Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
552. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the arrangements for childcare and play areas in congregated settings that are located outside town centres for those Ukrainian refugees who require same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17640/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has developed a comprehensive action plan to respond to the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) needs of Ukrainian children and their families.
Key actions include:
- Facilitating access to my Department’s funding schemes – the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) and the National Childcare Scheme (NCS)
- Identifying ELC places available locally and nationally for Ukrainian children
- Proactively engaging with ELC services to explore the scope for any expansion in ELC capacity - with applications to Tusla to increase capacity in ELC services fast tracked, where possible.
- Providing an “ELC matching service” to link Ukrainian children to ELC services.
- Providing information and a host of supports to ELC services to help them meet the needs of Ukrainian children and their families, including training on trauma-informed practice and guidance on how ELC services can best support children and families in the context of the conflict in Ukraine.
- Providing information, supports and practical resources to Ukrainian families to support children’s early learning and opportunities for play, including information and Parent and Toddler Groups, designated play areas in temporary accommodation and links to wider supports for early learning, including the network of local libraries.
- Providing stay and play sessions within hotel or group accommodation facilities.
To support the implementation of this action plan, my Department has engaged with the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum and is mobilising a range of organisations, including Pobal, Better Start, City/County Childcare Committees (CCC), Tusla and the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations. My Department is also engaging with the Department of Education to ensure our approach is aligned, where appropriate, to the approach taken in schools.
CCC are asked to provide play activities through stay and play sessions to Ukrainian children and families within any hotel or group accommodation facilities within their CCC area. My Department will allocate a budget to each CCC dependent on the number of accommodation sites in order to purchase play materials/resources to support this work. Supports are also available from Better Start Quality Development Specialists if need arises in any CCC area.
Latest data from Pobal shows there are an estimated 39,000 vacant ELC places across the country to meet the ELC needs of Ukrainian children and their families. This capacity may not be available in all areas where these children and families are accommodated however and places available may not meet specific needs, for example ELC places for young children. CCC are currently proactively engaging with services in relation to capacity and together with my Department will work to resolve specific capacity issues, as they arise.
