Written Answers Nos. 419-443
419. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider making it mandatory for all crèches to undergo inspection from Tusla upon their opening and to have regular inspections taking place once operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44438/21]
View answerTusla is the independent statutory regulator of early years services in Ireland. The Tusla Early Years Inspectorate promotes and monitors the safety and quality of care and support of children in Tusla registered early years services in accordance with the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016.
New applicants who wish to register a new early learning and care service must apply to Tusla. The suitability of the applicant and the suitability of the premises for the education and care of children is assessed through a fit-for-purpose process. This process includes the inspection and assessment of the premises to ensure compliance with specific regulations prior to the new service being approved for registration.
Early learning and care services are also subject to regular and routine inspections and Tusla aims to inspect all early learning and care services on their register at least once every three years. Inspection reports are available on the Tusla website and can be accessed here: www.tusla.ie/services/preschool-services/creche-inspection-reports/.
420. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); the steps he is taking to ensure access to after-school projects for all children in DEIS areas; the way he plans to support after-school projects negatively impacted by changes to the national childcare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44542/21]
View answer438. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will respond to the concerns of community childcare services in the Dublin 8 area that the national childcare scheme is putting the education and well-being of nearly 500 vulnerable children in Dublin 8 and in excess of 5,000 vulnerable children across the country at risk on foot of changes to the funding structures for vital community-based after-school services introduced under the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45255/21]
View answer439. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an undertaking will be given to restore adequate funding to ensure continuation of after-school services from 1 October 2021; the steps he will take to ensure access to after-school projects for all children in DEIS areas; if he will work with community services to design a sustainable and appropriate model of core after-school funding to ensure equal access to education and opportunities for all children particularly those most at risk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45256/21]
View answer440. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an undertaking will be given that he will meet representatives of community-based after-school services to discuss their grave concerns for the well-being of children at risk of long-term exclusion and marginalisation on foot of changes to the national childcare scheme funding structures for critically important after-school services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45257/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 420 and 438 to 440, inclusive, together.
The National Childcare Scheme provides financial support to help parents to meet the cost of childcare and to support better outcomes for children. The schemes objectives are to promote (i) a reduction in child poverty, (ii) positive child development outcomes, (iii) labour market activation and (iv) improved quality.
The NCS is designed to be highly inclusive and to meet the needs of those families who need it the most. The NCS is based on the principle of progressive universalism and has regard to the best interests of children.
By making this fundamental shift away from the legacy schemes where subsidies are grounded in medical card and social protection entitlements, and by tangibly reducing the cost of quality childcare for thousands of families, the NCS aims to improve children’s outcomes, improve labour market participation and reduce child poverty. It is a central policy component of the NCS to poverty proof and assist people in exiting the poverty trap.
Within this framework, an income-related subsidy is payable for children up to 15 years of age. The subsidy level is determined by the family’s income and the child's age. The number of hours subsidised is determined by the parent's employment or education arrangements.
Underpinned by this approach is strong evidence that shows how growing up in poverty negatively impacts on child outcomes. Taking up work or engaging in training, even a very low number of hours, is key to enabling families to break that cycle and that is what the NCS is designed to support.
The NCS does not provide grants to providers in respect of their general operation. Rather, it subsidises parents in respect of the cost of early learning and childcare, subject to confirmation that these services are being provided and used.
It is understood that some providers may experience a drop in income where a child has a parent at home who is not in work or study, and where in term time, the child will not be eligible for subsidies.
This is because the scheme is also built to ensure that families are supported to access a minimum level of early learning and childcare provision to support positive child outcomes.
Importantly, the evidence also shows that these benefits are, in most cases, realised with part-time participation.
On this basis, 20 hours are available all year round for children who have not started school, and in non-term time for school age children, regardless of whether the parents or guardians are in work or study.
They may also see increases in other areas where the NCS is supporting new families to take up places through subsidies of up to €229.50 per child per week. This should increase demand particularly as we move out of the current Covid-19 emergency measures and childcare usage reverts to a more normal level.
I absolutely understand that there will be children in exceptional circumstances for whom this is not enough.
For these children, families can avail of up to 45 hours free early learning childcare, with no work or study rule through sponsorship arrangements.
Sponsorship referrals can be made by a number of designated bodies. Already over 2,000 children have accessed these supports.
My Department is keenly aware of the importance of maintaining sustainable, progressive services and in this context work is progressing on a new funding model for the early learning and childcare sector.
This work is being led by an Expert Group, due to report later this year, who are tasked with designing mechanisms to deliver additional funding to ensure greater levels of affordability, accessibility, quality and inclusion.
The work to design the new funding model will also include recommendations for the introduction of a model that will provide specific and additional supports to services with high proportions of children who experience disadvantage.
In the interim, my Department has made supports available to services who are experiencing financial difficulty, including those who have had challenges in transitioning to the new scheme.
