ACCS/info Bulletin 19/19
Tue, Mar 19th, 2019
The Secretary,
Board of Management and
School Principal in
each Community and Comprehensive School.
Members of the Executive of ACCS.
ACCS/Info Bulletin 19/19
Re: Regulation of School Age Childcare and the Use of School Facilities Outside of School Hours
Regulation of School Age Childcare
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs, DCYA, has issued notification of the commencement of the Regulations requiring the registration of school-age childcare services on 18th February 2019. Services must register if “their primary purpose …. is the care for children when their parents are not available”.
The DCYA has asked that this information be shared with any school-aged childcare service in or alongside a school through the attached ‘Letter to Principals’. Both the Regulations and an Explanatory Note are available on the Department of Children and Youth Affairs website.
Use of School Buildings Outside of School Hours
The Department of Education and Skills also requested that this would be a useful time to remind all school management and Boards of Management of the procedures in place governing the use of school buildings outside of school time. The procedures for Community and Comprehensive Schools are captured in Rental of School Facilities, Chapter 24 and Application for Hire of School Facilities, Appendix 10 from the Department Governance Manual for Community and Comprehensive Schools. Please find both documents attached.
The Department also published a more general document, ‘Guidelines for the Use of School Facilities outside of School Time’, which is also attached. Appendix 3 of this document provides a useful summary of Approvals Required and Appropriate Signatories to Legal Agreements (See below).
Is mise,
le mór mheas,
_________________
John Irwin,
General Secretary ACCS.