Tusla ratio calculator
Work out the minimum adults for an Irish early years room from the age bands in the Tusla ratio guides. The numbers stay in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent.
Guidance only — always check the current Child Care Act regulations and Tusla guidance. Full Tusla ratio requirements guide.
Age bands and ratios
Full-day and part-time day care
Full-day and part-time services use the same ratio table. Full-day care is more than 5 hours per day. Part-time care is more than 3.5 hours and less than 5 hours per day.
| Age group | Minimum adult:child ratio |
|---|---|
| 0 – 1 year | 1:3 |
| 1 – 2 years | 1:5 |
| 2 – 3 years | 1:6 |
| 3 – 6 years | 1:8 |
Sessional pre-school service
Sessional care is up to 3.5 hours per day. If a sessional child stays beyond 3.5 hours, full-day/part-time ratios apply.
| Age group | Minimum adult:child ratio |
|---|---|
| 0 – 1 year | 1:3 |
| 1 – 2½ years | 1:5 |
| 2½ – 6 years | 1:11 |
How the minimum is worked out
Do not apply the youngest child's ratio to the whole room.
- Group the children who are actually in the room by age band.
- For each band, divide the number of children by that band's ratio.
- Add the adult shares together, then round up to a whole number of adults.
When a service enters more than one room, each room is worked out that way, then the room minimums are added. The guides calculate from the children physically present in a room.
Worked example
Full-day care, one child in the 1–2 years band and four children in the 3–6 years band.
Full-day care is more than 5 hours per day. Full-day and part-time services use the same ratio table. 1 child in the 1 – 2 years band (1:5) is 1 ÷ 5 = 0.2 of an adult. 4 children in the 3 – 6 years band (1:8) are 4 ÷ 8 = 0.5 of an adult. Combined adult share: 0.7, so the minimum is 1 adult. Rounding each band up on its own would come to 2 adults. The guides add the shares first, then round once. The Person in Charge counts in ratio only when actively working with children. Unpaid students and scheme workers generally do not count in ratio.
Breaks and lunches
Ratios must be maintained at all times, including breaks, meals, and transitions. An adult who leaves the room for a break, lunch, phone call, or admin task no longer counts toward that room's ratio unless they remain actively working with the children. The minimum above is the number of adults who must stay with the children. The guides do not add a further adult on top.
The Person in Charge counts in ratio only when actively working with children. Unpaid students and scheme workers generally do not count in ratio.
FAQ
What are the Tusla adult:child ratios for full-day care?
Full-day care is more than 5 hours per day. Part-time care, more than 3.5 hours and less than 5 hours, uses the same table: 0–1 year is 1:3, 1–2 years is 1:5, 2–3 years is 1:6, and 3–6 years is 1:8.
What ratios apply to a sessional pre-school?
A sessional service is up to 3.5 hours per day. The ratios are 0–1 year at 1:3, 1–2½ years at 1:5, and 2½–6 years at 1:11. If a sessional child stays beyond 3.5 hours, full-day and part-time ratios apply.
How is a mixed-age room calculated?
Group the children in the room by age band. Divide the children in each band by that band's ratio. Add those adult shares, then round up to a whole number of adults. Do not apply the youngest child's ratio to every child in the room.
Do staff ratios apply during breaks and lunches?
Yes. Ratios must be maintained at all times, including breaks, meals, and transitions. An adult who leaves the room for a break, lunch, phone call, or admin task no longer counts unless they remain actively working with the children.
Who counts as an adult in the ratio?
The Person in Charge counts only when actively working with the children. Unpaid students and scheme workers generally do not count in the ratio.
Ratios, age bands, service definitions, and the mixed-age rounding rule are taken from the TinyOrbit guides Tusla Ratio Requirements 2026 (updated August 2026), Mixed-Age Room Ratios 2026 (updated August 2026), and Creche Ratios During Breaks and Lunches 2026 (updated July 2026). Those guides cite the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, Schedule 6, and Tusla Early Years Quality and Regulatory Framework guidance. Last verified against those guides on 13 October 2026. Drop-in and temporary care (0–6 years at 1:4, and no more than 2 children under 15 months unless they are siblings) is a separate table in the ratios guide and is not calculated here.
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