Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013
607. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Social Protection if she intends to implement a change of policy to enable community employment child care workers a minimum of three years in order to gain the requisite FETAC qualification (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16622/13]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection is improving the provision of training and work experience for CE participants on Community Employment overall. Recent developments have focused on CE schemes involved in supporting community childcare services and on CE participants who wish to pursue a career in child care while on CE. These developments reflect the findings of a number of recent reviews - the "CE Financial Review of Schemes” (2012) and the “Review of Department of Social Protection Employment Support Schemes" (2012). In response, the Department is planning a number of improvements which will provide a clear career progression path and a structure for CE participants in Early Years Services. The Department is proposing to change and improve the provision of training and work experience for CE participants who wish to pursue a career in child care. This involves putting in place entry requirements, defined standards of achievement, a career progression path, and a structure for CE workers in Early Years Services. These changes will provide a more tailored and valuable support to the provision of community childcare and achieve greater coherence between participation on CE and the job market.
For CE participants who work directly with children a dedicated programme is proposed which comprises of formal learning (a FETAC Level 5 childcare qualification) and supervised work experience. In acknowledgement of the training a participant will commit to undertaking participation on a child-care place will have a duration of three years. This programme is currently being piloted in the Midlands North Region and an evaluation of the programme will take place before a national roll-out is undertaken.
