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Early Childhood Care and Education

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 May 2020

Wednesday, 13 May 2020

Questions (1098)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

1098. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4187/20]

View answer

Written answers

We have come a long way in recent years in improving Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) support in Ireland. Investment in ELC and SAC has increased by 141% over the last five years. However, I acknowledge that more investment will be needed. Historic under-investment in early learning and care has created a situation that has no quick solution.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented situation that has required a series of emergency responses from the Government. I am acutely aware of the particular impact this has had on ELC and SAC providers, practitioners, parents and children. I am also very conscious of the importance of the ELC and SAC sector for children’s positive development and in terms of supporting the economy as we move beyond this crisis.

As a direct response to the COVID-19 closure of ELC and SAC services, I launched the Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS) which is a very significant measure to support the sector. The aim of the TWSCS is threefold:

- to support the sustainability of the ELC and SAC sector so that it is in a position to reopen after COVID-19;

- to provide parents with a reassurance that if their ELC and SAC provider signs up to the scheme, they are not required to pay fees during this COVID-19 crisis, and they will maintain their ELC / SAC place when services resume and

- to give Early Learning and Care practitioners security and to retain these vital Educators in the sector.

The TWSCS builds on the wider provisions by Government and recognises the unique place and importance of the ELC and SAC sector.

Before COVID-19, a number of schemes and supports were available or in development to support more accessible, affordable and high quality ELC and SAC. The new National Childcare Scheme established a sustainable platform to enable us to continue investing for years to come. The Scheme is designed to be flexible, allowing income thresholds, maximum hours and subsidy rates to be adjusted in line with Government decisions and as more investment becomes available.

Low pay and poor working conditions in the sector remain a serious concern and impact on the quality of provision to children through their effect on the recruitment and retention of qualified staff. The lack of consistency of care caused by high staff turnover impacts directly on quality, while low wages are a constraint on plans to upskill and professionalise the workforce.

I have been doing all that is in my power to improve wages and working conditions in the sector. My support for improved pay and conditions for ELC professionals has been explicit, as their role is critical to supporting children’s development and delivering better outcomes for children and families. I have repeatedly called for the sector to pursue a Sectoral Employment Order, which offers a viable mechanism to establish appropriate wage levels. When this process commences, I will be happy to work with trade unions to ensure that pay rates are appropriate in the sector. During the COVID-19 period, I have developed the TWSCS to directly support wages in the sector and protect the continuity of this valued and skilled workforce.

Overall, Budget 2020 saw a 9% increase in investment in ELC and SAC. Additional investment of €63.6m will bring spending to €638m in 2020, as noted a 141% increase in investment over five budgets. The very welcome level of investment needs to continue if we are to offer services that are of high quality, affordable and accessible. However, increased investment by itself will not ensure that staff wages and conditions will improve. Specifically in Budget 2020, I secured increased funding for the Sustainability and Sectoral Employment Order Support Fund for the sector. This will see funding to support sustainability rising from €1.7m to €2.2m per annum.

In terms of policy approaches, my Department has set out its vision for the sector, and a roadmap to achieve it, in First 5, A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028 . Three specific projects I would draw your attention to under First 5 are the development of a new Funding Model for the sector, the Workforce Development Plan, and the reform of the regulatory and inspection regimes.

A key vehicle to ensure that significant additional investment in the sector delivers for children, families and the State will be a new Funding Model. This new Funding Model will provide mechanisms to deliver additional funding to ELC and SAC providers to ensure greater levels of affordability, quality and inclusion in their services.

An Expert Group to develop the new Funding Model for ELC and SAC was announced in September 2019 and commenced its work in October 2019. The Expert Group is tasked with examining the current model of funding, its effectiveness in delivering quality, affordable, sustainable and inclusive services and considering how additional resourcing can be delivered for the sector to achieve these objectives, drawing on international practice in this area. The Expert Group’s Terms of Reference includes to:

- Agree a set of guiding principles to underpin the new Funding Model for ELC and SAC

- Review the existing approach to funding ELC and SAC services by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in terms of its alignment with the guiding principles as well as effectiveness in delivering on the policy objectives of quality, affordability, accessibility and contributing to addressing disadvantage

- Drawing on international evidence, identify and consider options on how additional funding for ELC and SAC could be structured to deliver on the guiding principles and above policy objectives

- Agree a final report including a proposed design for a new Funding Model, with accompanying costings, risk analysis and mitigation and phased implementation plan (with funding likely to become available on an incremental basis) to recommend to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and ultimately Government.

The Expert Group is independently chaired and includes national and international experts in ELC and SAC systems, funding and quality; economics; and relevant policy experts from the Government Departments which will be involved in implementing the new Funding Model. A research partner, Frontier Economics, has been appointed to support the work of the Expert Group.

A consultation and engagement process to take account of the voices of providers, practitioners, parents and other stakeholders within the sector had to be postponed due to COVID-19 but will be commencing shortly. Further information on the Funding Model and its progress is available at: first5fundingmodel.gov.ie

First 5 also includes a commitment to establishing a Workforce Development Plan for the ELC and SAC sector which will set out plans to raise the profile of careers in the sector, establishing role profiles, career pathways, qualifications requirements, and associated policy mechanisms along with leadership development opportunities and work towards a more gender-balanced and diverse workforce. As part of this, an extensive consultation with the sector is planed to discuss a wide array of working conditions including pay.

Other recent measures I have taken to assist employers to improve the pay and conditions of their staff, whilst also addressing administrative demands include: a 7% increase in ECCE capitation in 2018; higher capitation payments for graduates and Inclusion Coordinators; support for SAC which will make it easier to offer full-time, full-year employment contracts; and a pilot measure to fund participation in CPD.

Finally, under First 5 we have also committed to reform the ELC and SAC regulatory and inspection systems. This will include consideration of options for reforms to the registration and inspection of the sector to ensure a proportionate inspection regime and a more integrated approach to ELC and SAC.

My Department has made considerable investment in the sector in recent years. I want to preserve the fruits of this investment for children, families and our much valued ELC and SAC workforce and ensure that, when COVID- 19 has passed, we will have retained as many services, staff and places as possible and that we are moving progressively towards the vision outlined in First 5 which was unanimously welcomed by all stakeholders.

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