Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020
993. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to reform the childcare system to create one that brings together the best of community and private childcare provision; if terms of reference have been drawn up; if stakeholders will be included; the time frame for establishing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19746/20]
View answerState investment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) has increased by an unprecedented 141% over the past 5 budgets (from €260m to €638m). This has enabled, inter alia, a doubling of the ECCE programme to two years, a doubling of the number of children availing of State subsidies, a 60% increase in ELC and SAC places and greater access to ELC and SAC for children with additional needs.
The Programme for Government acknowledges that more needs to be done to tackle the challenges of accessibility, affordability and quality of ELC and SAC and more investment is needed.
First 5, the whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families pledges to at least double State investment in ELC and SAC by 2028. A key vehicle to ensure that such significant additional investment delivers for children, families and the State will be a new funding model .
An Expert Group to develop the new funding model has been convened. This Group is composed of renowned academics, top level economists and experienced policy makers from Ireland and elsewhere – all of whom have an enormous breadth of knowledge and experience. The Expert Group’s Terms of Reference are as follows:
- Agree a set of guiding principles to underpin the new Funding Model for Early Learning and Care and School Age
- Review the existing approach to funding Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare 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 Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare 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 work of the Expert Group is well underway. Six meetings of the Group have been held to date and documentation from these meeting is publicly available at www.first5fundingmodel.gov.ie.
A research partner has also been appointed to deliver evidence-based working papers to the Expert Group. Working papers on international approaches to funding, fees, staff wages and public investment in Ireland compared to other countries; potential mechanisms to control fees charged to parents, approaches to identifying children and/or services in need of additional support, and working conditions within the sector, have already been carried out and these are now being considered by the Expert Group. Other papers are under development. Working papers will be published from later this year.
The Expert Group is committed to engaging with key stakeholders, including children, families, providers and the workforce, in developing this funding model. Owing to COVID-19, a series of regional consultation events due to take place in March had to be cancelled. However, over the coming weeks and months, the Group will be inviting interested parties to make written submissions and to participate in an online conversation on future funding.
Given the complexity, significance and the long-term importance of its proposals, the project plan for the new funding model envisages a final report of the Expert Group including policy recommendations and implementation plans to be completed by Q4 2021.
Work on the implementation of First 5 continues and a progress report will be published shortly.
