Vol. 550 No. 4
331 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Health and Children the minimum educational requirements for playgroup and child care facility operators at present; if it is intended to set new educational requirement standards for the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8377/02]
There is no statutory minimum educational requirements for pre-school providers at present. Article 7 of the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations, 1996, provides that "a person carrying on a pre-school service shall ensure that a sufficient number of competent adults are supervising the pre-school children in the service at all times." The explanatory guide to the regulations defines a competent adult as a person who has appropriate experience in caring for children under six years of age or who has an appropriate qualification in child care and is a suitable person to care for children. I have established a review group to review these regulations and the review is currently under way.
My colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, has established a certifying bodies subgroup of the national co-ordinating child care committee to develop a national qualifications and training framework in child care. The framework will address qualification, certification and accreditation issues in the child care sector from foundation to third level. When completed later this year it will be submitted for consideration to the National Qualifications Authority. It will assist in providing for progression routes and recognition of the child care role as a profession. The process includes wide consultation with child care organisations, child care providers and the public.