My Department oversees a Case Management process through City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs). CCCs and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services experiencing difficulties.
Pobal co-ordinate the overall case management process with the CCC administering on-the-ground case management assistance. This can include help with completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios, fee setting and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances.
Financial supports, which may also be accessed through the Case Management process, are available for community services presenting with sustainability issues following a financial assessment by Pobal.
Normally, financial supports are only available for community services. However, there is a COVID-19 Impact Support funding strand available in 2021, which is for both Community and Private services. The funding will be available on a rolling basis throughout 2021 for eligible ELC and SAC services that require further financial assistance in addition to current support measures available and others that may be announced throughout the year.
The CCC should be the first point of contact for any service seeking support; I would therefore urge any SAC or ELC service in difficulty to contact their local CCC as soon as possible if they have not done so already.
The National Childcare Scheme has been in place for almost 22 months, albeit very disrupted months given the Covid-19 crisis.
My Department has engaged an external consultant to review the first year of the scheme including looking at usage by socio-economically disadvantaged families and providers serving socio-economically disadvantaged communities.
This review is almost finalised and I will be considering its recommendations with a view to ensuring it meets its policy objectives and supports those most in need in the best evidence informed manner.
My Department is actively monitoring the issues raised and is committed to ensuring that the scheme functions in the best interests of families and children, that services will be supported in adjusting to this newer more progressive approach to early learning and childcare and that State investment in this sector delivers affordable, accessible, sustainable and high-quality provision.
In considering matters, I have met with a number of bodies to hear their concerns including within the area mentioned by the Deputies, as have my officials. I continue to be available to hear the issues and consider responses informed by the ongoing reviews.
With regard to the issue of afterschool interventions in DEIS areas (differentiating from School Aged Childcare funded through subsidies by my Department), all schools in DEIS receive a DEIS Grant. This year the Department of Education allocated in excess of €16m in DEIS Grant funding to 884 schools in the programme. The DEIS Grant should be utilised to attain the targets set in the school’s DEIS Action Plan across the DEIS themes. In this regard, financial resources should be targeted at the individual pupils who are considered most at risk and at addressing educational disadvantage through a focused response.
Some of the DEIS Grant may be used to meet ancillary costs such as heating, lighting and other miscellaneous charges arising from activities such as homework clubs. These costs should be linked to the DEIS themes., eg, the cost of heating and lighting for breakfast/homework clubs operated in order to promote school attendance. However, when considering expenditure of funds from the DEIS grant, schools should look to other agencies and supports to identify if there are any existing schemes or support programmes available and avoid duplication. For example, can the homework club be delivered/supported by the local School Completion Programme or other local community resources.
The School Completion Programme (SCP) provides programmes and interventions to 689 Primary and post-primary schools, the majority if which are DEIS. SCP projects may provide a range of afterschool supports, which can include homework/afterschool clubs, to children targeted for inclusion in the SCP programme across the 122 SCP projects nationally. The extent of the provision varies across the SCP projects nationally ranging from one to two days per week up to four or five days per week. The provision cannot be considered childcare and in general afterschool activities operate for 1 to 1.5 hours including homework, a snack and some fun activities. In many rural settings due to transport requirements there may be no afterschool provision and activity like this is undertaken at lunchtime. Some SCP projects may target the resource to more individualised afterschool provision.
421. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the schemes in place as part of the job-share initiative or community schemes for persons with a disability or mental health issues; if there is no replacement, if he plans to introduce a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44645/21]
View answerMy Department leads on the co-ordination of the Government's national disability policy. This includes both national disability strategies, the National Disability Inclusion Strategy and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities, and the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. My Department does not currently have a role in the delivery of services or operation of schemes other than those that are related to children such as the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme (ECCE) or the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM).
422. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to address the rise in closures of small and average sized childcare services since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44662/21]
View answerEvery year it is normal for some Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services to close while other new services register with Tusla.
Services intending to close must notify the ELC/SAC regulator, Tusla. The most recent available data shows that the number of services notifying their closure to Tusla for the period of Jan-July 2021 is comparable to the same period in 2020 and is less than the number of service closures that occurred in Jan-July 2019. The overall number of service closures each year has remained steady, as has the number of new services registering with Tusla.
|
- |
ELC Closures |
ELC New Registrations |
||||
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
|
Jan - July |
112 |
105 |
91 |
34 |
28 |
14 |
|
Full Year |
196 |
197 |
n/a |
93 |
91 |
n/a |
Nevertheless, it is acknowledged that some early learning and childcare services do face difficulties and that this is sometimes the reason for closures. To avoid this, and to offer support with difficulties generally, my Department oversees a Case Management process through which local City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs) and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to early learning and childcare services experiencing difficulties. Pobal co-ordinate the overall case management process with the CCC administering on-the-ground case management assistance. This can include help with completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios, fee-setting and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances.
