The opening of the long-awaited National Childcare Scheme (NCS) on Wednesday will lead to a “potentially divisive” discrepancy in entitlements among some low-income families, childcare providers have warned. Families currently on targeted childcare schemes will be able to remain on them “indefinitely”, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has told The Irish Times. Now the department has said children already registered on legacy schemes can stay on them “indefinitely”, ie until they no longer require early learning and care or school-age childcare, or are no longer eligible. Clarification“This does not reflect a change in policy subsequent to the budget announcement but rather a clarification,” said a department spokesman. “However, it will also lead to other families in identical circumstances receiving lower subsidies for the foreseeable future.

Source: The Irish Times November 19, 2019 02:15 UTC