The Department for Social Welfare Standards, within the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity, informed operators of childcare facilities that a notification period is now underway for all those wishing to advise of their interest in acceding to funding to improve their premises.

Such facilities’ operators are required to submit a notification form of interest by 20 July, which will in turn enable them to eventually apply for financial assistance under an appropriate scheme, which is soon to be launched. Two important conditions are that the facilities are already in operation, and that they provide child day-care services to children under the age of three.

The notification form may be downloaded from the website: www.mfss.gov.mt and must then be submitted by post, fax or e-mail as indicated on the form itself. Alternatively, one can obtain a copy of the form or more information from the Department for Social Welfare Standards, by phoning 2148-3115.

It must be emphasised that those facilities’ operators who submit notification forms after the deadline will not be eligible to eventually apply for funding under the scheme.