Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 May 2019
167. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the childcare supports available to a person (details supplied) participating in an ETB course in circumstances in which there are no available places in the only local registered childcare facility and no other registered childcare providers exist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21228/19]
View answerI understand that the Deputy's question refers to capacity in the Training and Employment Childcare scheme.
Training and Employment Childcare Scheme (TEC)
TEC is an overarching childcare programme, specifically designed to support parents on eligible training and education courses as well as certain categories of parents returning to work, by providing subsidised childcare places. The TEC Programme also provides childcare support for families on Family Income Support (ASCC). It comprises three strands:
1. Childcare Education and Training Support Programme (CETS) provides childcare to training course participants on courses provided by the Local Education and Training Boards (ETBs, formerly FÁS and Vocational Education Committees) and secondary schools.
2. After-School Child Care Programme (ASCC) is administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) and provides after-school care for primary school children for certain categories of working parents and parents on DEASP employment programmes (excluding Community Employment).
3. Community Employment Childcare Programme (CEC) is administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) and provides childcare for children of parents who are participating in the Community Employment scheme. There are two strands within CEC, namely CEC(PS) (pre-school) and CEC(AS) (after-school).
I recognise that there can be pressure in some localities and not all service providers have contracted to provide TEC. I would urge anyone experiencing difficulty securing a TEC place to contact their local City or County Childcare Committee for assistance. The new National Childcare Scheme will alleviate the issue of specific targeted scheme availability as it will replace all targeted schemes, including the TEC scheme.
My Department provides other programmes which may be of interest to the person in question, namely Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), and Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP). I would advise the person in question to contact their local City or County Childcare Committee for information on these schemes.
