Types of Childcare
The five types of childcare provided in Mayo are:
Description of Types of Childcare Services
Pre-school Service
"Sessional pre-school service" means a pre-school service offering a planned programme to pre-school children for a total of not more than 3.5 hours per session.
These services include pre-schools, playgroups, crèches, Montessori pre-schools, naionrai, notifiable childminders or similar services which generally cater for pre-school children in the 0-6 age bracket.
Full Day Care Service
"Full day care service" means a pre-school service offering a structured day care service for pre-school children for more than 5 hours per day. This service may include a pre-school service for pre-school children not attending the fully day care service.
These services include day nurseries and crèches.
School Age Childcare
A school age childcare services is one that provides care for school going children out of school hours. Thee can include breakfast clubs, afterschool clubs, school holiday programmes etc.
Drop In Centre
A drop in centre refers to a service where a pre-school child is cared for over a period of not more than two hours during the day, while the parent or guardian is availing of a service or attending an event. Such services are mainly located in shopping centres, leisure centres or other establishments as part of customer/client service.
Childminding Service
"Childminding service" means a pre-school service which may include an overnight service offered by a person who single handily takes care of pre-school children, including the childminder's own children, in the childminder's home for a total of more than 2 hours per day, except where the exemptions provided in Section 58 of the Child Care Act 1991 apply.
"Childminder" is a person who provides a childminding service as defined in the Regulations.
Voluntary Notified Childminder
Please note these are broad definitions of common childcare services. For a more detailed comprehensive definition please refer to the current Childcare Regulations (DCYA.ie website; external link).