Financial supports, which may also be accessed through the Case Management process, are available for community services presenting with sustainability issues following a financial assessment by Pobal.
Normally, financial supports are only available for community services. However, there is a COVID-19 Impact Support funding strand available in 2021, which is for both community and private services. The funding will be available on a rolling basis throughout 2021 for eligible ELC and SAC services that require further financial assistance in addition to current support measures available and others that may be announced throughout the year.
The CCC should be the first point of contact for any service seeking support; I would therefore urge any SAC or ELC service in difficulty to contact their local CCC as soon as possible if they have not done so already.
423. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the UNICEF recommendation for 1% of GDP to be invested in childcare; if it is his plan for Ireland to reach this benchmark; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44664/21]
View answer424. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Ireland is one of the lowest spenders on childcare in the EU; the steps he is taking to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44665/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 424 together.
Over the past six budgets, investment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) has increased by 141% - rising from €260 million in 2015, to €638 million in 2021. This excludes substantial funding provided to support the sector during COVID-19.
Despite this progress, investment in the area remains low by international standards.
The First 5 Strategy, commits the Government to at least double public spending in early learning and care and school-age childcare by 2028. A key vehicle to ensure that such significant additional investment delivers optimally for children, families and the State will be the new Funding Model. An Expert Group to develop the new Funding Model was appointed in September 2019, and I expect their report to be finalised in November and look forward to receiving that shortly.
Extensive research has been commissioned to inform the work of the Group and has been published. Frontier Economics, the Research Partner, have produced eight working papers identifying international practice and learning to inform the new funding model.
The full implementation of the Expert Group's recommendations is likely to be a multi-annual process, with funding becoming available on an incremental basis. In the short term, the Group’s recommendations are contributing to informing the Budget 2022 process and my officials are engaged in that process.
Further information on the work of the Expert Group and documentation related to the process is available at www.first5fundingmodel.ie.
425. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if supports will continue for childcare providers to help them access insurance given the rising costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44666/21]
View answerI understand that there has been some increase in brokerage fees for the majority of childcare providers, but that there has not been a general or significant increase in premiums for childcare providers. Insurance premiums for early year providers average €60 per child, per annum.
Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Aged Childcare (SAC) services are required to have insurance as part of their registration with Tulsa, the independent regulator of the sector. My Department provides funding to childcare providers under a number of programmes to provide fully or partly subsidised childcare services to families. Childcare providers are private businesses and my Department does not provide funding for specific operational costs such as insurance.
With regard to the cost of insurance, it is important to note that neither the Government, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can direct the pricing or provision of insurance products, as this is a commercial matter which individual companies assess on a case-by-case basis. This position is reinforced by the EU Single Market framework for insurance (the Solvency II Directive) which expressly prohibits Member States from doing so.
Notwithstanding this, insurance reform is a priority for this Government. The Action Plan for Insurance Reform, which was launched on 8 December 2020, contains a range of deliverables in a number of Government Department policy areas. It is intended that the cumulative effect of the implementation of the actions will be to improve the insurance environment, in particular for businesses. I am a member of the Sub-Group for Insurance Reform, chaired by An Tánaiste, which has been set up within the Cabinet Committee for Economic Recovery and Investment to implement these reforms, and will publish progress reports every six months.
Seeking to secure a more sustainable and competitive market through deepening and widening the supply of insurance in Ireland remains a key policy priority for this Government. In this regard, it is the Government’s intention to ensure that the implementation of the Action Plan can have a positive impact on the affordability and availability of insurance for individuals, businesses and voluntary groups, including childcare providers.
426. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many childcare providers find the current rates for the early childhood care and education scheme to be untenable and insufficient to allow providers to make ends meet; the steps he is taking to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44667/21]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme is a universal free two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. The Programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year (i.e. from September to June).
Following a 7 per cent increase in 2018, the capitation rates for the Programme are €69 per child per week, with a higher capitation rate of €80.25 per child per week where the ECCE programme is provided by a practitioner with a relevant qualification of level 7 or above. There is a separate payment (Programme Support Payment) towards the cost of administering the Programme.
An independent review of the cost of providing quality early learning and childcare (ELC) in Ireland, which was undertaken in 2018, estimated an average hourly unit cost of €4.14 for delivering ELC across all services. This compares with hourly capitation rates for the ECCE Programme of €4.60 (standard capitation) and €5.35 (higher capitation).
While these findings on unit cost suggest current levels of ECCE capitation are sufficient, I am acutely aware that the unit cost can vary across service type and location. The unit cost is also based on pay rates, which are unacceptably low.
