Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 7 September 2018
1159. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the consultation process undertaken with parents regarding the age limits for ECCE which was due for completion in June 2018 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35978/18]
View answerLast December, I announced my decision to pause the proposed rule changes on overage exemptions to allow for a consultation process where the voice of parents of children with disabilities could be heard in relation to the proposed change.
This consultation process, which was conducted by the National Disability Authority and supported jointly by my Department and the Department of Education and Skills, involved a number of steps to include:
I. Review of the relevant literature and policy;
II. Review of existing data on overage exemptions, including trends in applications and approvals;
III. Profile of children currently in receipt of overage exemptions;
IV. Review of existing data and trends in school starting age;
V. Identification of options for managing exemptions going forward (including the criteria and application, appraisal and appeals processes) and consider the impact of each option identified for: children and families; pre-schools and schools (including practitioners and teachers); the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) (and its respective Agencies, policies and programmes); and the Department of Education and Skills (DES) (and its respective Agencies, policies and programmes)
VI. Development, testing and issuing of a series of questions for parents of children with disabilities and preparation of a report on the results;
VII. Identification of key stakeholders (including parents) for consultation;
VIII. Facilitation of an Open Policy Debate with these stakeholders in conjunction with DCYA and DES.
I am very grateful to the National Disability Authority (NDA) for its assistance in managing this process on behalf of both Departments. The NDA has compiled a report of the evidence, the findings of the survey, and findings of the Open Policy Debate. This report has been received and is now being considered by the DCYA and the DES. I hope to be in a position to bring forward proposals in the very near future.
