Written Answers Nos. 158-168
158. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding free preschooling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38852/15]
View answerAt present, children qualify for one year's free pre-school under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme when they are within the qualifying age range which is 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months in the September of the relevant year. This means, for example, that children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 qualified for free pre-school from September 2015.
The recent Budget decisions, which introduced extended provision under the ECCE programme that allows children to access the free pre-school programme from the time they are 3 years of age until they start primary school, comes into effect from September 2016. This extended provision, when fully rolled out, will mean that children will have access to free education - either in pre-school or primary school - from the age of three.
When the extended ECCE programme is fully in place from 2017, the number of weeks of free pre-school a child will benefit from will depend on their birth date and on the age at which they start primary school. This number ranges from 38 weeks (for children born between April and August who start school at age 4) to 88 weeks (for children born between January and March who start school at age 5). This equates to an estimated 23 additional weeks on average.
Average number of pre-school weeks by month of birth and of enrolment in pre-school
Average no. of ECCE weeks
|
Birth Month |
Enrolment month |
Start school age 4 |
Start school age 5 |
|
Jan-Mar |
April |
50 |
88 |
|
Apr-Aug |
September |
38 |
76 |
|
Sept-Dec |
January |
61 |
61 |
Under the extended ECCE programme, children cannot enrol for free pre-school if they will exceed 5 and a half at the end of the given programme year (i.e. June), but this is still a significant improvement over the current programme. Children born in the period September to December can enrol in the ECCE programme in two consecutive years and still benefit from 61 weeks of free pre-school.
159. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is aware of the disappointment of many parents with children who have turned three years of age since 1 July 2015, and who are in an early education setting, but who will not be accommodated under the Government's early childhood education proposal for three-year-olds, as the start date has been set at September 2016; that because of this arrangement, children starting primary school at the same time will have had different durations in early childhood education; the reasons such a lengthy start-up period has been set, given that many three-year-olds are already in the system, and that there is spare capacity in the sector; and if he will accommodate these parents by allowing entry points from January 2016 and April 2016 for parents who already have a child in this setting. [38737/15]
View answerAt present, children qualify for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme when they are within the qualifying age range which is 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months in the September of the relevant year. This means, for example, that children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 qualified for free pre-school from September 2015. Children who turn 3 from 1 July 2012 are below the age range for eligibility for ECCE in the 2015/2016 programme year but will qualify for the 2016/17 programme year.
The recent Budget decisions, which introduced an extended provision under the ECCE programme that allows children to access the free pre-school programme from the time they are 3 years of age until they start primary school, come into effect from September 2016. This extended provision, when fully rolled out, will mean that children will have access to free education - either in pre-school or primary school - from the age of three. The start up date for the introduction of this new measure was decided so as to allow pre-school providers an adequate timeframe to make any necessary infrastructural or service changes and to put in place extra staff resources to accommodate the additional numbers benefiting from the programme, which is estimated to increase from 67,000 to 127,000 in a given programme year.
I am conscious that, depending on their date of birth, some children enrolling in the ECCE programme in September 2016 will not benefit from this extended free pre-school provision. I am also aware that, when the programme is fully in place (i.e. from 2017), there will be some children who will benefit for a shorter extra period of free pre-school than others. Again, this will depend on the child's date of birth and the age at which they make the transition to primary school. Ultimately however, when this extended programme is fully in place, all children will be better off than in the present programme. Indeed, the net effect of the improvements for children overall will be an increase of an average of 23 weeks over the current programme. I think that this is a significant step forward for children and their families.
160. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on correspondence (details supplied) in County Cork regarding the early childhood and education scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38740/15]
View answerAt present, children qualify for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme when they are within the qualifying age range which is 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months in the September of the relevant year. This means, for example, that children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 qualified for free pre-school from September 2015. Children who turn 3 from 1 July 2012 are below the age range for eligibility for ECCE in the 2015/2016 programme year but will qualify for the 2016/17 programme year.
The recent Budget decisions, which introduced an extended provision under the ECCE programme that allows children to access the free pre-school programme from the time they are 3 years of age until they start primary school, come into effect from September 2016. This extended provision, when fully rolled out, will mean that children will have access to free education - either in pre-school or primary school - from the age of three. The start up date for the introduction of this new measure was decided so as to allow pre-school providers an adequate timeframe to make any necessary infrastructural or service changes and to put in place extra staff resources to accommodate the additional numbers benefiting from the programme, which is estimated to increase from 67,000 to 127,000 in a given programme year.
