The National Voluntary Childcare Collaborative is a body comprised of seven national non-governmental organisations in Ireland, each with a special interest, considerable experience and expertise in early years and school age services.

Our vision is an Ireland in which all children and families thrive, supported by the provision of accessible, diverse and high-quality early years and school age services.

Our mission is to contribute to and promote the provision of accessible, diverse and high-quality early years and school age services to all children and families.

Strategic Aims

In order to achieve its mission, the NVCC has set itself broad strategic aims, namely:

• To promote and advocate for the provision of accessible, diverse and high-quality early years and school age services for the benefit of all children and families
• To act as a representing body (for voluntary childcare organisations) on consultative groups and processes
• To engage in constructive collaborations between national voluntary childcare organisations and other relevant agencies
• To contribute to and influence the development of policy and practice that impact on the provision of accessible diverse and high-quality early years and school age services and to monitor the implementation of childcare policy
• To promote and exchange learning 
• To build and develop the capability of the NVCC

Promoting Diversity

In carrying out its mission and its work, the NVCC will be guided by the following statement:

The NVCC is committed to promoting diversity in early years and school age services. We recognise diversity as inherently valuable and essential to the provision of high-quality early learning and care for young children, both in the home and in centre-based settings. We believe that a diversity of pedagogical and caring approaches is the best way to ensure a responsive, robust and adaptive sector that caters to the needs of all young children and provides early learning and care to fully support every aspect of children’s development.

Membership

Our current membership is as follows:

• Barnardos
• Bláthú (Steiner Early Childhood Association)
• Childminding Ireland
• Early Childhood Ireland
• Gaeloideachas
• National Childhood Network
• St. Nicholas Montessori Society

In order to keep its focus on accessibility, diversity and high-quality services,
the criteria for membership of the NVCC is as follows:

Organisations who:

• are incorporated in the Republic of Ireland
• are not-for-profit / voluntary organisations with a board governing them
• have a national brief
• are funded to provide support to early years and school age services
• actively support the vision, mission and diversity statements of the NVCC in their work