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Early Child Care Education

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 November 2013

Tuesday, 26 November 2013

Questions (566)

Robert Troy

Question:

566. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to set out the mechanism with which she intends to roll out the mentoring programme for preschool years as announced in budget 2014; the timeframe for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50255/13]

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Written answers

The commitment to improve the quality of early childhood care and education has been a key priority for me since becoming Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. To assure higher standards in pre-school services, my Department is progressing the Pre-School Quality Agenda and I have identified a number of areas that can significantly enhance the quality of the service provided including the implementation of the Siolta and Aistear frameworks.

The successful implementation of the frameworks on a nation-wide level will require all childcare practitioners to have a thorough understanding of quality early years provision. I secured funding in Budget 2014 to establish a new National Quality Support Service for pre-school services. The National Quality Support Service will include the introduction of a new intensive support service which will work directly with childcare services to improve the quality of pre-school care and education.

The key to the provision of successful supports to childcare services will be a coherent national approach to all quality support. I am currently considering how best to achieve that and will be consulting with key stakeholders over coming weeks. Within this overall approach, I hope that more intensive supports would begin to be provided in September 2014.

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