Child Care Services Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 June 2013

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Questions (487, 488)

Robert Troy

Question:

487. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if, where existing community employment participants work in child care and hold a FETAC Level 5 Major Award in Child Care, they are deemed to count as part of the required adult-child ratio; and if their job title changes to trainee child care practitioner, under the new pilot scheme, to clarify their new status and whether they will be classified as students or as staff (details supplied). [29062/13]

Robert Troy

Question:

488. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if, where existing community employment participants work in child care and do not have the full FETAC Level 5 Major Award, they count as part of the required adult-child ratio; and if their job title changes to that of trainee child care practitioner, under the new pilot, to clarify what their status will be (details supplied). [29063/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 487 and 488 together.

The adult/child ratios recommended for childcare services providing full day care, part-time care and sessional care are set out in the Explanatory Guide to the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme makes early learning in a formal setting available to eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. The FETAC Level 5 qualification is only relevant to services participating in the ECCE programme where pre-school leaders in services providing the free pre-school provision must hold this qualification.

Community Employment (CE) workers on placement in childcare services will continue to be counted as part of the staff which make up the required adult/child ratio under both the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006 and the ECCE programme.