Written Answers Nos. 813-829
813. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the number of children registered on CCSP including the universal scheme in 2019 to 2020 that were then registered on ECCE for 2020 to 2021 and were not on a scheme from 16 August 2020 to 24 August 2020. [21678/20]
View answerAccording to figures supplied to my Department by Pobal 2,513 children were registered on CCSP or CCSU for the 2019/20 programme year, are now registered on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme for the 2020-21 programme year, and were not registered on any scheme from 17/08/2020 to 21/08/2020.
As all registrations start on a Monday and end on Friday it should be noted that for the purposes of the requested data the week Monday 17/08/2020 to Friday 21/08/2020 was used, the dates 16th - 24th August would have included two weeks of registrations.
Pobal administer and manage funding for my Department and has a dedicated e-mail enquiry service for Oireachtas members - oireachtasqueries@pobal.ie.
814. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the average time to award a CHICK for a targeted subsidy in that month; the longest time to award a CHICK; the number of awards that took more than one week to process; and the number of those delayed awards that were service providers that paid the full amount due, that is, paid from the date the child started in their service. [21679/20]
View answerThe National Childcare Scheme (NCS) is designed to be flexible, recognising that childcare needs are different for each family. In creating a single national scheme, the aim is to operate within a user-friendly system that can respond to both the parent/carer’s unique circumstances and to also reflect the needs of providers.
The flexibility of the NCS means that the average time for processing applications may not be the best indication of the application experience because the NCS is designed to recognise that childcare needs are different for each family. The financial circumstances of families may also change throughout the year which can require manual intervention. Depending on the application choices and family circumstances their process flow through the system could be different.
There are two types of application:
Universal Application for Universal Subsidies that 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 (45 hours per week after 7th September 2020).
Income Assessed Application for 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 your individual circumstances. The rate a family receives will vary depending on their level of family income, child’s age and educational stage, and the number of children in the family.
Parents/carers apply directly to the Scheme for financial support. The NCS offers a flexible application process, with a variety of assessment options for parents. The quickest way for a Parent to have their income assessed is to use the 'Fast Track' option online. Fast Track assessment will gather information from Revenue and DEASP for the most recent year that full income information is available. In general this is either last year or the year before. This requires a verified MyGovID account and families can apply directly at www.ncs.gov.ie.
The innovative, purpose-built IT system of the NCS aims to process a universal application in a matter of minutes, and an income assessed application in a matter of days.
A parent can choose not to Fast Track their assessment if their income has decreased significantly from the previous tax year or if they want to opt out of an automatic assessment. This will require the parent to upload documents to support the application. The NCS advises parents choosing this option the assessment will take longer to process than Fast Track assessments.
The National Childcare Scheme offers a flexible application process sensitive to changes that may happen in families, for example if a parent has lost income due to COVID-19 they can apply for a Current Year Assessment. This allows parents to have their current year’s income assessed to determine their level of subsidy, rather than the default option of the previous tax year. This could more accurately reflect their current income level. In addition to this there is also the ‘Sudden Change Assessment’ option which allows for applicants to declare that they have had an ongoing change to their income. This applies to people who have lost a job or their income has reduced on an ongoing basis for reasons outside of their control. Parents will need to complete a new NCS application to avail of this measure and will unavoidably need to submit documentation as there is no way to automatically process these types of applications.
Parents who do not wish or are unable to submit an online application for the NCS may submit a paper application instead. Parents can apply offline by requesting a postal application form by contacting the NCS Parent Support Centre on 01-9068530.
The longest time to process an application for a CHICK awarded in August was 109 days. This inordinate amount of time was spent awaiting documents to be submitted by the applicant. The system allows for a partially completed application to remain active for some time.
The average processing time for an income assessed application in August was 11 Days, 49% of applications were processed in 7 days (excluding universal applications which are all almost instanteous).
Following this application process the parents will bring this CHICK to their childcare provider in order for their child to be registered for the NCS. NCS subsidies can only be paid once a CHICK has been registered by a childcare provider, and the parent has confirmed on the NCS system that all details are correct.
It is not possible to say whether the parent was in a childcare provider or paying fees whilst the application was being processed or whether the child started with provider after the CHICK was received. This is a local matter between the provider and parent until the provider and parent agree to register the CHICK.
Pobal as scheme administrator, under the oversight of the Department, will continue to monitor the service delivery times and take appropriate measures to speed up processing times and bring efficiencies to bear on what is still a relatively new scheme.
815. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration his views on crèches inserting a clause in their terms and conditions stating that full fees are applicable for all closures due to exceptional circumstances beyond their control in view of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21746/20]
View answerEarly learning and care and school age childcare services are provided by private enterprises. 75% of services are operated as private businesses and 25% are operated on a not-for-profit basis by community and voluntary organisations.
All services who are registered with Tulsa may enter into funding agreements with my Department to deliver childcare subsidy schemes, including the NCS, CCSP and TEC, and ECCE, the free universal pre-school programme.
Providers are free to set their own policies regarding parental fees for childcare services.
If an individual service is directed to close by public health authorities due to a confirmed case of Covid-19 in that service, the service may apply for continuation of funding under the Department subsidy schemes, in accordance with the force majeure conditions of the schemes.
816. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if guidance or advice has issued to childcare providers in respect of after-school services for childminding in cases in which the childcare provider collects children from schools and looks after them until they are collected by parents or guardians after work. [21781/20]
View answerExpert guidance on the safe reopening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was published by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on 29 May, and updated on 31 July. The updated Guidance from the HPSC includes advice on the safe interaction between schools and school-age childcare facilities where children attend both.
In addition to the expert guidance from the HPSC, my Department has provided a range of online resources and guidance to support service providers, practitioners and parents to prepare for the reopening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare settings, including childminders. The Guidance for Reopening webpage is available on the First 5 website: https://first5.gov.ie/practitioners/reopening . The resources provided on the site include a School Age Services - Key Messages document which highlights the points from the guidance which are of particular relevance to school-age childcare services. This includes arrangements in relation to transport to and from services. Specifically, it notes that services can continue to provide transportation to and from school, and offers guidance on how it can be safely provided.
817. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration his plans to address the shortfall of social workers in the north Dublin area; and if social workers will be reallocated to reduce the high number of children awaiting the allocation of social workers. [21844/20]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.
818. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the number of the 127 unborn children placed on the child protection notification system of Tusla over the past eighteen months by county; and the reason the children were placed on the system. [21939/20]
View answerThe Deputy refers to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that they reply directly to the Deputy.
819. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if correspondence from Gaisce in relation to the case of a person (details supplied) has been given consideration. [21954/20]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that as this matter is currently under review in accordance with the Articles of Association of Gaisce it would not be appropriate for me to comment at this time.
820. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the funding options open to childcare facilities for the purchase of a vehicle as part of after-school services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22117/20]
View answerMy Department does provide funding for the purchase of vehicles for childcare services.
Local Enterprise Offices can offer assistance and advice for business owners in their area, including childcare providers. Contact details for the relevant local enterprise office can be found at www.localenterprise.ie.
Childcare providers may also seek advice from their local County Childcare Committee (CCC) who can provide advice and support on all aspects of childcare provision. CCC details can be found on myccc.ie.
821. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the amount of expenditure provided to the childcare sector as part of the TWSCS from 6 April 2020 to 29 June 2020. [22290/20]
View answerIn order to support the sustainability of the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Sector my Department launched the Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS). The TWSCS provided funding towards a portion of childcare services staff wages and overhead costs. The TWSCS operated from 6 April 2020 for a period of 12 weeks.
Over the course of this period it is estimated that the cost to the State of the TWSCS will be approximately €50 million. As with the Revenue operated Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS), reconciliations are being finalised. It is anticipated that a final cost can be provided in the coming weeks.
822. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the amount provided to early years and school-age childcare settings through schemes such as ECCE, TEC and so on and as part of the national childcare scheme by month from January 2020 to April 2020. [22291/20]
View answerThe total amount of funding provided by my Department to early years and school aged settings through childcare funding schemes for the months January 2020 - April 2020 are as follows:
|
Scheme Type |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
Total |
|
Community Childcare Subvention Plus 2019-2020 |
16,249,902 |
10,796,508 |
8,014,842 |
2,507,513 |
37,568,765 |
|
Early Childhood Care and Education 2019-2020 |
64,586,817 |
1,454,068 |
30,810,449 |
1,003,612 |
97,854,946 |
|
NCS Programme Funding 2019-2020 |
1,560,740 |
2,418,036 |
3,219,909 |
2,681,997 |
9,880,682 |
|
Training & Education Childcare 2019-2020 |
647,182 |
654,115 |
597,626 |
137,321 |
2,036,244 |
|
AIM Level 7 2019-2020 |
3,442,956 |
2,968,373 |
2,996,483 |
20,854 |
9,428,666 |
Pobal who administer and manage childcare funding on behalf of my Department has a dedicated e-mail enquiry service for Oireachtas members - oireachtasqueries@pobal.ie
823. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the number of vacant desk spaces available in accommodation allocated to his Department in civil service accommodation outside Dublin city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22474/20]
View answerI would like to inform the Deputy that my Department does not have any office accommodation outside of Dublin City Centre.
