Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2022
491. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions being taken in relation to early learning and childcare providers who continue to restrict parents and visitors to their premises, contravening the updated guidance issued by his Department in February 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27283/22]
View answerAll Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers were directly informed of changes to public health advice which took effect from 28 February 2022.
On 22 February Minister O’Gorman issued a statement announcing the removal of COVID-19-related public health restrictions on ELC and SAC providers. On 25 February an update to public health restrictions was issued to all ELC and SAC providers by direct email, which contained a COVID-19 guidance document, which stated that, “There is no longer a requirement to restrict parents and visitors to early learning and childcare services and services should revert to the normal arrangements for visitors. Anyone who has symptoms should not visit. In this context, regular meetings between parents and early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners should resume”
Better Start, the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) and the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations (NVCOs) continue to promote best practice in relation to working in partnership with parents and to remind ELC and SAC providers of their commitment to same.
Partnership with parents is reinforced on an ongoing basis through inspections carried out by Tusla’s Early Years Inspectorate and the Department of Education Inspectorate. Areas of review in education inspections of ELC services carried out by the Department of Education include whether clear two-way channels of communication are fostered between the setting, parents, families and children. Inspections carried out by the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate incorporate how the service works with parents, guardians and families, as well as their interaction with the local community.
