Written Answers Nos. 852-876
852. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the grants available to childcare centres that hold community and charitable status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15023/20]
View answerMy Department operates a number of funding programmes, for which all Tusla registered childcare services are eligible to apply, including those that are community based or hold a charitable status. These programmes are summarised below:
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a free pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. All children meeting the minimum age requirement of 2 years and 8 months are eligible for a full two programme years. The programme is provided three hours per day, five days per week, 38 weeks per year over the two years.
Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP)
This programmes provides childcare funding support, targeting low income families. This is no longer available to new entrants following the introduction of the National Childcare Scheme.
Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) Programmes
These programmes provide childcare funding support for parents participating in eligible Education and Training Boards /Solas vocational training courses, Community Employment (CE) programmes, or returning to employment. This is no longer available to new entrants following the introduction of the National Childcare Scheme.
National Childcare Scheme
Families may be entitled to subsidies under the new National Childcare Scheme, which opened in November 2019. The Scheme comprises two types of subsidies a universal subsidy and an income related subsidy. Information on the NCS can be found at www.ncs.gov.ie.
Programme Support Payments
A Programme Support Payment is paid annually to all service providers who have children registered on one of the above funding programmes. Payments are issued on a per capita basis. The total PSP funding for the 2019/20 programme year was €19.3million.
Capital Grants
The Capital Grant Programme provides grants to successful applicant services to enable them to expand or to improve their premises. The Capital Grant programme budget for 2020 was €7.2 million. This was increased to €14.2million in response to Covid-19 and all services which have at least one child registered on any Department funded programme is eligible to apply for a grant.
Additional supports for community services
In additional to the above funding which is available to all providers, community services have access to a sustainability fund of €2.2million, which they can apply for as part of sustainability support from the Department.
If services require further information and guidance on any of my Departments’ childcare funding programmes I would advise them to contact their local County Childcare Committee (CCC). Contact details for CCCs can be found at www.myccc.ie.
853. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the national roll-out of the baby box scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15110/20]
View answer868. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a report on the pilot baby box scheme will be commissioned; if so, when it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15109/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 853 and 868 together.
Baby Boxes for newborns are to be piloted under First 5 A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028. Piloting Baby Boxes is just one initiative which is part of a wide ranging strategy addressing various aspects of the lives of children from birth to age five including supports for parents to balance working and caring, developments in early learning and care and health initiatives.
The gift of the Baby Box is intended as a welcome from the State for a new arrival to a family and an acknowledgement of this very significant moment for parents. The universal distribution of Baby Boxes also reflects an important equality principle that each child is given something of equal value at the start of their life. The concept of Baby Boxes originates in Finland (and has been implemented in a number of other countries) and consists of a package of items to assist with the transition to parenthood. The pilot will undertake research and consultation to determine items for inclusion in the pack and these may include safety items, baby clothes and toys to support early development and books to foster a love of reading from infancy.
The distribution of a Baby Box also offers the opportunity to communicate important child development and safety messages to parents as well as an early opportunity to link families in with support services if required. This is consistent with the principle of progressive universalism whereby all families receive something universally, but where there are additional needs, extra supports are provided.
Key objectives with the Baby Box and linked communications will include support for parent-infant bonding, information on baby development and early learning, advice and support for breastfeeding and promotion of infant health and safety.
Baby Boxes will be piloted in parallel with Book Bags to support early literacy and the home learning environment. Book Bags are packs including books for children and other resources to support reading and learning. It is intended that Book Bags would be made available free of charge to families with young children at key points in a child’s life such as infancy, the transition to pre-school and the transition to primary school.
A research partner will be appointed, following competitive tender, to support work on the baby box pilot. The research partner will oversee focus groups and/or consultations for the selection of items for the box. The implementation of the pilot including delivery channels and selection and registration of participants will also be evaluated by the research partner. There will be a significant emphasis in the pilot on consultation and engagement with parents and of evaluation of the impact of such measures, including cost-benefit analysis, with a view to determining whether the baby box pilot initiative is suitable for wider roll-out. The results of the evaluation will be published as a report some months after the final distribution of the boxes. This will allow for a period of time for participants to fully utilise items in the boxes before reporting on their experience.
