First Five

Introduction

First Five National Strategy

First Five is the National Early Years Strategy for Ireland. It is a whole of government strategy to provide babies, children, and young people with the best possible start in life. First 5 | A Government Strategy For Babies & Young Children

The strategy plays an important role across many areas such as access for parents in work and supports for parents in child health and development. The strategy also looks at the reform of the early childhood care and education system through affordability, accessibility and quality.

First Five sets out a 50% graduate led workforce by 2028, the extension of regulations to childminders and school age childcare settings, the new funding model for ECCE and a package of supports to tackle child poverty.