I am conscious that, depending on their date of birth, some children enrolling in the ECCE programme in September 2016 will not benefit from this extended free pre-school provision. I am also aware that, when the programme is fully in place (i.e. from 2017), there will be some children who will benefit for a shorter extra period of free pre-school than others. Again, this will depend on the child's date of birth and the age at which they make the transition to primary school. Ultimately however, when this extended programme is fully in place, all children will be better off than in the present programme. Indeed, the net effect of the improvements for children overall will be an increase of an average of 23 weeks over the current programme. I think that this is a significant step forward for children and their families.
161. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amounts paid to preschool providers for carrying out the administration work for the free preschool year in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38741/15]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, which represents an annual investment of more than €170 million, is funded by my Department through capitation grants paid directly to participating pre-school providers. This capitation payment is for the provision of the ECCE programme, including preparatory and supportive work such as engagement with parents.
The standard capitation fee paid to participating pre-school providers is €62.50 per week per eligible child. A higher capitation fee of €73 per week per eligible child is available to pre-school providers with more highly qualified staff. I announced in Budget 2016 my decision to restore the capitation payments to pre-2012 levels with effect from September 2016. This will bring the standard capitation fee to €64.50 per week for each eligible child and the higher capitation fee to €75 per week for each eligible child.
There are in the region of 4,300 pre-school providers participating in the ECCE 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 the early years sector. I also announced in Budget 2016 an expanded provision under the ECCE programme, with effect from September 2016, which will allow children to access free pre-school provision from the time they are 3 years of age until they make the transition to primary school. When the expanded provision is fully implemented, the numbers of children availing of the programme each year will increase by almost 60,000 from current levels. This increased demand for pre-school places will assist many services throughout the country that are reporting high levels of vacancies to fill those places.
The new capitation rates will provide annual funding of €2,451 for each child enrolled in pre-school services that are in receipt of the standard capitation fee and €2,850 for those children in pre-school services in receipt of the higher capitation fee. There are currently no plans to further increase the capitation rates.
162. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the grant schemes available for preschool providers; if there are categories of grants which private providers of preschool education are not eligible to apply for; the reason private providers are not entitled to apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38742/15]
View answerMy Department currently provides funding of more than a quarter of a billion euro annually to support the implementation of a number of childcare support programmes that assist parents in accessing quality childcare. These childcare support programmes include the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme; three Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes (i.e. Childcare Education and Training programme (CETS), Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme and After-school Childcare (ASCC) programme) and the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme. The ECCE programme and the TEC programmes are provided through both private and community/ not-for-profit services while the CCS programme is currently provided through community/ not-for-profit services only.
In Budget 2016, I announced an €85 million package of additional investment for childcare. This includes funding for:
- An extension to the ECCE programme, which will now allow children to avail of the free pre-school provision from age three until they make the transition to primary school;
- A suite of supports, which will ensure children with a disability can meaningfully participate in, and fully reap the benefits of the ECCE programme;
- An extension of the CCS programme by up to 8,000 places and, for the first time, making this programme available through private service throughout the country; and
- A resource which will allow important work to commence on consolidating existing targeted childcare support programmes, including the CCS and TEC programmes. It is envisaged that a new simplified targeted childcare support programme will be available through private and community/ not-for-profit and private services from 2017.
My Department also provides funding under the Annual Early Years Capital Programme.
- In 2012, capital funding of €6m was provided to fund a maintenance programme for services (i.e. to address remedial, maintenance and renovation work and to purchase equipment). This funding, which provided grants up to a maximum of €50,000, was available to private and community/ not-for-profit services.
- In 2013, capital funding of €2.75m was provided to support the on-going improvement of services. Both private and community/not-for-profit services participating in one of the national childcare programmes implemented by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs were eligible to apply for a grant under the Programme.
- In 2014, capital funding of €2.5 million for the maintenance and upgrade of community/not-for-profit services. The objective of this funding was to ensure that previously-funded community/not-for-profit services remained fit-for-purpose thus protecting State investment.
