Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 May 2022
498. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current childcare capacity and its ability to cater to the Ukrainian families coming to Ireland; if his attention has been drawn to a recent analysis carried out by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25734/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe availability of high-quality early learning and childcare (ELC) that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority.
Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in ELC has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. More than 100,000 children now participate on the universal pre-school programme on an annual basis and the National Childcare Scheme subsidises up to 80,000 children.
To ensure that the supply of ELC places meets demand, my Department has, since 2015, funded the creation of more than 27,000 new places through an Annual Capital Programme.
Before the onset of Covid-19, national data indicated that, on the whole, supply of early ELC places was meeting demand, with evidence of undersupply for certain age groups including children under 3, and in certain areas.
Data gathered throughout the Covid-19 pandemic revealed lower demand for ELC, and reduced occupancy among ELC services. Indeed, data captured in June 2021 found significant vacancy rates across the country – with the national vacancy rate averaging at 21%.
Data gathered over April and May this year is currently being analysed and will provide an updated picture of capacity among ELC services.
My Department has developed an Action Plan to respond to the ELC needs of Ukrainian children and their families. Key actions include:
1. Facilitating access to DCEDIY funding schemes – the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) and the National Childcare Scheme (NCS);
2. Identifying ELC places available locally and nationally for Ukrainian children;
3. 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;
4. Providing an “ELC matching service” to link Ukrainian children to ELC services;
5. 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; and
6. Providing information, supports and practical resources to Ukrainian families to support children’s early learning and opportunities for play, including information on Parent and Toddler Groups, designated play areas in temporary accommodation and links to wider supports for early learning and play, including through the network of local libraries.
In addition to these efforts to monitor capacity issues across the country and accommodate the new influx of children needing ELC, my Department is planning a range of steps to address any issue of under supply. A new funding model, to roll out in September, will provide funding for services aligned to costs of delivery so, for example, greater funding will be available to services that cater for younger children where costs of delivery are higher than older children. Some €70m has been allocated to my Department through the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places. Another important step being taken by my Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government (DHPLG), is to update the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings.
Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) for assistance. Contact details for CCCs may be found on www.myccc.ie.
