Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 May 2021
200. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on whether the current AIM model in childcare is sufficient to attract enough qualified childcare workers to care for children with ASD; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28170/21]
View answerThe Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a model of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme. Its goal is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE Programme and reap the benefits of quality early learning and care.
Under Level 7 of AIM, pre-school providers, in partnership with parents, can apply for additional capitation to fund extra support in the pre-school room or to enable a reduction in the adult-to-child ratio. Where additional capitation is given to fund extra support in the pre-school room, the pre-school manager is responsible for recruiting a member of staff to take on this role or extending the hours of other staff in the service.
As staff who are supported under AIM Level 7 work alongside other staff in the pre-school room to provide early learning and care on an inclusive basis for all children in the room, the minimum qualification requirement of a Level 5 award in early childhood care and education applies to all staff, including those recruited under AIM Level 7.
Of the 1,439 pre-school providers currently in receipt of AIM level 7 funding, only 42 have reported to Pobal that they are impacted by recruitment difficulties under AIM level 7. While I acknowledge the challenges arising for children and services in those cases where recruitment difficulties have caused delays, I do not believe the data suggests there is a need to change the current AIM model.
More broadly, actions under way to develop a Workforce Development Plan for the sector and to look at possible establishment of a Joint Labour Committee (JLC) are intended to support providers to recruit and retain qualified staff.
The Workforce Development Plan will set out plans for moving to a graduate-led workforce by 2028 and establishing a career framework for staff in early learning and care and school-age childcare, including role profiles, qualifications requirements and career pathways. A report on phase one of the work can be found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/26122f-workforce-development-plan-for-the-elcsac-sector/ . The final Workforce Development Plan report is due for publication by the end of 2021.
In December 2020, I began a short process to examine the possibility of regulating the pay and conditions of employment of practitioners in early learning and care and school-age childcare, and to examine the suitability of establishing a JLC for the sector. On foot of this process, the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail has written to the Labour Court, who are currently examining whether to establish a JLC. If established, a JLC could lead to an Employment Regulation Order, which would establish binding rates of pay and conditions for the sector, thus supporting recruitment and retention of staff.