The scoping phase of the pilot began in late 2019/early 2020 and a working group will be convened in Q4 2020 to plan for the pilot implementation.
There are some baby box schemes already in operation via maternity hospitals and otherwise in different parts of the country but my Department is not involved in funding or co-ordinating these.
854. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will meet a group (details supplied) regarding funding. [15350/20]
View answerMy Department provides funding to Scouting Ireland on a national basis under the Youth Services Grant Scheme. In 2020 Scouting Ireland was provided with a grant of €1,135,930. My Department cannot deal directly with individual scout groups, or indeed with local groups from any of the national youth organisations, as this would be unmanageable from an administrative and governance perspective.
I would strongly recommend that the scout group mentioned by the Deputy engage directly with Scouting Ireland in the first instance.
855. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if statistics on the ethnicity of students expelled and suspended from all schools is available; and his views on his Department recording such statistics to ensure that potential biases can be adequately monitored. [15359/20]
View answerAs this is an operational matter I have asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
856. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason foster carers employed by the HSE cease to be entitled to contributory pensions for their years of fostering; the reason that many of them are not advised of same; if the HSE will consult the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to create a pathway for such an entitlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15497/20]
View answerPension contributions are governed by the employer and employee relationship and contractual arrangements. Similarly, where employment ceases any associated impact on pension rights may be communicated with regard to this framework. The determination of what constitutes employment for the purposes of calculating contributions for the State pension(s) is a matter for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
To assist foster carers in their role, foster carers receive the Foster Care Allowance in respect of each child they are caring for. At €325 per week per child under 12 years of age and €352 per week per child aged 12 and over, this allowance is a significant fiscal support.
This allowance is not a salary. It is a payment made in respect of the child to allow foster carers to meet all of the child's daily living needs including food, clothing, basic travel, education costs and hobbies and sporting activities. It is tax free and is not considered as means for Social Welfare purposes. Therefore, it can be availed of by foster carers regardless of their income or employment status. It is thus a very flexible support which reflects the variety in the life and circumstances of the thousands of people in Ireland who are foster carers.
In addition to the allowance, foster carers receive a number of targeted supports to ensure they continue to function as a recognised and valued part of the alternative care system. Key elements of this support include a link social worker, access to training and support group meetings and the allocation of a social worker for each child in care. In addition, Tusla provides funding to the Irish Foster Care Association, which offers a range of supports to carers, including advocacy, mediation, training and a phone advice service.
Changes to the law in relation to credits for pension purposes are a matter for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
857. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs which Department will have responsibility for youth affairs. [15724/20]
View answerThe responsibility for youth affairs remains with my Department. While I am aware of some concerns, I can assure the Deputy that, despite 'Youth Affairs' not appearing in the title of the Department, it very much remains central to the remit of my Department.
Funding to the youth sector has been protected through the current period of financial challenge and I will strive to ensure that the profile of young people and their needs remains high throughout my time in office. I am particularly keen to ensure that the needs of vulnerable, marginalised and disadvantaged young people are taken into account, with specific consideration of how these needs have been impacted or exacerbated by Covid-19 and the resulting restrictions.
My officials and I will continue to work closely with sectoral representatives and young people themselves to ensure that strategy and resourcing is planned carefully to support the needs of young people in an optimum way.
858. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of providers that opened on 29 June 2020. [14692/20]
View answerEarly learning and care services who were reopening after the Covid closure were not obliged to notify my Department on the day that they reopened. Information on service reopening is being compiled by way of local surveys being carried out by the County Childcare Committees through returns made to Pobal, who administer funded schemes on behalf of my Department.
Pobal have indicated that by close of business on Friday 10 July 1,324 childcare services had reopened. This compares well with summer of 2019, when 1, 800 services were open, as a significant number of services close for the summer months.
I expect that additional service providers will reopen over the remaining weeks of the summer.
859. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the providers that did not open on 29 June 2020 will continue to receive the temporary wage childcare subsidy scheme to allow them to keep staff enrolled. [14693/20]
View answerOn 10 June 2020, a major funding package was announced to facilitate the reopening of Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare services. Included in this reopening package are:
- A once-off Reopening Support Payment for DCYA funded providers opening between 29 June and early September.
