Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020
858. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans for the phased return of childcare facilities, particularly around social distancing and ratios of children; the way in which childcare facilities are to operate under the new guidelines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7124/20]
View answerOn Friday 1 May, the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice, available evidence and consultation with ELC and SAC stakeholder representatives and providers themselves.
The future stages of the Roadmap's re-opening of ELC/SAC services are stated as follows:
Phase 3 (29 June), opening of crèches, childminders and preschools for children of essential workers in a phased manner with social distancing and other requirements applying.
Phase 4 (20 July), opening of crèches, childminders and preschools for children of all other workers on a gradually increasing phased basis and slowly increasing thereafter.
The sector has many questions regarding how the Roadmap will be implemented to enable services to re-open. While the COVID-19 emergency called for overnight action on closures, it is my ambition that the phased re-opening will enable sufficient time and planning to re-open in an orderly, safe and sustainable manner. I would like to reassure providers, practitioners, parents and children that I will be doing my utmost to support the sector in offering as smooth a transition as possible to the phased and restricted re-opening of ELC and SAC services.
My Department is currently working with the sector to answer the many questions that exist. This is complex work and must balance a number of important issues. My Department has sought public health advice in relation to the plans being put forward. Informed by this advice, consideration is being given to a range of these issues. This includes minimising the public health risk, especially given the difficulty of maintaining social distancing among young children and those caring for them, and the impacts that a potential change to staff ratio requirements would have on capacity, sustainability, and staff recruitment and retention.
In addition, it is vital that we, ensure that any restrictions are consistent with young children’s well-being and development needs and for ELC and SAC provision at each phase to be child-centred.
I am actively engaging with key stakeholders in the sector to make sure that the work on re-opening services is informed by the practical reality across the country. I have established and Chair an Advisory Group that includes representatives chosen by the sector, specifically the Association of Childhood Professionals, Community Forum, Early Childhood Ireland, National Childhood Network, PLÉ and Seas Suas. The group also includes Tusla, Pobal, SIPTU and Childminding Ireland. The first meeting of this Advisory Group took place on 13 May and I held follow up meetings on 15, 19 and 26 May. A schedule of weekly meetings has also been agreed.
I am also establishing a Reference Group to widen the scope of consultation with the ELC and SAC sector, to supplement the work of the Advisory Group and to give an opportunity to provider representatives who are not represented on this group to make their views known to me and my officials. I hope to hold periodic meetings of the Group as we work through the phased reopening of the ELC and SAC sector. The first meeting of the Reference Group will be held on Thursday, 28 May 2020.
The proposals for re-opening which are at an advanced stage will have due regard to public health guidance over the phases of easing of restrictions. I am conscious that the proposed timelines are subject to further NPHET advice, and decisions from Government.
It is my fervent hope that every ELC and SAC service around the country is currently considering how it can be part of helping Ireland get back to work, and how it can support children from 29 June in the very difficult circumstances they have experienced in recent months.
I will undertake to update the Deputy as soon as the work on re-opening services is at a more advanced stage. I am committed to sharing guidelines and other resources as soon as possible after they have been finalised with the assistance of the Advisory Group.