In line with a commitment in First 5 to at least double investment in ELC by 2028, work is underway to develop a new funding model for the ELC sector. This funding model will be the vehicle to ensure additional funding allocated to the sector further reduces out of pocket costs to parents, ensures a range of additional supports can be provided to children from disadvantaged groups, compensate providers so that they can deliver ELC on a sustainable and high-quality basis and attracts and retains a well-qualified workforce. An Expert Group is leading the development of this new funding model and is on track to report in November.
In the meantime, providers offering the ECCE programme, as with all ELC providers, are currently eligible to receive the employment wage subsidy scheme (EWSS), without having to show a drop in turnover of 30% as is required in other sectors of the economy. My Department has calculated that the EWSS at enhanced rates covers on average 80% of staff costs, or 50% of total operating costs.
A Covid-19 Impact Support Scheme is also available for ELC providers who require further financial assistance in addition to current financial supports available.
The purpose of the Covid-19 Impact Support Scheme is to support the sustainability of ELC services who may be left with short-term sustainability concerns due to lower attendance or higher costs arising from Covid-19. Funding is provided to successful applicants that have experienced an income/expenditure deficit in respect of the ELC aspect of their business/organisation and do not have sufficient funds in reserve to absorb this deficit. This funding is available on a rolling basis until 31 December 2021. Any service that has concerns about their viability should contact their local City/County Childcare Committees (CCC) for further information on this Scheme.
427. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to ensure that childcare is affordable for parents and is not a factor in parents exiting the workforce prematurely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44668/21]
View answerOne of my top priorities in Government is to improve affordability for parents. The Programme for Government commits to reforming the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) system to create one that brings together the best of community and private childcare provision, is focused on children’s rights and quality outcomes, reduces inequalities, supports staff retention, and substantially reduces costs to parents.
State investment in this sector has increased by an unprecedented 141% since 2015. This funding has been used to extend access and ensure that children can enrol and meaningfully participate in high-quality ELC and SAC. It has, for example, funded a second year of the universal Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) pre-school programme, enabled the introduction of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the introduction of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM).
The ECCE pre-school programme provides for ELC provision for all children in the two years before they begin primary school for fifteen hours per week, entirely free for parents.
Families may also be entitled to subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme. The NCS represents the first ever statutory entitlement to financial support for ELC and SAC in Ireland. The Scheme aims to improve outcomes for children, reduce poverty, facilitate labour activation, and tangibly reduce the cost of ELC and SAC for tens of thousands of families.
The Scheme comprises two types of subsidies:
- A universal subsidy is payable for children between the ages of 24 weeks and 36 months (or until the child qualifies for the ECCE programme if later) who are availing of childcare services from an approved childcare service provider. The universal subsidy is not means-tested and is available to all qualifying families of any income level.
- An income assessed subsidy is payable for children from 24 weeks to 15 years of age who are availing of childcare services from an approved childcare service provider. The level of subsidy is determined by the family’s assessable income (i.e. gross income minus tax, PRSI and other deductibles and minus any applicable multiple child discount).
NCS subsidies are awarded as an hourly rate for a maximum number of hours per week. Parents in work, study or training can avail of up to 45 subsidised hours of childcare per week. Parents not in work, study or training can avail of up to 20 subsidised hours of childcare per week.
Information on the Scheme can be found at www.ncs.gov.ie and by phoning the Parent Support Centre at 01 906 8530, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Parents can also contact their local City/County Childcare Committee to learn more about Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare supports available to them. Details about local CCCs can be found at www.myccc.ie.
Looking to the future, First 5, the whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families, commits to at least doubling investment in ELC and SAC in the decade to 2028. A key vehicle to ensure that such significant additional investment delivers for children, families and the State will be a new funding model. The new funding model will be the framework for additional investment in services in return for clear evidence of quality and affordability to ensure effective use of public funding.
An Expert Group has been leading the work on developing this new funding model since 2019. The Group is independently chaired and includes national and international experts in ELC and SAC systems, funding, quality, economics, and relevant policy experts from the Government Departments who will be involved in implementing the new funding model. They have met eighteen times to date and it is expected that their report will be submitted in November 2021. The Expert Group’s work is informing the Budget 2022 process.
The research partner for the funding model project, Frontier Economics, has produced eight working papers, with three that directly address affordability issues including international comparisons of fees and public investment, approaches to funding the early learning and care sector, and mechanisms to control fees charged to parents.
The Expert Group have agreed a set of draft guiding principles to underpin the new Funding Model, which state that funding should mitigate the cost of ELC and SAC to parents. They also set out that funding of ELC and SAC should support parents participating in employment, education or training and should, in so far as possible, be cognisant of the reasonable needs and choices of parents.
Further information on the work of the Expert Group and documentation related to the process is available at www.first5fundingmodel.gov.ie.
In addition, as set out in First 5, Parent’s Leave now entitles working parents to five weeks of paid parent’s leave during their child's first two years.
428. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44707/21]
View answerI note that the correspondence the Deputy refers to is from a member of the public who asks about my plans to end direct provision and expresses concern about the welfare of applicants in the current system.