- A once-off COVID-19 capital grant for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September.
- Resumption of all DCYA childcare funding programmes which amount to approximately €600m per annum.
Alongside this, eligible services will continue to have access to the Revenue operated Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS).
In total, Government is providing a €75m package of funding for reopening. The suite of funding measures within this package will run from 29 June to 23 August 2020.
These measures succeed the DCYA Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS) which was introduced as a temporary and time limited emergency measure to support the childcare sector during the closure period required by the COVID-19 crisis. The TWSCS was ended on 26 June.
The DCYA will review the operation of these funding measures in July and will use this information to inform the funding model from 24 August onwards.
The funding package aims to support providers to reopen, staff to remain in the sector, parents to resume work, and children to benefit from quality Early Learning and Care and School Aged Childcare.
860. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if responsibility for direct provision has been transferred to his Department. [14694/20]
View answerDetailed discussions between officials at my Department and at the Department of Justice are ongoing with regard to the transfer of functions between both Departments.
Functions relating to Equality, Disability, Domestic Violence and Direct Provision are transferring to my Department under the Programme for Government. These are very significant policy and operational areas and I want to ensure that the transfer is conducted in an effective and timely manner. In order to achieve this, officials are examining the relevant functions, legislation, funding and staffing involved. My intention is for this business to be concluded as soon as possible and for the Transfer of Functions Order to be then completed.
861. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will address a matter regarding childcare facilities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14783/20]
View answerOn 10 June 2020, I announced a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare services. Included in this reopening package are:
- A once-off Reopening Support Payment for DCYA funded providers opening between 29 June and early September.
- A once-off COVID-19 capital grant for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September.
- Resumption of all DCYA childcare funding programmes which amount to approximately €600m per annum.
Alongside this, eligible services will continue to have access to the Revenue operated Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS).
In total, Government is providing a €75m package of funding for reopening. The suite of funding measures within this package will run from 29 June to 23 August 2020.
These measures succeed the DCYA Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS) which was introduced as a temporary and time limited emergency measure to support the childcare sector during the closure period required by the COVID-19 crisis. The TWSCS was ended on 26 June.
The DCYA will review the operation of these funding measures in July and will use this information to inform the funding model from 24 August onwards.
The funding package aims to support providers to reopen, staff to remain in the sector, parents to resume work, and children to benefit from quality Early Learning and Care and School Aged Childcare.
862. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a copy of the departmental briefings received by him and each Minister of State at his Department on taking up their roles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14797/20]
View answerMy Department will shortly arrange for publication of the brief, as compiled by the Department of Children Youth Affairs, that was provided to me on my appointment.
It is my understanding that the Department of Health will publish any briefing that has been provided to the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability.
863. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a crèche (details supplied) is receiving subsidies; if it is eligible for same in view of the fact that at the beginning of July 2020 it announced an increase in its prices to parents, which is not in line with subsidies announced during the Covid-19 crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14844/20]
View answer864. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding provided to a facility (details supplied) to allow it to reopen on 29 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15018/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 863 and 864 together.
On 10 June 2020, my predecessor announced a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services. In accordance with the Government Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, and guided by the expert advice of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSPC), ELC and SAC services can resume from 29 June. Government has committed a €75m package of funding for reopening services over the summer months. This substantial investment recognises the important role that the ELC and SAC sector plays in the societal and economic infrastructure of the country.
The new funding package contains four significant elements:
- A once-off Reopening Support Payment (RSP) for DCYA-funded service providers opening between 29 June and early September.
- A once-off COVID-19 capital grant for DCYA-funded service providers opening between 29 June and early September.
- Continued access for eligible service providers to the Revenue-operated Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS)
- Resumption of DCYA ELC and SAC programmes. NCS, CCSP and TEC will be available again for children attending ELC and SAC services from 29 June.
In developing the funding package, my Department recognises that a reduced number of children are likely to attend ELC and SAC services in the initial weeks of reopening. This funding package is tailored to allow providers to operate with potentially less parental income and to assist in meeting the possible costs associated with complying with public health requirements.
