The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority.
Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare 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 early learning and childcare 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 learning and childcare 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 early learning and childcare, and reduced occupancy among early learning and childcare services. Indeed, data captured in June 2021 found significant vacancy rates across the country – with the national vacancy rate averaging at 21%.
My Department is continuing to monitor early learning and childcare capacity, with a particular focus on monitoring Covid-19 impacts as public health restrictions have been lifted and on responding to the unmet early learning and childcare needs of families.
In April of this year, as part of an Action Plan developed by my Department to respond to the early learning and childcare needs of Ukrainian children and their families, City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) collected data on capacity in early learning and childcare services nationally.
This was followed in May by the Early Years Sector Profile Survey that is undertaken by Pobal annually on behalf of my Department. Approximately 83% of providers have already completed this year’s survey and more have sought the opportunity to do so next month.
It is anticipated that the Annual Early Years Sector Profile Report 2021/2022 will be published end 2022/ early 2023.
However, capacity data captured through the recent CCC survey and the Early Years Sector Profile Survey has been extracted and will be made available in the coming weeks.
