The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme provides a pre-school service free of charge to all children within the qualifying age range. Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is more than preparation for primary school. It aims at the holistic development of a child's social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs in order to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing.
The programme is available to all children from the September after the child has turned 2 years and 8 months.
This table shows the eligibility for ECCE by year of birth.
| Birth Date Between: | ECCE Start Date: | ECCE End Date: |
| 1st January 2015 - 31st December 2015 | 1st September 2018 +1st September 2019 | June 2020 |
| 1st January 2016 - 31st December 2016 | 1st September 2019 + 1st September 2020 | June 2021 |
| 1st January 2017 - 31st December 2017 | 1st September 2020 + 1st September 2021 | June 2022 |
| 1st January 2018 - 31st December 2018 | 1st September 2021 + 1st September 2022 | June 2023 |
| 1st January 2019 - 31st December 2019 | 1st September 2022 + 1st September 2023 | June 2024 |