Pobal has informed my Department that the service in question has signed up for the RSP and COVID-19 Capital Grant, and will continue to operate CCSP and NCS.
It is a condition of the RSP scheme that participating services must apply the Registered Fees List that was in place on March 12th 2020, without amendments, for the duration of the scheme. Where possible services are requested to avoid charging fees, deposits or other measures to hold places creating a strain for families in difficult circumstances. If a service provider feels that these measures are necessary, then they should be as minimal as possible.
My Department takes compliance with scheme rules seriously, and will work with Pobal to institute checks on service providers participating in this funding package. This includes following-up where a potential breach of scheme rules, as in this instance, is brought to my Department's or Pobal's attention. If the Deputy has further information that may be of assistance, my officials will review it and consider further action as appropriate.
865. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the action being taken to assist playschools offering ECCE placements to reopen and remain open; if ECCE placements for children whose schools have been forced to close will be provided in other centres; and if assistance will be provided to parents and schools in order to ensure that all those needing an ECCE placement will be accommodated. [15029/20]
View answerMy Department recently announced a €75 million package of funding for reopening services over the summer months. This substantial investment recognises the important role that the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) sector plays in the societal and economic infrastructure of the country.
The new funding package contains a number of significant elements including:
- A once-off reopening support payment for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September.
- A once-off COVID-19 capital grant for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September.
- Continued access for eligible providers to the Revenue-operated Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS).
Services offering the ECCE programme, which will reopen in late August or early September, are eligible to apply for both the capital grant and the reopening support payment. Such services may also be eligible to continue to avail of the TWSS.
If a service provider is facing difficulties in reopening they can apply to their local County Childcare Committee (CCC) who can provide them with expert advice and support. Services which are operated by community non-for-profit providers can also access sustainability funding from my Department.
If a parent needs assistance in finding a ECCE place for their child, they can approach their local CCC for advice on ECCE options in their area. Contact details of all CCCs can be found on www.myccc.ie.
866. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the delegated functions assigned to the Minister of State with responsibility for disability; and the date those delegated functions come into effect. [15046/20]
View answerDetailed discussions between my Department and the Department of Health are ongoing with regard to the transfer of functions between both Departments.
The Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability is currently working directly with Department of Health officials in order ensure a fuller understanding of the issues prior to its transfer to my Department. This is a significant and complex policy and operational area with an associated budget of over €2 billion. It is important that we take the time to fully understand what is involved and what the key priorities are.
As soon as the Transfer of Functions Order for this area is completed, I will immediately arrange with Government for a Delegation of Ministerial Functions Order.
867. Deputy Malcolm Noonan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a decision not to reopen an application for funding for a childcare community facility (details supplied) will be reviewed. [15097/20]
View answerMy Department is aware of the case mentioned and have previously been in contact with both Pobal and the service concerned regarding the circumstances of this case.
In a letter to the service concerned from my Department on the 27th November 2019, it was clarified that Pobal initially issued correspondence to the service on 26th October 2018 querying an error surrounding the submission of the component certificates and requesting a re-submission of the application with the correct documents. This query was not responded to.
Further to this, in April 2019, a general message was sent by Pobal to all services with a queried status on their higher capitation application. Pobal received an initial response from the service enquiring as to why their higher capitation status was queried. Pobal replied on 25th April 2019 to the service explaining what additional information was required. This message was not responded to and the application was not amended within the programme year which closed in late June 2019.
Pobal confirmed that the application was re-submitted on the 30th August 2019 but as this was well outside of the submission period, the application was declined. Upon an inquiry by the service, Pobal referred the case to my Department who advised Pobal to maintain the original decision due to the fact that the service did not address the outstanding issues within the programme year.
It must be noted that for applications submitted in the 2018/2019 programme year, significant additional flexibility was afforded by Pobal, allowing services until the 2nd August 2019 to address any outstanding issues with their Higher Capitation applications. Services were informed of this extension through the relevant channels.
Whilst my Department understands the pressures on service providers, the responsibility for ensuring applications are submitted correctly and on time lies with the service. Further, the documents requested by Pobal should have been readily available to the service as they would have been required for any applications made in previous years and are also required to be on-site for the purposes of inspection.
869. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the case of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15323/20]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) programme is a free universal two-year pre-school programme which is available to all children within the eligible age range.
The programme is available to all children who have turned 2 years and 8 months of age before September 1st of the year they will be starting ECCE.
With regard to the child referred to by the Deputy, he does not meet he age criteria for ECCE support in September 2020. However, his parents will be eligible for either a universal or an income assessed subsidy under the National Childcare Scheme (NCS).
Universal Subsidies are available to all families with children under 3 years old. They are also available to families with children over 3 years who have not yet qualified for the free preschool programme (ECCE). This subsidy is not means tested and provides 50c per hour towards the cost of a registered childcare place for a maximum of 40 hours per week.
Income Assessed Subsidies are available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years. This subsidy is means tested and will be calculated based on the parents' individual circumstances. The rate will vary depending on the level of family income, the child’s age and educational stage, and the number of children in the family.
More information on the scheme can be found on ncs.gov.ie.
870. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will accommodate a child (details supplied) on the ECCE scheme for another year. [15344/20]
View answerMy Department has not received an application for an additional year of ECCE for the child referred to by the Deputy.
If the parents or the service provider wish to make an application they should forward it to my Department by email to eyqueries@dcya.gov.ie.
871. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when he will bring forward the guardian ad litem Bill. [15520/20]
View answerThe Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2019 is an important piece of legislation which seeks to provide for much-needed reform of guardian ad litem (GAL) arrangements. Its objective is to regulate the existing system of GAL appointments and to extend the system so that GALs can be made available to a larger number of children on a more equitable basis. It provides a statutory basis for a nationally organised and managed service to ensure that a high quality and sustainable service is provided into the future.
The Bill fell with the dissolution of the 32nd Dáil in January.
I am pleased to note that the proposed reform enjoys broad support and I am determined to progress this legislation as quickly as possible. However, I also intend to take this opportunity to examine some issues raised by stakeholders and to ensure that I am fully satisfied with the proposed Bill before introducing it.
872. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the removal of children from their breastfeeding mothers at birth by Tusla (details supplied). [15608/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that I cannot comment on an individual case.
Tusla receives children into care when it is necessary to ensure their safety, welfare and development
In the event of a child or an unborn child requiring safe care which is assessed as not being available from within the family, Tusla is obliged to consider, together with the parents and sometimes the Court, how best to provide for an alternative person to provide care. If the parents can agree an alternative safe carer with Tusla, then Tusla will review this, and may develop an agreement for that person(s) to become the primary carer, until such time as the child’s own parent(s) are able to demonstrate that changes are in place to allow for them to provide the necessary safe care. If, however, the parent(s) cannot agree how to do this, it is sometimes necessary to involve the Court to adjudicate on such a decision. In all such cases, under the Child Care Act, the best interests of the child must be the paramount consideration.
All parents whose children are in care are entitled to make applications for family contact (known as access) and the needs of the child, including breastfeeding infants, inform plans for family contact. Access arrangements may also be adjudicated if no mutual agreement is reached between the parent(s) and Tusla.
873. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the revised organisational chart for his Department will be provided. [15720/20]
View answerPower to transfer functions from one Minister/Department to another and to rename Departments is vested in the Government under section 6 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939.
Preparatory work for the transfer of functions and progressing the legislative requirements is ongoing. A revised organisational chart will be made available as soon as the required legal and logistical work has been concluded.
874. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of early years professionals by grade who earned below the living wage in 2019. [15784/20]
View answer875. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost of raising the rate of pay of early years professionals to at least the living wage of €12.30 per hour. [15785/20]
View answer876. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost of raising the rate of pay of all early years professionals to at least €15 per hour. [15786/20]
View answer879. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the staff turnover rate in full day care services per year. [15789/20]
View answer880. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the staff turnover rate in the early years sector per year. [15790/20]
View answer881. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of early years services that have a staff turnover rate greater than 80% per year. [15791/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 874 to 876, inclusive, and 879 to 881, inclusive, together.
