AIM Better Start

The Better Start Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a model of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. 

For further information please click the following link or contact our Leitrim CCC Support & Development Worker on 071 96 40870.

Its goal is to empower service providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every eligible child can fully participate in the ECCE programme and reap the benefits of quality early years care and education.

AIM is a child-centred model, involving seven levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the targeted, based on the needs of the child and the service provider. It will offer tailored, practical supports based on need and will not require a formal diagnosis of disability.

To apply for AIM support for a  parent/child this is now done on the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) Hive, please visit the NCS website for further information on the process:
Better Start is a Quality Development initiative of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), collaborating with the Early Years Education Policy Unit of the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and works to establish a cohesive approach to quality across the Early Childhood Education and Care sector in Ireland. Better Start is hosted by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children Equality Disability Integration and Youth.
There are three Strands of Better Start Support:

AIM Inclusive Play

AIM Inclusive Play is the latest addition to the suite of AIM Supports.

AIM Inclusive Play is a set of resources to support inclusive practice within pre-school settings. These resources, which include equipment, toys and materials, also support the development of coordination and audio, visual and tactile skills among all children, and in particular, children with a disability.

All pre-school rooms delivering the ECCE Programme across more than 4,000 pre-school settings nationally will receive these resources. AIM Inclusive Play offers the potential to support the implementation of all levels of AIM.

Many elements of Síolta and Aistear can also be supported by the effective use of these resources. More broadly, AIM Inclusive Play reinforces an important message – that children’s play is a vital ingredient of childhood, essential for both growth and learning and an integral element of high quality pre-school provision.

The potential uses of the resources are far reaching. Pre-school practitioners are encouraged to engage with and reflect on how these resources can be best used with children in their own setting.

To visit their website, please click the following link