Childcare & Schools

Parent and Family Supports

In Ireland, families are supported by a network of public community-based organisations, including Family Resource Centres. For more information, see www.familyresource.ie .

Depending on your location in Limerick, you may visit one of the following centres for parent and family support:

For more Family Support services visit www.limerick.ie

Tusla prepared a short guide for parents who are newly arrived in Ireland that will help you to navigate the early years of a child’s life while in Ireland. To access a Guide please visit www.tusla.ie

If you have any concerns about the well-being or safety of a child, you should contact Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tel: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm: 061 588688. See also Tusla Get in touch.

If you have any concerns in relation to children outside normal working hours, you can contact the police service (An Garda Síochána) Tel: 112 or 999.

Websites with lots of useful information for families:

  • mychild.ie offers expert advice from the HSE on baby and toddler health.
  • Immunisation.ie provides research based advice around vaccinations.
  • safefood.net/start provides lots of evidence-based quality information on helping families develop healthy habits around nutrition, activity and sleep.
  • loveparenting.ie offers advice on positive parenting, local services, parenting programmes and events in the city and county as well as weaning recipes and advice.

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Childcare

There are number of childcare available in Limerick. The most common providers of childcare are childminders and crèches. Childcare services are not free but you might qualify for a subsidy.

Childminders

A Childminder, is a self-employed person that takes care of pre-school children, including the childminder’s own children, in the childminder’s home. A childminder can provide for a maximum of 5 children at any one time, including their own children under the age of 6 or not yet in primary school. They offer a flexible service, tailored to each child, thereby helping parents and guardians to balance their work and family commitments.

Creches

Creches are usually larger centres with many employees which provide supervised play along with structured nap and meal times. Play schools and Montessori schools prepare young children for primary school, with a focus on informal learning. While some day care centres provide a combination of the above types of childcare services. Some providers might offer Full day care or/and Sessional services.

Full day care is a structured care service for more than 5 hours per day and may include a sessional service. Some may also include an after-school facility. In full day care, sleeping arrangements and food preparation must meet standards laid down by Tusla. Providers include day nurseries and crèches.

Sessional services offer a planned programme of up to 3.5 hours per session (such as a morning or an afternoon). These services also may be provided for younger children. In order to provide a sessional childcare service, a recognised childcare qualification is required. Sessional services include:

National Childcare Scheme

There are two types of subsidies available under the National Childcare Scheme:

Universal Subsidies are available to all families with children between 24 weeks and 15 years of age. This subsidy is not means tested and provides set amount towards the cost of a registered childcare place for a maximum of 45 hours per week.

Income Assessed Subsidies are available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years. This subsidy is means tested and will be calculated based on your individual circumstances. Your rate will vary depending on your level of family income, your child’s age and educational stage, and the number of children in your family.

To find out more about NCS, please visit https://ncs.gov.ie/en/ 

How to find Childcare provider?

You can search for Childcare Service or Childminder in your area on Limerick Childcare Committee website. You can also check which types of childcare are provided and if a service offers one or more of the government childcare schemes.

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Pre School (Early Years Education)

Children can attend free pre-school (known as ECCE programme) for up to 2 years before starting primary school. The ECCE programme offers 3 hours per day, 5 days per week and runs from September to June.

Irish Government prepared Information for parents of children aged 2-5 years on the early childhood care and education (ECCE) and primary school systems in Ireland. This information note explains when children can enroll in early years' education through the national ECCE programme, and in primary schools and is available here.

To check Eligibility you can use ECCE calculator provided by Limerick Childcare Committee they can also assist in identifying vacant places.

Contact: 061 600918 or info@limerickchildcare.ie.

To read more about ECCE scheme, go to Early Childhood Care 

The ECCE scheme covers only three hours per day. If your child attends for more than 3 hours, you will be charged for the extra time.

You may get financial support from the NCS towards the cost of childcare for the hours spent outside of pre-school. You can read more on www.ncs.gov.ie

See the latest guide for parents from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth here.

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School

All children between the ages of 6 and 16 must attend school

How to secure a school place?

You can approach any local primary or post-primary school and seek information about a place for your child or children. If the school has a place for your child, they will provide you with more information on how to enrol in that school.

To check location of the schools please use maps prepared by schooldays.ie

 If you cannot find a school place for your child, you can contact the Education and Training Board by emailing realt@lcetb.ie or Tusla Visit: www.tusla.ie for more information

Primary School (age 4/5 -11)

  • All children are entitled to free primary education.

  • Your child must be at least 4 years of age at the start of the school year (September) to enrol in primary school, however most children are age 5 when they start school.

  • Primary education lasts for 8 years. The classes are junior infants, senior infants, and first to sixth classes

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment have created a booklet that provides a comprehensive overview of Primary School Education and details how you can support your child from Junior Infants to Sixth Class in the various subjects. The What, Why and How of Your Child's Learning 

Secondary School (age 12-18)

The Irish Secondary School system is divided into two cycles + optional Transition Year:

  • Junior Cycle which lasts for 3 years (for students from age 12). Junior Cycle is not specialised and finishes with a State Examination called the Junior Certificate.

  • Transition Year - After completing Junior Cycle, most students in Ireland take the optional Transition Year (TY) programme. It is a combination of academic, vocational and personal/social development. TY is designed to give students, usually aged 15-16 years the tools necessary to make informed choices about their future study and possible university or other Third Level choices.

  • Senior Cycle which lasts for a further 2 years (for students from age 15) - finishes with State Examination called the Leaving Certificate. This examination is both, an exit exam from school and a university entrance exam.

A guide for parents on the school system in Ireland can be found here: https://www.pdst.ie/cultural-and-linguistic-supports

Schoolbooks

Free School books are available for all Primary Schools students and Post-Primary students at Junior Cycle. Parents are no longer required to make any contribution towards the cost of schoolbooks, including the cost of any workbooks and copybooks. Schools will communicate with parents in relation to the scope of the scheme in their school and will purchase all the books for pupils.

Uniforms

Children are expected to wear uniforms when attending most schools. You should first ask the school about uniforms. You can buy uniform in below locations:

  • Fennessys, 31 William Street, Limerick

  • Gemma’s, 113 Henry Street, Limerick, V94 NT6F

  • Noels, 5 Bedford Row, Limerick

If you need financial help with purchasing uniforms and other school suppliers please read “Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance” in State support section.

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School Transport

The School Transport Scheme provides transport to and from school for children who live remote from their nearest school. The scheme is operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.

Applications for Primary or Post Primary School Transport Schemes must be made online at Bus Eireann's website. The closing date for applications is the last Friday in April for the forthcoming School Year.

Please note that only new pupils need apply, for example pupils starting Primary school or moving to Post Primary School, or those who are changing home address or school.

Ukrainian children attending primary or post-primary schools may apply for school transport. The application process for school transport will vary, depending on the living arrangements of the Ukrainian children. To read more please visit: Ukrainian Response

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Ukrainian Education Online

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science, have prepared a brochure on the organization of education for children who are temporarily staying with their families abroad and wish to continue their Ukrainian education.

Taking into account the fact that in many European countries getting an education at local educational institutions is mandatory, Ukraine offers its citizens various forms of education according to the national program. The educational process can be organized at a convenient time for the student remotely, simultaneously obtaining an education in the host country.

The brochure contains information about educational opportunities for Ukrainian students and teachers abroad, as well as resources with educational materials to which free access is provided. You can access the brochure here.

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This service is provided by

Urban and Rural Community Development

customerservices@limerick.ie
+353 61 556000
Limerick City and County Council, Merchant's Quay, Limerick V94 EH90