- In 2015, capital funding of €7 million was provided. Of this funding, €5 million was made available for grants specifically for community/not-for-profit services. This funding provided for the allocation of capital grant aid in the region of €500,000 for significant upgrades of services such as major refurbishment or relocation to new premises. Grants of up to €50,000 for essential maintenance, or works undertaken to improve the energy performance of community/not-for-profit services were also provided. The remaining €2 million was made available for both private and community/not-for-profit services to access grants of up to €500 for quality improvement measures, specifically in the area of upgrading IT facilities.
Funding will also be provided in 2016 as part of the Early Years Capital Programme. I am currently considered how best this funding can be targeted.
163. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the consultation with representatives of preschool providers in advance of the decision to proceed with the second year of free preschool; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38747/15]
View answerAt present, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme covers children who have reached the age of 3 years and 2 months by 1st September of the relevant year. From September 2016, I am expanding the ECCE programme to allow children to access free pre-school from the time they are 3 years of age until they start primary school.
This extended free pre-school provision was first recommended by the Expert Advisory Group on the Early Years Strategy in 2013. It was also one of a series of recommendations of the recent Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Childcare which I established in January last. The Group consulted widely with a range of stakeholders, including the early years sector, during the course of its work through an Open Policy Debate and two online consultation processes, the reports of which are available on my Department's website. The recommendation was included in the Report of the Inter-Departmental Group, which I published in July this to facilitate a further debate on how best to meet the needs of parents and children.
I have recently met with senior representatives from the early years sector to discuss this and other improvements that were announced as part of the €85 million investment package in Budget 2016. The meeting was positive and constructive, with all parties expressing commitment to work together on the issues of capacity and high quality pre-school provision. My Department will be working closely with the early years sector to build capacity in time for the intakes in September 2016, and for subsequent increased availability in January and April 2017.
164. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of applicants awaiting transfer in his Department to locations other than their present location; the number of applications, by location; the rules that apply for such transfers; if an applicant has a defined position on the list for transfer; the grounds that apply to applicants being moved up or down on the list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38751/15]
View answerMy Department does not operate a transfer list.
There are two mechanisms currently available to staff in my Department seeking a voluntary transfer to another location. One method involves the staff member directly applying through the Central Applications Facility run by Public Appointment Service for remaining decentralisation locations.
The second mechanism is the "head to head" transfer, that is, where the member of staff directly contacts a person willing to swap with them. My Department only becomes aware of such transfer requests when staff have identified a suitable opportunity. At such time it is at the discretion of the Departments concerned to agree to the transfer arrangements having regard to sick leave and performance assessments. Accordingly, this Department does not have definitive information on the number of persons seeking transfers to other locations.
165. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is aware of a family (details supplied) in County Meath whose child has missed out on 24 weeks pre-school education, due to being born 11 days after the deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38840/15]
View answerAt present, children qualify for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme when they are within the qualifying age range which is 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months in the September of the relevant year. This means, for example, that children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 qualified for free pre-school from September 2015. Children who turn 3 from 1 July 2012 are below the age range for eligibility for ECCE in the 2015/2016 programme year but will qualify for the 2016/17 programme year.
The recent Budget decisions, which introduced an extended provision under the ECCE programme that allows children to access the free pre-school programme from the time they are 3 years of age until they start primary school, come into effect from September 2016. This extended provision, when fully rolled out, will mean that children will have access to free education - either in pre-school or primary school - from the age of three. The start up date for the introduction of this new measure was decided so as to allow pre-school providers an adequate timeframe to make any necessary infrastructural or service changes and to put in place extra staff resources to accommodate the additional numbers benefiting from the programme, which is estimated to increase from 67,000 to 127,000 in a given programme year.
I am conscious that, depending on their date of birth, some children enrolling in the ECCE programme in September 2016 will not benefit from this extended free pre-school provision. I am also aware that, when the programme is fully in place (i.e. from 2017), there will be some children who will benefit for a shorter extra period of free pre-school than others. Again, this will depend on the child's date of birth and the age at which they make the transition to primary school. Ultimately however, when this extended programme is fully in place, all children will be better off than in the present programme. Indeed, the net effect of the improvements for children overall will be an increase of an average of 23 weeks over the current programme. I think that this is a significant step forward for children and their families.
166. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will explain the recent decision by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to impose effective cuts of €50 per week to the fostering aftercare allowance, with an apparent lack of regard for the impact this cut will have on those in aftercare, and on the families trying to support them; if viability studies were undertaken to determine the impact this cut will have on those in continued education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38848/15]
View answerUnder the current National Leaving and Aftercare Policy of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, all young people leaving care who have been in care for 12 months on their 16th birthday or for 12 consecutive months prior to their 18th birthday are entitled to an aftercare plan. I have recently brought legislation to the Oireachtas to put this entitlement to an aftercare plan, with some improvements to the eligibility criteria, on a statutory footing to make it an explicit duty to assess a young person's needs on leaving care.
The planning for the transition from care to independent adulthood relies on a collaboration with the young person, their carers and partner agencies to generate a plan that is specific to the individual young person's needs. The aftercare preparation includes an Individual Financial Support Plan, which takes into account the aftercare allowance and all sources of financial support for a young adult that is available from Government Departments or statutory agencies.
Tusla became aware that a situation had evolved historically where there were uneven and different rates of financial supports being made available for young people leaving care around the country. As part of the implementation of its national policy, Tusla addressed this inequitable approach and has introduced a standardised national aftercare allowance of €300 per week. This ensures equality for young adults after leaving care who are engaged in training and education. The introduction of this standardised allowance has meant that young people leaving care who remain in their foster care placement or who are living independently, and who are in education or training, are now receiving the same financial support from Tusla. Many young people in independent living have benefited from an increase in their allowance as a result of this measure. Practices in relation to additional discretionary allowances remain in place. Tusla is aware that some young people due to their vulnerability and level of need, require additional supports both from Tusla services and financially.
Advice, guidance, support and signposting are key elements of the supports available to care leavers. For those young people who are not in training or education, aftercare services have a key role in providing support to them in liaising with the relevant departments and agencies in accessing financial assistance, employment opportunities, training or supporting them to return to education.
167. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason preschool providers are required to submit details of children attending preschool in hard copy as opposed to by online application; why a similar system to that in place for the registration of children for the under-six general practitioner visit card has not been put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38862/15]
View answerMy Department funds a number of childcare support programmes that assist parents in accessing affordable and quality childcare. These include the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, which provides free pre-school education; the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme to support low income and disadvantaged families, and three Training and Employment Childcare programmes - Childcare Education and Training programme (CETS), Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme and After-school Childcare (ASCC) programme - which provide childcare supports to eligible parents returning to work or to education.
The Programmes Implementation Platform (PIP) initiative was introduced by my Department and launched in September 2014. The system provides for childcare providers to submit applications for childcare funding through an online facility. The objective is to reduce paperwork and duplication of effort and to simplify the administration process of all of the programmes. This new development provides a more comprehensive, integrated set of management processes, more efficient work practices, greater visibility and control of funds and commitments and substantially improves the capacity of the stakeholders to dynamically manage service by service and case by case approvals and changes in each of the programmes.
168. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the free preschool year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38937/15]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, which represents an annual investment of more than €170 million, is funded by my Department through capitation grants paid directly to participating pre-school providers. This capitation payment is for the provision of the ECCE Programme, including preparatory and supportive work such as engagement with parents.
The standard capitation fee paid to participating pre-school providers is €62.50 per week per eligible child. A higher capitation fee of €73 per week per eligible child is available to pre-school providers with more highly qualified staff. I announced in Budget 2016 my decision to restore the capitation payments to pre-2012 levels with effect from September 2016. This will bring the standard capitation fee to €64.50 per week for each eligible child and the higher capitation fee to €75 per week for each eligible child.
There are in the region of 4,300 pre-school providers participating in the ECCE 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 the early years sector. I also announced in Budget 2016 an expanded provision under the ECCE programme, with effect from September 2016, which will allow children to access free pre-school provision from the time they are 3 years of age until they make the transition to primary school. When the expanded provision is fully implemented, the numbers of children availing of the programme each year will increase by almost 60,000 from current levels. This increased demand for pre-school places will assist many services throughout the country that are reporting high levels of vacancies to fill those places.
The new capitation rates will provide annual funding of €2,451 for each child enrolled in pre-school services that are in receipt of the standard capitation fee and €2,850 for those children in pre-school services in receipt of the higher capitation fee. There are no plans to further increase the capitation rates.
