Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 December 2018
23. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the affordable childcare scheme; and the further status of efforts to build an information technology infrastructure and make the scheme more accessible to parents using childminders. [52423/18]
View answer36. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the affordable childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52395/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 36 together.
The Affordable Childcare Scheme is a radical new approach to how we deliver accessible, affordable, high quality early learning and care and school age childcare to families in Ireland. The scheme will open to applications in October 2019, with payments flowing from November 2019. Its launch will mark a milestone in our quest to transform Ireland's childcare system from one of the most expensive in the world into one of the best.
I am delighted to report that good progress continues to be made in the development of the legislative, administrative and ICT infrastructure for the scheme.
As you know, earlier this year, with wide cross party support, the Childcare Support Act 2018 was signed into law. Detailed secondary legislation and policy guidelines are now being prepared under the auspices of the Act.
I also hope to sign regulations in the coming weeks which will provide, for the first time, for the registration of school-age childcare services. This will allow these services to participate in the new scheme from the start. It also represents an important first step on the path to full regulation for school-age childcare services.
Our IT development contractor, Codec, is busy working with officials from DCYA and Pobal to develop the scheme's supporting IT system on schedule and in advance of the scheme's October launch.
A comprehensive awareness campaign for parents and the public will commence in the spring, alongside training and information supports for childcare providers and other key stakeholders.
I was delighted in Budget 2019 to have been able to enhance the originally proposed Affordable Childcare Scheme by raising the upper and lower income thresholds. More families will benefit as a result of these revised thresholds. The increase to the lower threshold to €26,000 now poverty proofs the scheme and the increase to the upper threshold to €60,000 net income also ensures that families earning up to €100,000 gross income may benefit from targeted subsidies.
Registration with Tusla will be a requirement for any childminder wishing to take part in the Affordable Childcare Scheme and, therefore, the widening of registration to more childminders will be necessary if parents who use childminders are to benefit from childcare subsidies.
I am committed to publishing a Childminding Action Plan in the near future. The Plan will contain short, medium and long term goals for the sector, setting out steps to move towards the wider regulation, support and professional development of childminders. In the short term, it will include actions to support already eligible childminders to register and participate in the Affordable Childcare Scheme.
Budget 2019 allocated €0.5m to create a team of Childminding Development Officers to support the registration of childminders with Tusla and to help them upskill to the required regulatory standards to be introduced in the coming years.
Recent developments for childminders include the opening of a bursary fund under the DCYA Learner Fund to support childminders to obtain a relevant NFQ Level 5 qualification, which is currently required for childminders to register with Tusla. It is anticipated that this financial support will incentivise more childminders eligible to register with Tusla to do so in advance of the introduction of the Affordable Childcare Scheme.
DCYA also currently provide childminding development grants of up to €1,000 for childminders who provide a home based childminding service. This grant can be applied for every 2 years to make modifications to the service or to purchase toys, educational material or equipment. To be eligible for the grant, a childminder must have completed the Quality Awareness Programme or Children First: Child Protection and Welfare training, and be voluntarily notified to their local City/County Childcare Committee or registered with Tusla.
