When the Early Years Quality Agenda was introduced in 2013, in order to further improve quality in pre-school services, one of the items to be progressed was the introduction of a requirement that all staff working with children in early years services should hold a qualification in early childhood care and education at a minimum of Level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) or equivalent and that pre-school leaders in ECCE services would be required to hold a minimum Level 6 qualification, or equivalent. These requirements will be fully introduced in 2016 following the publication of new Childcare Regulations. The level 5 requirement will come into effect as of 30 June 2016 for newly-registering services and for existing services on 31 December 2016. As of 31 December 2016, staff members must hold a level 6 qualification to be permitted to work as ECCE room leaders.
Following the introduction of these changes only those staff who hold the necessary qualification will be in position to meet the ratio requirements in early years settings.
The Community Employment programme is administered by the Department of Social Protection. This programme is a labour market activation measure designed to help people who are long-term unemployed and other disadvantaged people to get back to work by offering part-time and temporary placements in jobs based within local communities.
The Community Employment Childcare Programme is a three year programme which also includes upskilling participants to qualify for a Level 5 qualification on the National Qualifications Framework in Early Childhood Care and Education. After placement, participants are encouraged to seek part-time and full-time jobs elsewhere based on the experience and new skills they have gained while in a Community Employment programme.
CE workers potentially form part of the adult:child ratios in some community childcare facilities. The new qualification requirement will mean that such workers will no longer be permitted to count towards the required adult:child ratio unless they hold the required minimum qualification.
At the request of this Department, the City and County Childcare Committees have established a project to examine the impact of these changes on the sustainability of community childcare services that are currently dependent on CE workers to meet the ratio requirements.
This Department has advised childcare providers who consider that the sustainability of their service is at risk as a result of this measure to contact their local City or County Childcare Committee immediately to discuss this matter.
There is a possibility that Community Childcare Services may not wish to participate in the CE programme if they do not benefit from it. DCYA have highlighted to DSP that they may wish to consider other incentives for engaging with the programme.
To support staff to meet the new qualification requirements, my Department established the Learner Fund which has already allocated €3.5 million to over 3,000 staff for the purpose of up-skilling.
Funding of €1.5 million was allocated for Learner Fund 4 in Budget 2016. This will be allocated to 1,000 early years practitioners to undertake and complete the Level 6 qualification, which is a requirement for pre-school leaders.
