Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 May 2019
1361. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she will take to address the poor level of pay and conditions being experienced by graduate workers in the childcare sector; and her views on whether it is reasonable to expect more attractive pay and conditions having completed a high level of training in this area. [19670/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Early Learning and Care (ELC) sector is one in which low pay and poor working conditions for staff are common. This impacts on the quality of ELC provision through its effect on the recruitment and retention of qualified staff. The lack of consistency of care together with high staff turnover impact directly on the quality of service children receive, while low wages are a constraint on plans to upskill the workforce. My support for improved pay and conditions for ELC practitioners has been explicit given their critical role in supporting children’s development and supporting families.
An objective of mine is to continue to increase investment in the ELC sector. Over the last 4 budgets we have achieved an increase of 117% and First 5, the Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families, published in November, commits to doubling that again over the next 10 years. However, increased investment by itself will not ensure staff wages and conditions will improve.
I have actively encouraged the sector to seek a Sectoral Employment Order (SEO). As the State is not the employer of ELC staff, it is therefore unable to set wage levels. A SEO has been proposed as a way forward for the ELC sector, but it must be initiated by a grouping representing the sector. Organisations requesting the commencement of such a process must show they have significant membership, but the relevant Trade Unions have not yet reached the thresholds required. A Sectoral Employment Order would provide for mandatory terms and conditions in the early learning and care and school age childcare sector, minimum rates of remuneration, and other conditions.
Separate to a Sectoral Employment Order, First 5 includes a commitment to review the funding model for the ELC sector, under which employers would be supported to provide more favourable working conditions to attract and retain staff. The new funding model would complement a Sectoral Employment Order and existing Government funded early learning and care schemes by leveraging additional investment for certain criteria, for example, employers introducing better pay would receive greater investment. It is envisaged that this new funding model would open up alternative mechanisms by which the State could incentivise services to meet national standards in relation to wages and/or working conditions.
In addition, work will commence shortly on the development of a Workforce Development Plan, which will identify practical steps to achieve First 5 commitments relating to the workforce. The Workforce Development Plan will also set out plans to raise the profile of careers in ELC and SAC, establish a career framework and leadership development opportunities and will work towards building a more gender-balanced and diverse workforce.
I also aim to achieve a graduate-led ELC workforce with at least 50% of staff working directly with children holding an appropriate degree-level qualification by 2028. A medium-term goal on the way to achieving this percentage is to increase the percentage of graduates working in the sector from 22% today to 30% within three years.
Raising the profile of careers in ELC and SAC is of high importance to me and I intend to establish a career framework with developmental opportunities. The Workforce Development Plan demonstrates the commitment of my Department to ensuring that ELC and SAC professionals have clear pathways for entry and progression in the sector.
Other interventions my Department has led on to improve conditions in the sector include:
- The development of paid CPD (continuous professional development).
- Development of multi-award winning training opportunities (LINC).
- A 7% increase in ECCE capitation last year.
- The provision of €19.4m annually in Programme Support Payments to acknowledge the administrative demands of operating government schemes.
- Enhanced career options for graduate staff which include Inspector positions in Tusla and the DCYA funded Early Years Department of Education Inspectorate, 130 graduates are now employed to support quality and inclusion development within Better Start, Pobal.
- Additional investment in higher capitation paid to ECCE services which employ graduates. This has seen the number of services in receipt, rise from 11% to 50%.
The average wage in the sector rose from €11.93 per hour in 2017 to €12.17 per hour in 2018, but there is a very long way to go before staff have the wages and working conditions ( for example, full time, full year contracts) that reflect the importance of the work they do, particularly now with 22% of the workforce being graduates.
