You pay a sitter every week, then a friend mentions that the State helps with childcare costs. You wonder if some of your money could come back to you.
The National Childcare Scheme Ireland does not cover a casual babysitter. It pays registered childcare providers, not the person who minds your children for an evening. This guide explains why, what the scheme pays from 31 August 2026, and which supports sit beside it.
If you want the wider picture first, our guide to childcare in Ireland sets out every option side by side. If the scheme does not fit, browse babysitters in Ireland for casual cover.
Key Takeaways
– The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) pays registered providers, not parents or casual babysitters.
– A provider needs Tusla registration and an NCS contract.
– The universal subsidy is €2.14 per hour; income-assessed rates reach €5.10.
– Announced changes from September 2027 lift the universal rate to €2.50.
National Childcare Scheme Ireland does not cover a casual sitter
The short answer is no. The National Childcare Scheme Ireland helps parents meet childcare costs, but it works through the provider. Citizens Information says the Government pays the subsidy to your childcare provider. The provider then takes that amount off your bill.
Parents who search for “national childcare scheme Ireland” land mostly on official pages that explain the scheme but not babysitters. This guide fills that gap. NCS Ireland babysitter questions have one short answer: the scheme pays providers, not casual sitters.
That design leaves no route for a babysitter:
- A parent cannot pay a sitter and claim the money back.
- The subsidy never passes through the parent’s hands.
So the useful question is not “Is my babysitter covered?” It is “Is this provider registered and under contract?” The next section shows how to check. National Childcare Scheme Ireland rates rise from September 2027 under announced changes.
The provider test: Tusla registration plus an NCS contract
To get either subsidy under the National Childcare Scheme Ireland, a provider must pass two tests. Citizens Information lists two requirements: Tusla registration, and an NCS contract with the Department that funds the scheme. Both apply. Registration on its own is not enough.
Tusla is the regulator behind the first test. It describes the Early Years Inspectorate as the statutory regulator of early years services, covering pre-school, school-age and childminding services. Parents can use its register of early years services. If you live in Meath, you can browse babysitters in Meath.
A casual babysitter who comes to your home for an evening will not normally meet either test. They are a person helping out, not a registered service with a Department contract. That is why the scheme has nothing to pay. National Childcare Scheme Ireland still needs a registered provider, whatever you earn.
How to check if a provider takes the NCS
Four steps help. The last three come from Citizens Information:
- Ask the provider whether it has Tusla registration and an NCS contract.
- Check the list of contracted providers on the NCS website.
- Ask your City or County Childcare Committee for providers near you.
- Ring the NCS Parent Support Centre on (01) 906 8530, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Do this before you sign up, not after the first bill. Does NCS cover babysitters? Only a registered provider with an NCS contract can be paid.
What the National Childcare Scheme Ireland pays from 31 August 2026
The scheme has two subsidies. You cannot get both at once, but you can choose the one worth more to you. Children must be over 6 months and under 15.
| Subsidy | Rate | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|
| Universal | €2.14 an hour, capped at 45 hours a week (maximum €96.30) | Any family, whatever the income |
| Income-assessed | Up to €5.10 an hour per child | Families with reckonable income under €68,000 |
The universal subsidy is not means-tested. The income-assessed rate depends on your income, your child’s age and school stage, and how many children you have. The maximum rate goes to families on €34,000 or under. Our childcare subsidy guide goes deeper on these rates.
Reckonable income means net family income after tax, PRSI and USC. Some items are taken off first. The gov.ie release on the changes shows the thresholds moved on 31 August 2026:
- The lower threshold rose from €26,000 to €34,000.
- The upper threshold rose from €60,000 to €68,000.
- The Multiple Child Discount rose to €5,500 for two children and €11,000 for three or more.
Take a family with €34,000 of reckonable income and a child aged 24 to 52 weeks. Their hourly rate is now €5.10, up from €4.40 before the change.
The hours you can claim depend on work. Citizens Information says parents who work, study or train can get up to 45 subsidised hours a week. Others can get up to 20.
Where a registered childminder fits and a babysitter does not
Here the line is sharp. Citizens Information defines a childminder as someone who cares for other people’s children in the minder’s own home for at least 2 hours a day. It adds that this definition does not apply to nannies and au pairs.
The two cases differ:
- Registered childminder: one who is Tusla-registered and holds an NCS contract passes the National Childcare Scheme Ireland provider test.
- Babysitter, nanny or au pair: the pages we read do not name any of them as a provider the scheme can pay. We have found no route by which a parent can claim for them.
In Cork, try babysitters in Cork.
What changes under the National Childcare Scheme in 2027
Budget 2027 changes the numbers from next September. These are announced changes. Until then, today’s rates apply.
- For children up to senior infants, the universal rate goes from €2.14 up to €2.50 an hour.
- The base income threshold moves up to €38,500, from €34,000.
- The most a parent pays for a 45-hour place, for a child up to senior infants, falls from €735 to €550 for a four-week month.
None of this reaches a babysitter. Every change above still runs through a registered, contracted provider.
Other supports that sit beside the National Childcare Scheme
Several other supports exist, and each answers a different question.
- Free preschool (ECCE): a universal programme with 15 free hours a week, generally September to June. Citizens Information says ECCE hours are not deducted from your NCS hours.
- Childcare subsidy: this is the NCS money itself, set out in the rates section above.
- Childcare allowance: people search for this name, but we can’t point you to a scheme called that.
- Child Benefit: a monthly payment to parents, separate from childcare subsidies.
If your sitter comes every week, the next question is about pay, not subsidies.
Find a babysitter
If the NCS doesn’t fit your childcare, a sitter still might. Ready to look? To start your search, see babysitters in Kildare.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Does NCS cover babysitters?
A: No. The money goes to registered providers, not to parents or casual sitters. A provider needs Tusla registration plus an NCS contract.
Q: Which providers take the National Childcare Scheme Ireland?
A: Services that are registered with Tusla and also have an NCS contract. Citizens Information says the NCS website lists them. Your City or County Childcare Committee can help too.
Q: Can I get the National Childcare Scheme Ireland for a nanny or au pair?
A: Citizens Information’s childminder definition does not apply to nannies and au pairs. The pages we read do not list them as providers the scheme pays. Ask the Parent Support Centre on (01) 906 8530 about your case.
Q: How much is the National Childcare Scheme Ireland per hour?
A: The universal subsidy pays €2.14 an hour, capped at 45 hours a week. The income-assessed subsidy reaches €5.10 per hour for families under €68,000. From September 2027, announced changes lift the universal rate to €2.50 for children up to senior infants.
Q: How do I check if a provider takes the National Childcare Scheme Ireland?
A: Ask the provider whether it has Tusla registration and an NCS contract. You can also look at the contracted-provider list on the NCS website, or ring the Parent Support Centre.
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