Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
1205. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will increase the ECCE capitation to address the operational costs of preschools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16829/23]
View answerOn 15th September, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families as well as stability and sustainability for providers. Together for Better brings together three major programmes, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, including the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the new Core Funding scheme.
Regarding an increase in ECCE capitation to cover operational costs, increased funding is available through Core Funding. Under Together for Better, ECCE sessional services who operate for 15 hours per week over 38 weeks per year can avail of weekly funding of at least €78.75 per child in ECCE (€69 ECCE capitation plus €9.75 per week in Core Funding base rate). Core Funding is payable whether or not the place is filled. The statutory regulations that apply for ECCE sessional services allow for a ratio of up to 11 children per adult. The ECCE scheme rules allow for up to 22 children (with two adults) in a session.
Under Core Funding, the overwhelming majority of services will see an increase in their funding, most will see very substantial increases, and no services will see a decrease in funding if their circumstances remain the same. ECCE services without a graduate lead educator will see capitation increase by at least 9.5% through Core Funding. ECCE services with a graduate lead educator will almost all see increases in income, although it may be smaller proportionally given the significant level of funding available under the old funding model. Additionally, if a lead educator of an ECCE session is a graduate with a relevant qualification and the necessary experience, an additional amount of €66.60 will be paid to the service per week. If there is a separate manager who is a graduate with a relevant qualification and the necessary experience a further €66.60 if available to the service per week.
A very small number of services, approximately 60 of the over 4,200 signed-up, will see no increase with their income matched to 2021/2022. For this small number of services who do not experience an increase, a Funding Guarantee will apply. This will top-up Core Funding payments to match the difference in ECCE higher capitation and PSP from last year, provided they offer the same amount of graduate led provision as last year. These are larger ECCE-only services – with 20+ children in a session.
My Department is not seeing evidence of a significant lack of sustainability for ECCE-only services or to suggest that services will face closure as a result of Core Funding. For any services that are experiencing difficulty and who would like support can contact their City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) to access case management supports. As a new development to the suite of supports available, a further stand of sustainability funding is now available to Core Funding partner services, both community and private, who are experiencing financial difficulty. Since this new funding strand launched, no service has availed of this funding. However, the Department, Pobal and the CCCs continue to closely monitor trends concerning services entering case management and will continue to maintain the availability of Sustainability Funding for individual services at risk.
I would also note that I have appointed of Stranmillis University College, Belfast to undertake an independent review of the ECCE programme. The review will assess whether the ECCE Programme is meeting its core objectives and will identify any changes or improvements that can be made to the Programme, based on international evidence and experience to date. The review will also examine whether services are adequately resourced in providing the ECCE programme. As part of the ECCE Review, there will be a wide stakeholder engagement which will include parents and pre-school providers. The review is due to conclude in H2 of 2023.
