Skip to main content
Normal View

Child Care Qualifications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2015

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Questions (465)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

465. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the involvement her Department should have in setting the training, educational and professional development requirements and standards preschool child care professionals should have; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9069/15]

View answer

Written answers

A considerable amount of work has been done on occupational profiles in early childhood care and education. This culminated in the 2002 publication of Quality Childcare and Lifelong Learning: A Model Framework for Education, Training and Professional Development. This Model Framework identified a number of occupational profiles and associated skills/attributes depending on the role of the childcare practitioner. The roles vary from that of Basic Practitioner to Expert Practitioner. These role descriptors remain valid. At European level, the type of key competencies required of the early years workforce was the subject of a detailed study by the European Commission in 2011 ('Competence Requirements in Early Childhood Education and Care', or the 'CoRe report').

While I do not see the necessity to add to the existing body of work in setting out the professional development requirements for childcare practitioners, my Department is conducting a review of courses in early childhood care and education which will examine the extent to which these courses equip graduates with the skills, knowledge and dispositions to work in the area of early years education. While Further and Higher Education training providers have to comply with the quality assurance procedures set by Quality and Qualifications Ireland, this review will seek the views of early childcare professionals themselves on how their professional development requirements have been met.

Top
Share