The NCS Policy Guidelines have been updated to reflect the Budget 2024 subsidy increase that came into effect on 2 September 2024. In addition to those changes, some changes have been made in the text to clarify existing rules for providers and parents.

 

Key updates:

  • Budget 2014 updates were made throughout, changing the universal subsidy rate and the minimum NCS subsidy from €1.50 to €2.14, effective 2 September 2024.
  • Backdating: updated language has been added throughout to make it explicit that the point at which the provider registers the CHICK and hours agreed is the point from which the NCS subsidy can start to be claimed. There is no backdating, so if for example, a parent receives a CHICK, but waits several weeks to bring it to the provider to be added to the HIVE system, the subsidy will only be paid from the point the registration is made and the weeks before this will not be subsidised.
  • Confirming claims:  additional text has been added throughout reminding parents that once the provider registers the CHICK and hours on the HIVE, the parent must confirm the registration details on the parent portal in order for the subsidy payments to flow to providers.
  • Text was added in various places to emphasise that NCS subsidised hours can only be claimed for the hours outside of the hours the child attends ECCE or school.
  • Text has been added throughout noting that hours claimed cannot exceed the operating hours of the service and the service must be open and available to provide childcare to the child for the hours claimed.

Read the full announcement from the Announcements page on the HIVE.