Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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458. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if language delays preclude children from accessing the full two years of ECCE; if there is a procedure for children who are unable to commence ECCE due to developmental delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41777/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a programme of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme in mainstream pre-school settings. Its goal is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every child, including those with language delays,  can meaningfully participate in their full two year entitlement of the ECCE Programme alongside their peers and can reap the benefits of quality early years care and education.

AIM is a child centred model of supports, involving seven levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the targeted, based on the needs of the individual child and the pre-school setting. It will offer tailored, practical supports based on need and will not require a formal diagnosis of disability. The purpose of AIM is to support children to engage in two years of ECCE, regardless of development delays. However attendance in ECCE services is not mandatory and parents may decide to send their children to just one year of ECCE, or not to send them to an ECCE service at all.

If a parent wishes to get more information on ECCE or AIM they should contact their local County Childcare Committee.  Details of all CCCs can be found on www.myccc.ie.

Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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459. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will amend the early childhood care and education scheme and the national childcare scheme in order that a child who must delay participation in ECCE due to them having language difficulties and who is then only eligible for one year under the ECCE scheme due to their age can be financially supported in some way in cases in which the parents do not qualify for the income assessed subsidy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41871/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year.  A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the September start date and a child cannot turn 5 years and 6 months of age during the course of the ECCE programme year.  Children who age out of ECCE will be of primary school age.All children, including those with additional needs, are entitled to two years on the ECCE programme.  The ECCE programme is not mandatory, and a parent may choose to send their child to ECCE for just one year, or not at all.

Supports are available for children with additional needs through the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) to enable them to take part in two years of ECCE.  AIM is a programme of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access the ECCE Programme in mainstream pre-school settings. Its goal is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every child can meaningfully participate in their full two years of the ECCE Programme alongside their peers and can reap the benefits of quality early years care and education.

With regard to other financial supports available to help parents with the costs of childcare,  the National Childcare Scheme provides both universal and targeted supports to parents, based on their income levels.For more information on eligibility and entitlements, parents can contact the NCS Parent Support Centre on 01 906 8530 or visit www.ncs.gov.ie.