​Dear Service Provider,

Nurturing Skills Learner Fund

On 8 December 2023, in line with commitments in Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028 Minister O’Gorman, announced a pilot of a new Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (NSLF). The new fund aims to assist early year’s educators to pursue early learning and care (ELC) qualifications that have been approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board (QAB) while continuing to work in the sector.

As of 1 May 2024, Pobal are inviting expressions of interest from early years educators via email to NSLF@pobal.ie.

Emails will begin to issue on the 3 May 2024 containing a link to register on the NSLF Student Portal to those who have expressed an interest.

It is very important for staff to be made aware of the opening of the expressions of interest date as this new Fund aims to assist early years educators to pursue early learning and care (ELC) qualifications.

Detailed information around eligibility, conditions, and rules for the pilot NSLF can be found on 

www.gov.ie/NurturingSkillsLearnerFund.

Regards
The Early Years Team