Robert Troy
Question:138. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number currently working in early education and child care here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48674/14]
View answerChildcare Education and Training Scheme Administration
Questions (138, 139, 140, 141, 142)
Robert Troy
Question:139. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of persons who are currently working in early education and child care here who have a FETAC level 4 qualification; the percentage of the early education and child care workforce that this represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48675/14]
View answerRobert Troy
Question:140. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of persons who are currently working in early education and child care here who have a FETAC level 5 qualification; the percentage of the early education and child care workforce that this represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48676/14]
View answerRobert Troy
Question:141. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of persons who are currently working in early education and child care here who have a FETAC level 6 qualification; the percentage of the early education and child care workforce that this represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48677/14]
View answerRobert Troy
Question:142. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of persons who are currently working in early education and child care here who have a third level qualification in early childhood; the percentage of the early education and child care workforce that this represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48678/14]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 to 142, inclusive, together.
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme introduced the first-ever requirement for minimum qualifications for staff working in the childcare sector. Prior to the introduction of the programme in January 2010 there was no requirement for staff working directly with children in pre-school services to hold any education qualification.
It is a requirement of the ECCE programme that pre-school year leaders in services participating in the programme, and who are receiving the standard capitation, hold a qualification in childcare which is equivalent to Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications of Ireland (NFQ). A higher capitation rate is available to services participating in the ECCE programme in which all of the pre-school leaders hold an appropriate qualification at a minimum of Level 7 and pre-school assistants hold a Level 5 on the NFQ.
As part of the Early Years Quality Agenda, new qualification requirements for childcare workers are being introduced. All staff caring for children in an early years service will be subject to a minimum qualification requirement of Level 5, while pre-school leaders delivering the ECCE programme will require a Level 6 qualification. It is expected that these requirements will come into effect from September 2015 for existing services.
Pobal, which administers the childcare support programmes on behalf of my Department, compiles an Annual Survey of the Early Years Sector. According to its 2013 Annual Survey, of the childcare services that responded to the question relating to the number of staff employed, 87% of staff have a qualification equal to or higher than Level 5 on the NFQ.
This figure confirms the finding of previous annual surveys conducted by Pobal. Further figures provided in the Pobal Survey indicate that the number of childcare workers holding a Level 6 qualification is in the region of 45%.
Figures compiled this year by my Department indicate that approximately 24% of the 4,200 services participating in the ECCE programme are in receipt of the higher capitation. This means that at least one member of staff in the qualifying childcare service holds an appropriate qualification at Level 7 or higher.
It is estimated by Pobal, from information provided by respondents to their Annual Survey 2013 that there are in the region of 24,000 staff employed in the childcare sector.
Childcare Education and Training Scheme Places
Questions (143)
Robert Troy
Question:143. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children with special educational needs participating in the early childhood care and education scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48679/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children before they commence primary school. The programme is a free and universal provision to which all children have access and figures in relation to special needs children availing of this provision are not collected.
To ensure that the ECCE programme is more accessible to children with special needs a number of additional provisions are in place. These include an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification under the programme where a child is developmentally delayed and would benefit from starting primary school at a later age. In addition, children with special needs can apply to have the pre-school year split over two years on a pro-rata basis, for example availing of the programme for 2 days a week in the first year and for 3 days a week in the second year.
The Department does not have information in relation to the number of children with special needs currently participating in the ECCE programme. About 200 children avail of the over-age exemption and the pro-rata provision each year.
Childcare Education and Training Scheme Administration
Questions (144)
Robert Troy
Question:144. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there is a recommended pupil-teacher ratio for early education and child care providers; the average pupil-teacher ratio at present across early education and child care providers here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48680/14]
View answerWritten answers
Childcare services are governed by the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006. The Explanatory Guide to the Regulations recommends a range of adult/child ratios that reflect the age of the child and the level of care the child is receiving. For sessional pre-school services (i.e. services offering a planned programme to pre-school children for a total of not more than 3.5 hours per day), the ratios are:
Sessional Pre-School Services
|
Age Range |
Adult Child ratio |
|
0-1 year |
1:3 |
|
1-2.5 years |
1:5 |
|
2.5-6 years |
1:10 |
Following a reduction in the weekly capitation payment to pre-school services participating in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, which provides a free pre-school year to children prior to commencing primary school, the 1:10 adult/child ratio was increased to a ratio of 1:11 for children qualifying for the pre-school support. This decision, which was made so that participating childcare services would have some flexibility in managing the modest capitation reduction, relates only to the pre-school element of the service and not to other children enrolled in the childcare service.
