providing SAC can apply.
  3. Can a stand alone after school service receiving CCS apply?
    Stand-alone SAC services receiving CCS can also apply.
  4. Does an SAC service need to provide transport/school collection services?
    No, a service does not have to provide a transport/ school collection service.
  5. Can a stand alone after school service receiving CCS apply?
    Stand-alone SAC services receiving CCS can also apply.