What is a School Age Service?
 
A ‘school age service’ means any early years service, play group, day nursery, crèche, day-care or other similar service which;

• Caters for children under the age of 15 years enrolled in a school providing primary or post primary education.
• Provides a range of activities that are developmental, educational and recreational in manner, which take place outside of school hours, the primary purpose of which is to care for children where their parents are unavailable.
• The basis for access to which is made publicly known to the parents and guardians of the children

The following are not defined as school age services under the Childcare Act 1991 Revised January 2019.

Services that solely provide activities relating to —

1. The Arts.
2. Youth work.
3. Competitive or recreational sport.
4. Tuition.
5. Religious teaching.

For more information about School Age Childcare, please click the following link: 
I am a Parent/GuardianTusla - Child and Family Agency

The National Quality Guidelines for School Age Childcare Services | Guidelines, Components and Elements (September 2020)

The Guidelines are intended to complement the regulations for school-age childcare services. to develop and enhance the quality of school age childcare services. Informed by Síolta and Aistear and underpinned by a commitment to uphold the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) in relation to Children’s Voices, Rest and Play, the purpose of the Guidelines is to assist and guide school age childcare providers to reach beyond and aspire to achieving more than the minimum standards set out in regulations.
 
The full document is available as Gaeilge and in English at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/b66c5-national-quality-guidelines-for-school-age-childcare-services-guidelines-components-and-elements-september-2020/