As the Deputy will be aware, I published a “White Paper to End Direct Provision and to establish a new International Protection Support Service”. The White Paper sets out a new Government policy to establish a new International Protection Support Service which I envision will be fully operational by December 2024. This new system will have human rights at its core and will help to ensure that all applicants are treated with dignity and respect. In the wider context of ending Direct Provision by this date, I have committed to ending the use of emergency accommodation for International Protection applicants by the end of 2021.
IPAS has been working to this end since early 2020 and has already closed 19 such centres. This is just under half the total in use at one time.
Furthermore, the International Protection Support Service Transition Team of this Department is progressing a detailed implementation plan for the new system and is working closely with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Agency and the Local Authorities on developing the new Accommodation Model and wrap-around services for residents.
As we transition to the new system, in order to meet our legal obligations to provide accommodation and other support services for protection applicants, existing accommodation centres will continue to operate in the short to medium term; as such my Department currently utilises a mixture of state owned, commercial and temporary emergency accommodation centres.
As for the concerns expressed in the correspondence regarding the welfare of applicants in the current system, there is a clear graduated complaints procedure set out in the House Rules & Procedures Booklet for International Protection applicants. Complaints are made initially to the centre manager with a view to informal resolution. If the resident concerned is not satisfied with the outcome of their complaint, they may make a complaint to IPAS who will investigate the matter and take action as appropriate. In the event that a resident remains dissatisfied with how their complaint is dealt with, they have full access to the services of the Ombudsman and Ombudsman for Children.?
To provide further support to all residents, a confidential Freephone telephone support service exists. The Freephone helpline is operated by the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). A complaint made to the JRS may be resolved without any IPAS intervention through mediation between the JRS team, the resident and whatever service their complaint relates to. Should a resident desire, a complaint made through this service may also be passed, in confidence, back to IPAS for investigation and resolution.
In addition to the existing complaints mechanisms available to residents, two new specialist teams were established in IPAS earlier this year to provide a greater focus on the individual needs of residents.
A new dedicated IPAS Customer Services Team is working to strengthen the existing resident complaints system and take a more proactive approach to dealing with residents' issues, actively engaging with residents through regular resident feedback clinics. As well this increased engagement in person with residents at centres throughout the State the Customer Services Team team will also be exploring the use of other feedback mechanisms such as customer focus groups in the months ahead.
The IPAS Resident Welfare Team is a new multi-disciplinary team which focuses on residents with more complex issues including those with physical and mental health issues and persons identified through the IPAS Vulnerability Assessment Process as having special reception needs. This team is supported by officials from Tusla, the HSE's Social Inclusion Team and the Department of Education. Additional Social Workers are currently being recruited to provide further support to the team.
I trust that this information is of assistance to the Deputy.
429. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a progress report on the Programme for Government commitment to fully implement the access and inclusion model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44726/21]
View answerThe Programme for Government committed to fully implement the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) that helps children with additional needs to access early education and care settings.
AIM provides a range of both universal and targeted measures, to support children with disabilities to take part in the ECCE pre-school programme in mainstream settings, and to help make pre-school services more inclusive – benefiting all children in those services. The degree of support provided through AIM depends on the needs of the child in the context of the pre-school service.
AIM has seven levels of progressive support, moving from universal supports (levels 1-3) to targeted supports (levels 4-7), based on the needs of the child and the pre-school setting they are attending.
Universal supports (Levels 1-3):
- Level 1, which aims to embed an inclusive culture in services, includes the national inclusion policy and guidelines for ECCE, the funding of the Leadership for Inclusion (LINC) training programme, the establishment of Inclusion Co-Ordinator (INCO) roles in ECCE settings, and a small increase in capitation of €2 per registered ECCE child for services with qualified Inclusion Co-ordinators.
- Level 2 involves provision of information for parents and providers on AIM, through the AIM.gov.ie website, and information provided by County/City Childcare Committees.
- Level 3 recognises the requirement to continue to develop a qualified workforce that can confidently meet the needs of all children participating in the ECCE Programme. Supports include funding of training courses such as Hanen, Lámh and Sensory Processing E-Learning (SPEL).
Targeted supports (Levels 4-7):
- Level 4 addresses the needs of early learning and care practitioners to have timely access to advice and support from experts in early learning and care (and disability in particular) to assist them meet each child’s needs.
- Level 5 recognises that some children require specialised equipment, appliances, assistive technology and/or that some early learning and care settings may require minor structural alterations to ensure children with a disability can participate in the ECCE programme. Supports include grants for equipment and some minor capital building works.
- Level 6 provides access to therapeutic supports where they are critical to enable a child be enrolled, and fully participate, in the ECCE programme.
