Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 October 2023
164. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will review a case (details supplied); if this process is discriminatory to children with disabilities who are recommended to attend playschool for their development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46884/23]
View answerThe Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) operates in tandem with the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme and as such, provision of AIM supports are directly linked with ECCE participation/hours of operation. AIM’s objective is to support the meaningful participation of children with disabilities in ECCE.
ECCE is available to all children within the eligible age range. The minimum eligibility age of 2 years and 8 months for the ECCE programme was chosen based on national experience and a review of international practice. It also had regard to the regulatory environment for early years’ education and care in this country and issues such as child development readiness and adult-child ratios.
Children born between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021 will be eligible for their first year of ECCE in the 2024/2025 programme year.
I accept that the use of age limits in a scheme such as ECCE creates a situation whereby a child can fall just outside the age range, however, my Department has to place an age cut-off at some point, and in the interests of fairness and consistency there can be no discretion in this regard.
My Department does its best to ensure, in so far as possible, the equitable treatment of all children and families who apply for funding under the ECCE Programme and AIM. In order to ensure objectivity and fairness, it is essential that clear rules exist for the scheme and that they are applied evenly.
One of the commitments within First 5, A Government Strategy for Babies and Children, was to undertake an end of year 3 evaluation of AIM. The evaluation report is due to be published later this year. Subject to evaluation findings and other relevant developments, Department officials will be considering enhancements to, and/or extension of, AIM to, for example, outside of ECCE hours and age range.
The parents may be advised to contact their local County Childcare Committee (CCC) for advice on the on options and suitable placements. Contact details are available at myccc.ie.
