Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 November 2013
567. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the changes she proposes to make to the child care or preschool regulations; and the timeframe in which these changes will be implemented. [50257/13]
View answerPre-school services are governed by Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991 and by the Child Care (Pre-School Services (No. 2) Regulations 2006. These Regulations are supported by explanatory notes which offer guidance and assist in interpreting the regulations. New National Quality Standards, which will replace the explanatory notes and which will set out the outcomes and supporting criteria against which the quality of childcare services will be measured, will be launched shortly.
My Department is currently progressing the Pre-School Quality Agenda and a number of key areas have been identified which will require reform with the objective of improving the quality of childcare services. The amendments to underpin these reforms are part of the legislative process for the establishment next year of the Child and Family Agency.
Legislation to strengthen the current inspection regime is expected to be enacted before the end of the year. This will provide a statutory basis for registration of pre-school services and will introduce a range of new enforcement powers for Inspectors at pre-prosecution level. Under the proposed new system, all pre-school services will have to be registered in order to operate. Inspectors will be empowered to specify improvement conditions that a service must comply with and the threat of removal of registration will be available. This system will, for the first time, provide for timely and effective regulation and enforcement of standards in pre-school services, backed up by statutory registration.
I am introducing new qualification requirements for staff delivering childcare in the pre-school sector. The current minimum requirement of Level 5 for pre-school leaders delivering the pre-school year under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme will be increased to Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications of Ireland (NFQ). In addition, all pre-school assistants, and all other staff caring for children in a pre-school service, will be subject to a minimum requirement of Level 5. This requirement will be effective from September 2014 for new services, and from September 2015 for existing services. The new legislative amendments to provide for this change are also being progressed.
