Providers warn against weekly payment in pre-school scheme

CHILDREN will lose out if the Government insists on its free year of pre-school education being based on a weekly payment, service providers have warned.

The National Association of Private Childcare Providers (NPCP) claims the state would bear no extra cost if it operated the scheme, due to begin in January, on the basis of payments for each day a child attends.

The scheme announced in last April’s budget will provide parents with the option of having a year of free early education before they begin primary school.