Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (NSLF) Applications for 2025 open on 12^th March 2025. Closing date for applications 1^st May 2025

 
Through the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (NSLF) the Department of Children Equality Disability Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) seek to increase significantly the level of funding for approved early years educators and School Aged Childcare (SAC) practitioners who undertake flexible education programmes in Early Learning and Care (ELC) or SAC at Levels 7 and 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) while continuing to work in the sector.

The NSLF will pay a contribution each year to approved educators’ costs of studying, with funding going directly to the education institutions.

DCEDIY is committing to providing funding for an amount equal to 80% of fees up to a maximum of €3,200 to recipients, after all other governmental tuition support funds have been taken into account, with the student being liable to the relevant higher education institution for the remaining 20% of fees owed.

Applications Process and Timelines for NSLF for Academic Year 2025/2026

The NSLF will open to applicants on 12th March 2025, to create an account and upload employment details and complete the new application process.

From 12th March, 2025, applicants should email Pobal, at NSLF@pobal.ie to request a link to the NSLF Student Portal.

Applicants who applied for NSLF for the academic year 2024/2025 and were unsuccessful, should make a new application for the academic year 2025/2026 through the NSLF Student Portal.

Applicants will be required to complete a number of pre-requisite tasks prior to completing the application process.

The application process will close on 1st May 2025.

NSLF Eligible Institutions and Courses for the academic year 2025/2026

The list of eligible Nurturing Skills Learner Fund Institutions and Courses for the academic year 2025/2026 can be found here. Eligible Institutions and Courses for academic year

Conditions for NSLF

Conditions for the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund for 2025/2026 can be found here Conditions for receipt of Nurturing Skills Learner

Rules for NSLF

Rules for the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund for 2025/2026 can be found here Rules for Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (2025/2026)

For more information see gov.ie - Nurturing Skills Learner Fund

Pobal are administering the NSLF on behalf of the DCEDIY All queries relating to the scheme must be addressed by email to NSLF@pobal.ie

Qualifications
The DCEDIY approved list contains all qualifications which have been approved by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth that meet the regulatory requirements for working in the Early Learning and Care sector in Ireland. 
 
If your qualification is on the list, you do not need to apply to DCEDIY for qualifications recognition. If your early childhood care and education qualification does not appear on the list you may apply to have it assessed for approval. Click on the links highlighted for more information.
 

Aistear the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework

Aistear is the curriculum framework for children from birth to 6 years in Ireland. It provides information for adults to help them plan for and provide enjoyable and challenging experiences so that all children can grow and develop as competent and confident learners within loving relationships with others. 
 
Aistear celebrates early childhood as a time of being, a time for enjoying and learning from experiences as they unfold and laying important foundations for later learning and for life.
 
 

An updated version of Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework has been prepared by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and has now been published. This is the first update to Aistear since the curriculum framework was first published in 2009.
 
The updated Framework incorporates new understandings of the rights of babies, toddlers and young children, sustainability and a deeper awareness of diversity, equity and inclusion.
 
The framework and related resources including a video walk through of the framework can be found here .The structure of updated Framework is similar to the original Framework. It sets out the Vision, purpose, Principles and Themes of Aistear and is supported by the Guidance for Good Practice, available here.
 

 
Aistear Blog 1 | NCCA
 
Aistear Blog 2 | NCCA
 
Aistear Blog 3 | NCCA

Aistear Blog 4 | NCCA
 
 

The Quality Regulatory Framework

Tusla Early Years Inspectorate has developed a Quality and Regulatory Framework (QRF) relevant to all services, to support registered Early Years Services to comply with the Early Years Services 2016 Regulations. The QRF aims to support registered providers in achieving compliance with the regulations and enhance the safety and care of children who attend these services. It does this does this by setting out the core regulatory requirements in a transparent way. The QRF is child-centred, with a specific focus on the quality and safety of the care provided directly to children using the services.
 

Síolta the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education.

Síolta contains the Principles, Standards, Components of Quality and Signposts for Reflection.
Síolta has been designed to support engagement in all aspects of quality practice and may be used by an individual Early Years educator, in working with colleagues and also as a support for networking with other professional colleagues who work with young children from birth to six years. See Síolta
 
 
Aistear Síolta Practice Guide

The purpose of the Aistear Síolta Practice Guide (NCCA, 2015) is to support practitioners in using Aistear The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework and Síolta The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education together to develop the quality of their practice and in doing so, to better support children’s learning and development. The Practice Guide includes resources to help practitioners to critically reflect on their curriculum and to identify what works well. Additionally, the resources can help practitioners to identify priorities for development and to plan actions for positive change.

Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework for babies, toddlers and young children has been updated. The updated Framework has been developed to support early learning and development from birth up until the child starts primary school.

Aistear celebrates early childhood as a time of being, a time for enjoying and learning from experiences as they unfold and laying important foundations for later learning and for life. Everything you know and understand about Aistear (2009) remains relevant in the update but the updated Framework incorporates new understandings of the rights of babies, toddlers and young children, sustainability and a deeper awareness of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Aistear is supported by the Guidance for Good Practice. The Guidance builds on the original Guidelines for Good Practice (NCCA, 2009) and supports educators to understand and engage with new concepts introduced in the updated Framework. 

The AistearSíolta Practice Guide is currently being updated to reflect the changes to the updated Aistear. In the meantime, early years educators should continue to use the current resources to reflect on their practice with babies, toddlers and young children. This video will guide you on how to use the practice guide. 



An Introduction video to Aistear, Síolta and the Practice Guide is available here.