- Level 7: Additional assistance in the pre-school room involves additional capitation for service providers where an application process has demonstrated that supports at Level 1-6 have not, or will not, by themselves, meet the child’s needs. Funding can be used by the provider to buy in additional support, or reduce the staff/child ratio, supporting the pre-school leader to ensure the child’s optimal participation.
In total, 17,316 children in 3,786 services have benefitted from targeted AIM supports since AIM began in 2016.
For the 2021/22 programme year, 2,377 initial applications for Level 7 support were received by the end of August. This is the largest number of applications received by the end of August since AIM began operating in 2016. It represents a 69% increase on the number of applications received at the same point in time in 2020, and a 16% increase on the number of applications received at the end of August 2019 for the 2019/20 programme year.
By the end of August 2021, 159 applications for Level 5 support had been received (142 equipment and 17 alterations), which is 47% higher than the number received at this time last year and is 137% higher than the number received at the same time of year in 2019.
An evaluation of the AIM programme is currently underway, with the final report due to be published in early 2022. The evaluation of AIM builds on an earlier End of Year One Review of AIM and an interim evaluation of the LINC programme.
430. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to extend maternity leave going forward (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44789/21]
View answerUnder the Maternity Protection Acts 1994-2004, a pregnant employee is entitled to 26 weeks maternity leave and a maternity benefit is also payable. A further period of 16 weeks maternity leave may also be taken but there is no associated benefit.
The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks paid parents leave for each parent, and this year I have, through the Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021, extended the entitlement to five weeks of leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. The definition of relevant parent under the Act includes a parent of the child and the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of a parent of the child. The intention of parent’s leave is to enable parents to spend time with their child in the earliest years and is deliberately non-transferable between parents to ensure that both parents are encouraged and supported in taking time out from work to spend time with their child. This is further supported through the provision of Parent’s Benefit, which is paid at an equivalent rate to maternity, paternity and adoptive benefits at €245 per week. Taken together, these forms of family leave should support parents of very young children.
431. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the locations of all offices and buildings either owned or used by his Department or by public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit which are usually open to the public to access services. [44907/21]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that my Department operates at two locations, Miesian Plaza and Montague Court. These offices are not open to the public for the purpose of accessing services.
In respect of bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information is set out in the following table.
|
Body |
Location |
|
Child and Family Agency (Tusla) |
Tusla will reply directly to the Deputy |
|
Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) |
The AAI will reply directly to the Deputy. |
|
Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) |
The OCO will reply directly to the Deputy |
|
Children detention school (Oberstown) |
Oberstown do not have a building that is open to the public for accessing services. |
|
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) |
The IHREC will reply directly to the Deputy |
|
National Disability Authority |
The NDA will reply directly to the Deputy |
432. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 753 and 754 of 9 September 2021, his views on whether employers should top up the rates of parent's benefit; if he will engage with employers on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44987/21]
View answerThere has been a significant expansion in the provision of family leaves in recent years, with the introduction of paid parent's leave through the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 and it's extension to five weeks this year with the Family Leaves and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021; as well as extensions to unpaid parental leave through the Parental Leave Amendment Act 2019 to 26 weeks per child before their twelfth birthday.
These additional forms of family leave are a welcome boost to the work-life balance of working parents but they also have implications for employers. In this context, while employers are free to top up Parent's Benefit, the Government has no plans to require them to do so. My Department will continue to monitor the uptake of Parent's Leave and the wider suite of family leaves and will develop further policy positions based on any issues arising.
433. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if private crèches are required to register with and be inspected by Tusla prior to opening; the circumstances in which Tusla will undertake an inspection of a private crèche; his plans to introduce legislation to enforce annual inspections of all private crèches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45018/21]
View answerIn line with the provisions of the Child Care Act, 1991 (as amended by Part 12 of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013), it is a legal requirement for those proposing to operate an early years service to make an application for registration with Tusla at least three months before it is intended to commence operation. Tusla, through its Early Years Inspectorate, is the independent statutory regulator of early years services in Ireland, with the responsibility for regulating and inspecting these registered services to ensure compliance with the requirements of the legislation. The purpose of inspection is to ensure the health, safety and welfare of children, and the promotion of their development, as well as to ensure compliance with the relevant statutory requirements by registered service providers operating early years services.
Officials in my Department have been in contact with colleagues in Tusla, who have provided the following information in relation to their inspection programme:
Early years service inspections take place under an inspection programme carried out by the Early Years Inspectorate, with each service receiving at least one inspection in a three-year registration cycle. Many services, however, are inspected more frequently, with services prioritised based on the size and type of service, the age-profile of the children attending, and the history of regulatory compliance. The frequency of inspections is increased where the Inspectorate may have concerns regarding a specific service, necessitating greater oversight, such as a persistent and consistent history of regulatory non-compliance. The Inspectorate may also carry out immediate or multiple inspections of services as necessary on receipt of feedback or concerns, or where a service has been escalated for regulatory enforcement action. Likewise, where the Inspectorate is satisfied that a service has strong internal control mechanisms and can evidence compliance with regulation, then the inspection frequency may be reduced.
