Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 December 2020
290. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of SAC children that were registered in 2019-2020; and the increase and or decrease in 2020-2021. [41050/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not have information on the number of children attending school aged childcare as childcare providers are not required to provide data on the number of children who attend early learning and care or school aged childcare on a private fee paying basis. My Department does have data on the number of school aged children attending after school services who are receiving subsidies under various funding programmes run by my Department.
In relation to Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP), 10,555 school aged children were registered for the 2020/2021 programme year. This compares with 22,299 school aged children registered on CCSP in the 2019/2020 programme year, a reduction of 11,744 children.
In relation to the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes, 240 school aged children were registered for the 2020/2021 programme. This compares with 1, 234 children registered on TEC in the 2019/20 programme year, as reduction of 994 children.
The reductions in the numbers of school aged children on the CCSP and TEC programmes is due to a number of factors: CCSP closed to new entrants in November 2019, with TEC closing in February 2020 with the introduction of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS); children are ageing out of CCSP and TEC; children are transferring to the NCS; and there have been a reduction in demand for after school services due to changing working pattern due to Covid.
The NCS was launched in November 2019 and to date 13,227 school aged children are registered on the NCS.