My Department’s office accommodation is currently located in Miesian Plaza, Block 1, 50 – 58 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2.
824. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration when the strategic review of domestic violence accommodation will be finalised. [22510/20]
View answerTusla has advised that its Strategic Review of Domestic Violence Accommodation, which is currently underway, is due to be completed by the end of 2020. It is intended to inform Tusla's future commissioning of domestic violence emergency accommodation services, and to ensure that the evolving needs of service users are met. Tusla will carry out further engagements as the year progresses with a view to finalising the review.
Any future developments will be informed by the findings of the Strategic Review and the recommendations of the Monitoring Committee of the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
825. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if he will provide a schedule of advisers, special advisers and seconded civil servants working in his Department appointed and or recruited and or in an acting capacity; the roles and responsibilities attributed to each; and the salary scale for each role in tabular form. [22522/20]
View answerOn the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The appointment of Special Advisers is subject to section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997. The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil, which incorporate the principles of section 11 of the PMSA Act were approved by Government and published in August and are available on the Government of Ireland website.
The appointment of individual Special Advisers is a matter for each Government Minister subject to the terms set out in the aforementioned guidelines, although the appointments are also subject to formal Government approval. At this stage, no Special Advisers have been formally appointed to my Department by the Government. The aforementioned Guidelines detail a number of steps involved in this process which can commence following the publication of an Order, which is currently being drafted, under section 6 (1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939 for the Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister.
The Deputy may wish to note that I have identified two individuals to work with me as Special Advisers and that they will be formally appointed by the Government in due course.
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform must be notified of the rate of salary to be paid in all cases for Special Advisers. These rates will then be published on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
With regard to staff seconded to my Department, the following table provides the required information. The Civil Service Salary Scales are available on the Gov.ie website.
|
Grade |
Area of work |
|
Assistant Principal (8) |
Early Years x2 Research & Evaluation x 1 Legal Unit x 2 External HR x 1 Historic Burials x 1 Finance x 1 |
|
Administrative Officer (1) |
Research & Evaluation |
826. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if his attention has been drawn to cases such as a case (details supplied) in which parents were unable to apply for the NCS subsidy before the end of August 2020 deadline due to the change in procedure requiring parents rather than childcare service application and an inability to access a CHICK number without a public services card; the number of children affected; if he will consider extending the deadline to accommodate late applicants in view of the reduced availability of MyGovID card services due to the global pandemic and the difficulties in accessing clear information on how to access a CHICK number. [22556/20]
View answerThe National Childcare Scheme operates on a rolling basis from one year to the next it opened for online applications in November of 2019. Subsidies for parents are generally renewed on an annual basis but eligible parents can apply for the Scheme all year round. Subsidies for parents are generally renewed on an annual basis.
The National Childcare Scheme has always been designed such that, applications would be accepted both online and offline.
A PSC and verified MyGovID account are required to apply online only.
Parents can apply offline by requesting a postal application form by contacting the NCS Parent Support Centre on 01-9068530.
It has always been the case that Parents must make the application to the NCS on behalf of their own child. It not possible for a provider to make an application to the NCS on behalf of a child who is not their own.
There is no deadline or cut-off for application for the NCS. Parents can receive a "CHICK" number once they have successfully completed their NCS application at any time of the year. They need to bring this CHICK to their childcare provider in order for their child to be registered for the NCS. NCS subsidies can only be paid once a CHICK has been registered by a childcare provider, and the parent has confirmed on the NCS system that all details are correct.
The Scheme administrator has been instructed to contact the person (details supplied) to discuss the options available to them to apply for the NCS.
827. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the number of reports of children at risk received in each of the past twelve months to date; the extent to which it was possible to deploy the necessary assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22664/20]
View answerThe Deputy refers to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla and instructed that a direct reply issue to the Deputy in due course.
828. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the extent to which, notwithstanding the Covid-19 crisis, a rapid response is available for children at risk or in distress with a view to ensuring a comprehensive and seamless programme to address the issues arising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22665/20]
View answerThe Deputy refers to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla and instructed that a direct reply issue to the Deputy in due course.
829. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the extent to which he remains satisfied that adequate counselling, support and rescue services remain available through his Department to meet the requirements of at-risk children notwithstanding the Covid-19 crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22666/20]
View answerThe Deputy refers to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla and instructed that a direct reply issue to the Deputy in due course.
