Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2021
727. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to ensure all childcare providers will sign up to the national childcare scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the hardship that refusal of some providers to join the scheme is having on parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17122/21]
View answerThe National Childcare Scheme (NCS) was introduced in November 2019. Since then, over 50,200 children have benefitted from NCS subsidies.
ELC/SAC providers are private businesses and as such it is matter for those businesses to decide whether they enter into any contractual arrangement including for the provision of the NCS. Services contract on an annual basis to participate in the Scheme. At present, over 3,000 ELC/SAC providers are contracted to participate in the NCS.
My Department provided a number of supports in advance of the launch of the NCS in 2019 including a transition support payment and a capital grant for ICT equipment to support scheme administration. These were designed to encourage sign-up and support readiness.
In addition, my Department provides an annual programme support payment to support administration of all schemes.
In addition to these payments, multiple training sessions were offered through all City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs) nationwide. Training continues to be available from all CCCs for ELC/SAC providers who require assistance in operating the NCS.
I do appreciate the difficulties caused when a parent’s preferred ELC/SAC provider does not engage with the NCS. However, parents can access their NCS award through any ELC/SAC provider in the country that is registered to provide the NCS. Their CHICK number, which unlocks their subsidy award, can be used in any NCS-registered ELC/SAC service.
Parents seeking support in this regard should contact their local County Childcare Committee, details of which are available at myccc.ie.