In addition to this programme, the Inspectorate also carries out a separate programme of Fit for Purpose Inspections. Fit for Purpose Inspections take place prior to opening the service as part of the assessment of applications to register a new early years service, or where an existing registered provider applies to make a change to their current registration status, such as a change of service provision, a change in the number of children catered for, or change of address. The purpose of these Fit for Purpose Inspections is to determine the suitability of the premises and the proposed service provision in line with the relevant statutory requirements.
Completed inspection reports are available on the Tusla website at www.tusla.ie/services/preschool-services/creche-inspection-reports/
434. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide the raw data collected as part of the POBAL Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2021. [45028/21]
View answerThe Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey, which is administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department, has captured crucial data on the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare sector for the past 18 years, and forms a key input into policy development and reform in the Department.
The data captured are published, alongside administrative data from Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) schemes, in the Annual Early Years Sector Profile Report. The report provides a detailed overview of the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector in Ireland, including the numbers of children in receipt of state subsidies, information on ELC and SAC fees, staff wages, qualifications and turnover.
The Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey was administered in June 2021, during what remained an unusual and challenging period, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
These data are being prepared for analysis. This involves a number of steps to clean and organise the data before they can be analysed, written up and reported on. Due to the volume and complexity of the data, these steps will take several months.
I expect that preliminary data from the annual early years sector profile survey will be available in Quarter 4 of this year followed by the publication of the report in Quarter 1, 2022.
435. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has deleted text messages or email correspondence related to Government or official communications at any point since January 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45031/21]
View answerI can confirm for the Deputy that I have not deleted text messages or emails relating to Government or official communications since I took office in June 2020. As Minister, I am fully aware of obligations under Freedom of Information legislation and at all times act in accordance with that legislation.
436. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the entitlements of a child (details supplied) under the ECCE in 2021. [45062/21]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme is a universal free two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range.
The minimum eligibility age for the ECCE programme was revised in September 2018 when it was reduced from 3 years to 2 years and 8 months. The revised minimum of 2 years and 8 months was chosen based on national experience and a review of international practice.
Some children will not be able to commence their ECCE in September of the programme year as they will not have reached the age of 2 years and 8 months on or before 31st August. However, they will be able to commence ECCE the following September, and will be eligible for two years of ECCE.
Parents may prefer for their children to start school at age 4 rather than 5 years and may therefore choose to avail of one year of ECCE only. This is the parents choice to make. ECCE is not a mandatory scheme and a parent may choose to send to their child for one year only, or not at all.
The following table below sets out eligibility for ECCE by month/year of birth.
|
Birth date between |
ECCE Start Date |
ECCE end date |
|
1st January 2017 - 31st December 2017 |
1st September 2020 + 1st September 2021 |
June 2022 |
|
1st January 2018 - 31st December 2018 |
1st September 2021 + 1st September 2022 |
June 2023 |
|
1st January 2019 - 31st December 2019 |
1st September 2022 + 1st September 2023 |
June 2024 |
|
1st January 2020 – 31st December 2020 |
1st September 2023 + 1st September 2024 |
June 2025 |
|
1st January 2021 – 31st December 2021 |
1st September 2024 + 1st September 2025 |
June 2026 |
437. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which community groups were consulted and the degree to which their views were represented in the research and evidence assembled to inform the design of the national childcare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45254/21]
View answerMy Department has had ongoing engagement with the organisations representing the childcare sector prior to, and since the launch of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS).
Following the publication of the Policy Paper on the Development of a new Single Affordable Childcare Scheme in October 2016, my Department carried out a public consultation on the details of the scheme’s design. An online survey was disseminated to a range of stakeholders, seeking public view of topics and proposals contained within the new scheme.
Many respondents felt positive about the proposals in relation to the Scheme, however a number of concerns and strong recommendations emerged. In particular, childcare providers and advocacy organisations focused on issues of administration, quality and sustainability, whereas parents focused on fairness and equality. The affordability of childcare remained a central concern for all stakeholders. These concerns paved the way for the aims and objectives of the NCS policy guidelines, as follows:
- Ensuring that access to affordable childcare is not a barrier to labour market participation, including female labour market participation;
- Promoting positive child outcomes;
- Narrowing the gap in attainment between more and less advantaged children by enabling all children to access high quality, affordable childcare;
- Driving quality across the sector;
- Through the above objectives, contributing to poverty reduction in Ireland; and
- Providing a sound and flexible platform for sustainable future investment.
Over the last 9 months my Department has conducted a number of stakeholder consultations to gain further insights into their experience of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). The stakeholder consultations were established to provide services with the opportunity to engage in a structured consultation and discussion process, identifying any concerns and opportunities to further support the operation and development of the NCS.