According to the Living Wage Technical Group, the "living wage" in Ireland in 2019 was €12.30 per hour. Although the average wage in the Early Learning and Care sector in 2019 was €12.55, as per Pobal’s Annual Early Years Sector Profile Report for the 2018/2019 programme year, wages vary, particularly according to staff role in the service.
The table, taken from Pobal’s Annual Early Years Sector Profile Report for 2018/2019, shows the average wages of early learning and care practitioners in 2019 by job description and qualification level.
|
Job title |
NFQ Level 4 |
NFQ Level 5 |
NFQ Level 6 |
NFQ Level 7 |
NFQ Level 8 |
NFQ Level 9/10 |
No relevant qualification |
Total |
|
Centre manager |
€15.14 |
€14.42 |
€15.20 |
€16.08 |
€15.99 |
€17.19 |
€15.92 |
€15.56 |
|
Deputy manager |
€12.53 |
€13.09 |
€13.80 |
€14.78 |
€14.65 |
€15.38 |
€13.67 |
€14.00 |
|
Early years assistant (ECCE) |
€12.52 |
€11.50 |
€11.83 |
€12.08 |
€12.02 |
€11.98 |
€11.78 |
€11.72 |
|
Early years assistant (non-ECCE) |
€11.44 |
€10.98 |
€11.18 |
€11.45 |
€11.62 |
€15.41 |
€11.19 |
€11.15 |
|
Relief / cover |
€11.42 |
€10.79 |
€11.34 |
€11.76 |
€11.55 |
N/a |
€10.60 |
€11.03 |
|
Room leader (ECCE) |
€11.50 |
€11.71 |
€12.99 |
€13.98 |
€13.38 |
€14.10 |
€12.60 |
€13.24 |
|
Room leader (non-ECCE) |
€16.33 |
€11.58 |
€12.25 |
€12.49 |
€12.85 |
€14.09 |
€12.25 |
€12.17 |
|
Total |
€12.25 |
€11.42 |
€12.63 |
€13.93 |
€13.45 |
€15.18 |
€11.81 |
€12.55 |
As the State is not the employer, my Department does not determine the wages of staff working in early learning and care settings. However, based on figures available to my Department, of approximately 26,000 staff working directly with children, it is estimated that 60% (or 15,600) are paid below €12.30 per hour and 40% (or 10,400) are paid €12.30 or more. It is estimated that 83% (or 21,647) of staff working directly with children are paid below €15 hour per hour and 17% (or 4,353) are paid €15 hour or more hour.
On this basis, it can be estimated that the annual cost of raising the wages of all early learning and care practitioners to at least €12.30 per hour would be approximately €30 million. This figure represents an average increase of 12% in gross pay. The additional cost to employers for this in terms of employer PRSI and holiday pay would be €6m – bringing the total cost to €36m.
The annual cost of paying €15 hour per hour to staff currently paid below this rate is estimated to be €103 million. This estimate assumes that the number of hours worked remains unchanged and represents an average increase of 30% in gross pay. The additional cost to employers for this in terms of Employer PRSI and holiday pay would be €21m – bring a total cost of this to €124m.
The average overall turnover rate for full-time only services per year is as follows:
- 2018/2019 – 40.17%
- 2017/2018 – 46.37%
- 2016/2017 – 36.79%
According to Pobal’s Annual Early Years Sector Profile Report for the 2018/2019 programme year, the average overall turnover rate was 23.4%. When broken down, this shows that 20% of services lost 1 member of staff, 14% lost 2 or 3 members of staff and a further 7% lost more than 3 staff members. It is important to note that 59% of services retained all of their staff members.
For the 2017/2018 programme year the figures are similar. In that year, the overall turnover rate was 24.7%, with 23% of services losing 1 member of staff, 14% losing 2 or 3 members of staff and 6% losing more than 3 staff. In this year, 57% of services indicated that they retained all of their staff.
For the year 2016/2017, the overall turnover rate was 28.2%, showing that the overall turnover rate has improved slightly. A breakdown of the figures for this year is not available. Further, there is no similar data on previous programme years.
In terms of the percentage of services who recorded a staff turnover rate greater than 80% per year, this data is not available but would be highly dependent on the size of each service. Such a rate would be outside the average rates which are more representative of the overall situation experienced in the sector.
