The purpose of this notification is to inform you that onsite compliance inspections will resume shortly, commencing week beginning 15th November 2021.

As you are aware, due to the emergence of COVID-19 in March 2020 and the subsequent public health advice, onsite compliance inspections at ELC/ SAC settings were suspended. The compliance/verification approach was temporarily revised to allow compliance to proceed while restrictions remained in place and, as per communication issued to service providers on 12/11/2020, desk-based checks are currently being carried out by compliance staff in Pobal.

Following the recent public health advice regarding the easing of restrictions, onsite compliance inspections will resume for the DCEDIY funded services from the week beginning the 15th November 2021.  Inspections will commence initially with the NCS and inspections on other schemes will follow in the coming weeks.

As an interim measure, onsite visits will be announced visits and the Primary Authorised User as per the Hive for selected services, will receive an email at least 2 days in advance of a scheduled onsite inspection.  We will provide advance notice of the resumption of unannounced visits, which were the norm for Inspections prior to COVID-19.

The following compliance guidance documents have been revised for the 2021/2022 programme call and are available on the Hive under the NCS documents section:

• NCS Compliance Checklist 2021 2022
  • NCS Service Provider Guide  2021 2022
  • NCS Post Inspection Rectification Actions 2021 2022

Further guidance on ECCE & Savers compliance onsite checks will be issued in due course and in advance of any compliance checks on these schemes for the 2021/2022 programme cycle.

The Authorised / Visit Officers will adhere to public health guidance while onsite at Early Years and School Age Childcare facilities.

We want to take this opportunity to thank services in advance for their continued co-operation with compliance checks.