As part of the statutory 12 Month Review of the NCS, surveys were rolled out to service providers and parents so that their experiences of using the NCS could be gathered and understood. A considerable response was received and the responses have been examined by the consultant contracted to undertake the 12 Month Review of the NCS. A number of stakeholder interviews were also conducted by the consultant across service provider organisations and representative bodies.
This is informing the review which is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. I will then consider the findings of the review including the views of stakeholders therein and consider what, if any, reforms are required.
Given the multi-faceted and wide-ranging engagements, I am confident that all representatives from the sector have had an opportunity to engage with process prior to and since the launch of the NCS.
441. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason a person (details supplied) is not being permitted to pursue an apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45060/21]
View answerPersons seeking to become registered apprentices must meet specified criteria in relation to educational attainment and other areas. For a number of specified occupations, the registration criteria also includes a requirement to successfully pass a colour vision test. The list of apprenticeships to which this requirement applies is set out below.
- Aircraft Mechanics
- Electrical
- Electrical Instrumentation
- Instrumentation
- Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
- Electronic Security Systems
- Floor and Wall Tiling
- Painting and Decorating
- Agricultural Mechanics
- Construction Plant Fitting
- Heavy Vehicle Mechanics
- Vehicle Body Repairs
- Motor Mechanics
- Plumbing
442. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a participant who is currently on a Tús scheme can transfer to a VTOS funding programme; if so, the procedure for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45067/21]
View answerVTOS is an educational opportunities scheme that aims to provide second chance education to people who have been unemployed for at least six months. The programme offers unemployed people the opportunity of returning to structured learning in an adult setting and a range of courses specifically designed to meet their education and training needs. Operated through local Education and Training Boards (ETBs), VTOS provides learners opportunities to improve their general level of education, gain certification, develop their skills and prepare for employment, self-employment and/or further education and training. In particular, the scheme is aimed at unemployed people who are early school leavers.
You may qualify for the VTOS scheme if you are aged over 21 years or over and are:
- In receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance, or signing for credits, for at least six months; or
- In receipt of One-Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance, Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension for at least six months;
- In receipt of Blind Pension, Deserted Wives Allowance/Benefit, Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension, Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Non-Contributory Pension, or Prisoner’s Wife’s Allowance for at least six months; or
- A dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of an eligible person;
- A person who received statutory redundancy but who has not been in receipt of a qualifying payment for the required period.
Periods spent on FET training courses, Community Employment Schemes, Job Initiative, Youthreach programmes and time spent in prison may count towards the qualifying period.
I would recommend that the individual in question make direct contact with their local INTREO office, or the Adult Guidance Service in their local ETB, in relation to their eligibility to transfer to a VTOS programme.
443. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the processes that are in place for persons who apply for SUSI grants but are or were in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment given the payment is not recognised as a long-term welfare payment. [45239/21]
View answerThe Student Grant Scheme is a critical financial support for students participating in further and higher education. As in any statutory scheme, a core principle of the scheme is that there is consistency of approach and an equitable treatment for applicants as part of the means assessment process. All applications are assessed nationally with reference to the terms and conditions of the relevant student grant scheme. The terms and conditions of funding are applied impartially to all applicants.
The Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Act 2020 establishes the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment as a social insurance benefit scheme separate from other social protection statutory schemes including the Supplementary Welfare Allowance and Jobseeker Allowance and Jobseeker Benefit schemes.
For student grant purposes the Covid-19 payment has been treated as reckonable income for the SUSI means assessment process since it was introduced in March 2020. This means that the Covid-19 payment is treated in a similar fashion to other Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection payments such as Jobseekers Benefit/Allowance, thus ensuring a consistency of approach and an equitable treatment of students and their families in the SUSI means assessment process.
However, a very important feature of the scheme that I would point to is the change of circumstances provision. If a student or party to their application experiences a change in circumstances that is not a temporary change and is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, they can apply to SUSI to have their application assessed under the change in circumstances provision of the relevant Student Grant Scheme. The income of all parties to the application will be assessed or reassessed on current income and applicants may also be asked to provide evidence of same.
Such a change in circumstances would clearly include no longer being in receipt of a pandemic unemployment payment. Students will no longer receive the PUP from early September, in line with normal circumstances where students do not qualify for unemployment payments while at college.
An applicant can request a review by contacting the SUSI Support Desk at 0761 087 874 or emailing support@susi.ie.
The change of circumstances provision is a well-established procedure and it can also operate at scale. For example, over 10,000 applicants declared a change of circumstance in the 2020/21 academic year and some 40% of these applications related to COVID-19. I am confident that the application of this provision will continue to allow the scheme to be flexible and responsive to people's circumstances.
Any student who believes his/her student grant application has been assessed incorrectly may also avail of the opportunities to appeal to SUSI and subsequently to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.
