Learner Fund 4 Is Now "OPEN"
25 January, 2016
The Learner Fund, which is currently subsidising thousands of learners who applied in 2014, is now open for online applications.
Learner Fund 4 offers a subsidy towards the cost of training to support existing Early Years practitioners who have an ECCE Major Award qualification at Level 5 on the NFQ (or equivalent), to attain a Level 6 qualification, which will be required for ECCE room leaders from 31st December 2016 under the ECCE Programme.
Learner Fund 4 will focus on facilitating ECCE services to expand their ECCE numbers to meet the anticipated increased demand for places in the next funding year.
The ECCE service provider/employer must complete and submit the online application on behalf of a staff member who is the potential ECCE room leader.
The closing date for Learner Fund 4 applications is March 10th 2016 @ 6pm.
Please note that:
- Only ECCE services that are planning to expand in the next funding yearshould apply under Learner Fund 4.
- Only one application per ECCE service may be submitted under Learner Fund 4.
- To be eligible under Learner Fund 4 the staff member who is the Learner Applicant must already have a full ECCE Major Award qualification at Level 5 on the NFQ, or equivalent
- The staff member/ Learner Applicant must be currently working directly with children in the ECCE service and be the potential room leader for the planned new ECCE room or session.
- Staff members who have already begun a Level 6 course can apply / may be eligible (see the Learner Fund 4 Information and FAQ) under Learner Fund 4.
- A staff member who was previously approved for a Level 6 subsidy under a previous round of Learner Fund should not re-apply for Learner Fund 4, even if they did not pass/finish.
- A staff member who has already been approved a Learner Fund subsidy for a Level 6 course under a previous round of Learner Fund but who did not yet enrol on a course, rather than re-applying under Learner Fund 4, should contact their County Childcare Committee without delay - the CCC will provide support to identify a course that suits that staff member’s needs.
- The service provider / employer submitting the online application should secure the consent of the staff member who has agreed to do the course, if approved. (N.B. both the employer and the Learner will need to sign a paper copy of the application form).
- The application form requires that the service provider/ employer gives a commitment to expanding their ECCE service in the next funding year. The form also asks the service provider / employer to confirm that the staff member, on whose behalf the application is being made, will be the new ECCE room leader in the expanded service.
If you have any queries in relation to the Learner Fund, please refer to guides below: