Childminding Development Grant

Childminding Development Grants are now available from the Limerick City Childcare Committee.

The purpose of the Childminding Development Grant is to:

• Offer a small capital grant to childminders to support and enhance their awareness of quality childcare.
• Assist existing childminders to enhance safety/quality in the service through the purchase of small capital items, equipment, toys or minor adaptation costs. It may also give financial assistance to new or prospective Childminders with their initial set up costs.
• The maximum grant available to a Childminder who fully meets the requirements of the scheme, is 90% of total receipted eligible childcare expenditure to a maximum grant of €630.00

Who is eligible to apply for funding?

A childminder who is:

• a. Providing an existing childminding service carried out in the childminders home
• b. Proposing a new childminding service to be carried out in the childminders home

A childminder who provides/proposes to provide a childminding service (not including childminders own children) for at least

• 3 children on a part time basis
• 1 child on a full time basis and one child on a part time basis

A childminder who has:

• Completed the prescribed Childminding Quality Awareness Programme (QAP).
  Note: A childminder may be exempt from attending the QAP if they have already completed an equivalent Childminding course. This decision will be made at the discretion of the Limerick City Childcare Committee.
• Notifies as a Childminder as defined in the Childcare (Pre school services) Regulations 1996 and Childcare (Pre school services) Amendment 1997.
• Is voluntarily notified as a childminder to the Mid Western Health Board.

All applicants for a grant must:

• Provide evidence of appropriate insurance for the childminding service
• Operate as a childminder for a minimum of two years after receipt of the grant.

What can the grant be used for?

The grant can be used for the purchase of small capital items equipment, toys or minor adaptation costs which will enhance the safety/quality of the service provided.

The final decision with regard to eligible capital expenditure will be at the discretion of the Limerick City Childcare Committee.

The following list gives examples of the different types of costs that may be covered by the grant:

The Application Process

A standard application form for the Childminder Development Grant is available from the Limerick City Childcare Committee.

Completed applications will be submitted for assessment to the appraisal committee of the Limerick City Childcare Committee.

The Childcare Committee will issue a letter of acknowledgement.

The Appraisal committee will assess all applications against agreed eligibility requirements and assessment criteria.

A letter advising the applicant of the Committee's decision will be issued.

The Childminder must:

• 1. Sign a letter of agreement with the Child care Committee for the approved grant
• 2. Agree to provide the Childcare Committee with all information relating to the project and to allow access to all appropriate records as is necessary for that purpose.
• 3. Return an expenditure return detailing their eligible expenditure with the itemised receipts attached.