Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2022
575. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the admissions policies of early years providers; if he has plans to put in place a legal basis for the parameters that an early years' provider may have placed upon them in drafting admissions policies; and the recourse that parents have if they are dissatisfied at the manner of implementation of such policies. [51921/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraEarly learning and childcare providers are private entities and, as such, are free to set their own policies, including admissions policies. However, in line with recommendations in Partnership for the Public Good, A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Childcare however, the State is seeking to move to an increasingly publicly funded and increasingly publicly managed sector, where providers work in partnership with the State to deliver early learning and childcare for the public good.In this regard, I recently launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. Together for Better brings together three major programmes, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, including the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the new Core Funding scheme and it is the new Core Funding Scheme - worth €259m in its first year - that allows to State to move to an increasingly publicly managed sector.To date, 91% - well over 4,000 providers - have signed up to Core Funding. This is a tremendous level of uptake and will make a positive impact for parents and children using these services through investment in quality and in affordability with more funding for staff, and a commitment not to increase fees.Under the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement, the conditions of Core Funding are set out, many of which relate to admissions policies. For example, Partner Services must contract to the ECCE programme and/or the NCS in the 2022/23 programme year and offer ECCE/NCS to all eligible children, where appropriate (for example, a service registered with Tusla as a Pre-school Sessional Service only is not required to offer NCS). In relation to the NCS, this requirement includes offering income assessed, universal and in particular “sponsor” NCS arrangements to all eligible children up to the age of 15. If a parent/guardian chooses not to avail of ECCE and/or NCS, the Partner Service must be able to show they offered the parent/guardian the option to avail of ECCE and/or NCS and a record of the their wish not to do so. Other relevant and new clauses contained in the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement include: - Partner Services must publish and distribute to users of the service a “Parent Statement” which provides information on the operation of ECCE and/or NCS in the service.- Partner Services will neither request nor accept any donations, voluntary or otherwise from parents/guardians, in respect of the ELC/SAC services being provided. - Partner Services will not charge any non-refundable deposits to parents/guardians in the respect of their ELC/SAC service where the parent/guardian takes up the service for which the deposit was paid.Further developments to Core Funding are expected in Year 2 of the Scheme. These developments will be informed by operation of the Scheme in Year 1.A list of Partner Services is available here: first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/together-for-better/.I would also note that a review of the ECCE programme is currently underway in preparation for putting the ECCE programme on a statutory footing. The review will consider issues of accessibility and inclusivity, and will inform future decisions on a universal legal entitlement to preschool. I would encourage any parent who has questions relation to early learning and childcare to contact their local City/County Childcare Committee who can provide support and guidance, contact details available here: myccc.ie/where-is-my-nearest-ccc.