The Early Years Quality Agenda is currently being progressed by my Department and will introduce a series of reforms that provide for the further development of the childcare sector. Legislation to strengthen the current Early Years Inspection regime and to underpin the Quality Agenda has been enacted. Regulations to give effect to the legislative changes are expected to be published shortly. It is expected that these new Regulations will confirm the existing ratios.
Childcare Education and Training Scheme Places
Questions (145)
Robert Troy
Question:145. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the percentage of child care services subsidised for children under three years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48681/14]
View answerWritten answers
A number of childcare programmes are implemented by my Department to assist parents with the cost of childcare. These include the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes.
There is no specific funding allocated to provide for children in the 0 to 3 age category but childcare services can be availed of through one of the above programmes.
The ECCE programme provides funding to support approximately 68,000 children each year but the minimum qualifying age is 3 years 2 months at the commencement of the school year and children under this age do not have access to this provision.
The CCS programme provides support to community not for profit childcare services to enable them to provide childcare to lower income and disadvantaged families at reduced rates. Eligibility for support under the programme is based on the income status of the parent and children of all ages are eligible to enrol for support. There are more than 900 community childcare services participating in the CCS programme.
Within the TEC programmes the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme supports parents who are participating in Solas and Education Training Board (ETB) training and education courses with the cost of childcare. Children of all ages are eligible for support under this programme.
Two additional support programmes, the Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme, which provides support to CE programme participants for children in the 0 to 13 age category, and the After-School Child Care (ASCC) programme, which supports certain categories of parents seeking after school care for primary school children, were introduced under the TEC programme and are currently implemented by my Department. The total number of providers in contract to provide services under the CETS programmes is 1,600 but it should be noted that the ASCC programme relates to school age children.
There are in the region of 4,500 notified childcare services currently delivering childcare services with nearly all of those participating in the ECCE programme. All of these services are eligible to apply for entry to the other support programmes with the exception of the Community Childcare Subvention programme which is limited to community services only.
Childcare Education and Training Scheme Places
Questions (146)
Robert Troy
Question:146. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if those working in the early education and childhood sector have access to continuing professional development, CPD; if workers in the sector are entitled to CPD; the number of days CPD they are entitled to each year; if they are entitled to paid leave to take part in CPD; if their training is paid for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48682/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides for one free pre-school year for all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. The programme is normally provided for 3 hours per day, 5 days per week, over 38 weeks. The Government has made a very significant commitment in maintaining the pre-school year on a universal and free basis despite the current budgetary situation.
The ECCE programme is funded by my Department through the provision of capitation grants paid directly to participating services. This capitation payment is for the provision of services, including preparatory and supportive work such as engagement with parents, training and organisation. The standard capitation fee paid to participating services is €62.50 per week per eligible child. A higher capitation fee of €73 per week per eligible child is available to pre-school services with more highly qualified staff.
There are in the region of 4,200 pre-school services participating in the programme with new services applying to enter the programme each year. The funding provided under the programme is a guaranteed source of income, paid in advance, and is an important support to services at this time. Services applying to enter the programme should be satisfied that they can meet the full cost of providing the pre-school year from the capitation provided.
Ireland, like other European countries, does not provide for mandatory Continuing Professional Development for early years practitioners. Data from the 2014 Eurydice and Eurostat Report ‘Key Data on Early Childhood Education and Care – Education and Training in Europe’ shows that in Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Poland, Sweden and Norway, CPD is not obligatory for educational and care staff.
The same report identifies that ‘Continuing professional development (CPD) plays an essential part in increasing ECEC professionals' competencies. In certain cases, participating in training allows staff not only to improve their knowledge and develop additional professional skills in ECEC, but also to upgrade their qualifications.
I would like to be in a position to provide for mandatory CPD but first I would like to see early years practitioners meet the new minimum requirements. The Deputy may be aware that as part of the early years quality agenda aimed at improving the quality of childcare services, new qualification requirements for childcare staff working directly with children were announced last year. A minimum qualification of Level 5 (or equivalent) on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) will be required for all staff working with children in pre-school services and the minimum qualification for all pre-school leaders delivering the free pre-school year under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme will be increased from Level 5 to Level 6 (or equivalent) on the NFQ. It is expected that new qualification requirements will apply to all existing services from September 2015.
To support staff who are seeking to meet the new qualifications requirement, funding of €3 million is being made available over the two years 2014/2015 under the new Learner Fund which was launched in March this year. The Fund is being administered by Pobal, with the assistance of local City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs).
My Department also provides annual funding to seven voluntary childcare organisations in the childcare sector, who provide support to childcare services throughout the country. This funding, which will amount to over €2.6 million in 2014, enables the voluntary organisations to provide a range of support services to their members, including on-going training supports.