Holly Cairns
Ceist:95. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to support workers in the childcare and preschool sector. [6116/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 9 February 2023
Ceisteanna (95)
Freagraí scríofa
First 5, the whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families, recognises that the workforce is at the heart of high-quality Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC). The evidence suggests children achieve better outcomes when staff are well qualified.
In line with commitments in First 5, in December 2021, I launched Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for ELC and SAC, 2022-2028. Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in ELC and SAC. The Plan includes specific actions for moving to a graduate-led ELC workforce by 2028, establishing a career framework for staff working in the ELC and SAC sector, including role profiles and qualification requirements, and the strengthening of career pathways. Nurturing Skills also includes actions to support the recruitment and retention of staff with the necessary qualifications, and ongoing staff training and development, to create a workforce which feels valued and is motivated to deliver the best possible service to children.
A Monitoring Committee has been established to monitor the implementation of the actions contained in Nurturing Skills. I am expecting to receive the first annual report from the Monitoring Committee shortly.
One of the key enablers set out in Nurturing Skills was the need to improve the pay and conditions for the workforce. On 15 September 2022, following a process I commenced the year before, the first ever Employment Regulation Orders for Early Years Services came into effect, setting new minimum hourly rates of pay for different roles in the sector, including higher minimum rates for lead educators and managers with relevant degree-level qualifications. It is estimated that 73% of those working in the sector saw their wages rise as a result. The Orders are being supported by Core Funding, which has an allocation of €259 million in its first year, to support improvements in staff wages, a freeze in parental fees, and sustainability of services.