Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 February 2022
194. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an overview of Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare 2022-2028; the associated actions that are being considered by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5477/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraNurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028, which I launched on 7 December 2021, aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in early learning and care and school-age childcare.
Early years educators, school-age childcare practitioners and childminders play a key role in supporting children’s development and well-being, working in partnership with families. Recognising their central importance for the quality of provision, Nurturing Skills aims to support the professional development of the workforce and raise the profile of careers in the sector.
Commitments in Nurturing Skills are organised under five pillars:
- Establishing a career framework;
- Raising qualification levels;
- Developing a national Continuing Professional Development system;
- Supporting recruitment, retention and diversity; and
- Moving towards regulation of the workforce.
Successful delivery of commitments under the five pillars will be supported by three "key enablers" that are identified in Nurturing Skills:
- Improvement in pay and conditions of employment;
- Coordination of the quality support infrastructure; and
- Ongoing engagement with the profession.
Nurturing Skills includes an Implementation Plan for the Plan's first three years (2022-2024). The Implementation Plan sets out 57 actions, for many of which my Department has lead responsibility.
Nurturing Skills also commits to establishing a Monitoring Committee to oversee implementation. The Monitoring Committee, which will be chaired by my Department and will include representatives of relevant Government Departments and agencies as well as the workforce, will be established shortly.
