“Twelve providers from South Dublin County Council area included in new strand of funding”
Statement by Minister Katherine Zappone
Pic Credit: www.affordablechildcare.ie.
Twelve local childcare providers are receiving €56,600 in funding to support their work with children of school going age in the latest grants announced by Dublin South West Independent Minister Katherine Zappone. The money is be used to improve the quality of the services provided for children who go to child-care at the end of the school day.
It is on top of €80,000 in funding to increase spaces in local centres announced earlier this month and a doubling of overall capital supports to €8.4m nationally. Minister Zappone says these investments are crucial ahead of a radical new approach to childcare which starts with extra supports for families in two
weeks. Making the announcement the Independent Minister for Children and Youth
Affairs, Dr Zappone, added:
“Changing the most expensive childcare system into the best is an ambitious goal – but one which I am determined to work towards on behalf of local families. This latest funding will go towards improving the quality of service available to school age children, and follows a spate of announcements which will see an unprecedented €466m pumped into our early years services in 2017.
Breakdown of those receiving money are:
Kilnamanagh Kids (€4,730), Knocklyon Lodge Creche and Montessori (€4,357), Busy Kids Lucan (€5,000),
Young Explorers Preschool at Dominics Community Centre (€4.910),
Bohernabreena Community Enterprise (€4,997), Little Gems Clondalkin (€4,600),
Sunflowers Lucan (€4,997), Ballyboden Childrens Centre (4,030),
Kingswood Childcare (€4967), Busy Beehive Killinarden (4,880), Four Plus Greenhills (€4,573)
and Sherpa Kids Lucan (€4,603).
The support could not come at a more important time as we now take the first big step to changing childcare in our communities forever. Local parents need to start taking action now to ensure they receive some of the €19m in extra family supports coming on stream in September. Full details are available at www.affordablechildcare.ie. Action is now being taken on a number of fronts with increased supports for children, parents and providers as well as this further investment in quality. The foundations are being laid to finally start delivering accessible affordable quality childcare for all.”
