Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020
757. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the supports and funding available for training of staff and potential extra staff that will be in place for childcare facilities further to their reopening as per the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. [11865/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 10 June 2020, I announced a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services. In accordance with the Government Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, and guided by the expert advice of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSPC), ELC and SAC services can resume from 29 June. I am pleased that Government have committed a €75m package of funding for reopening services over the summer months. This substantial investment recognises the important role that the ELC and SAC sector plays in the societal and economic infrastructure of the country.
The new funding package contains four significant elements:
A once-off Reopening Support Payment (RSP) for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September.
A once-off COVID-19 capital grant for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September.
Continued access for eligible providers to the Revenue-operated Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS)
Resumption of DCYA ELC and SAC programmes. NCS, CCSP and TEC will be available again for children attending ELC and SAC services from 29 June.
In developing the funding package, I recognise that a reduced number of children are likely to attend ELC and SAC services in the initial weeks of reopening. This funding package is tailored to allow providers to operate with potentially less parental income and to assist in meeting the possible costs associated with complying with public health requirements.
The funding package will also ensure that ELC and SAC providers will not charge higher fees than they did pre-COVID-19. This will benefit parents and children returning to services.
A detailed set of FAQs was published on 12 June to ensure that providers are fully informed of the new funding package. These include information on eligibility and the practicalities of applying. Further information will issue in the coming weeks and my officials will ensure that the application process will be as straightforward as possible.
A range of online resources and guidance were launched on 5 June to support service providers, practitioners and parents to prepare for the reopening of ELC and SAC settings, including childminders. The Guidance for Reopening webpage is available on the First 5 website.
As ELC and SAC services are private businesses, the training of staff and preparation for returning to work are primarily matters for the ELC and SAC providers as the employer. My Department has been engaging intensively with a number of organisations representing the ELC and SAC sector, through an Advisory Group on Reopening, to ensure appropriate supports are in place to assist the sector in their preparations.
The Guidance for Reopening webpage, developed with the assistance of the Advisory Group, includes health guidance (published by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre), regulatory guidance and practice supports. It also includes a COVID-19 Setting Preparation Plan, developed by Early Childhood Ireland, which details the policies and practices required for the service provider to comply with the Government's "Return to Work Safely Protocol" and to minimise the risk of spread of COVID-19 in their setting.
Online training resources are also being made available on the "Continuing Professional Development Resources for Practitioners" webpage on the First 5 website. Both webpages will be updated over the coming weeks with more resources and practice examples.
If a service is incurring additional costs, the central purpose of the Reopening Support Payment (RSP) is to help services to meet these costs. For example, if an existing staff member is diverted to an activity which is additional to normal (pre-COVID-19) activities arising from reopening, then the expenditure may be assigned to the RSP. Similarly, any overheads that are additional costs associated with reopening can be assigned to this purpose.
All material on reopening ELC and SAC services in a safe and sustainable way if available at https://first5.gov.ie/
