Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 October 2023
263. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason for excluding childminders who provide the ECCE curriculum from the core funding flat-rate allocation that crèches providing the same care can avail of; and if his Department has plans to make any other funding available to childminders who provide the ECCE curriculum. [47179/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll Core Funding measures in Year 2 of Core Funding apply to registered childminders, except for the minimum base rate allocation. In line with the approach to Core Funding recommended by the Expert Group report, Partnership for the Public Good, the new funding model can, in principle, apply to registered childminders and centre-based provision, but there is a need to take into account differences in costs of delivery and other operational differences between childminding and centre-based provision.
Given these differences, it is not deemed appropriate to apply the minimum base rate allocation for registered childminders in year 2.
The future funding approach for registered childminders is being considered for Programme Year 2024/2025 and will be informed by the continued operation of the Core Funding pilot for childminders during year 2 and taking account of the commitments in the National Action Plan for Childminding (2021-2028).
Childminding initiatives are included in Budget 2024 and as well as extra funding for the NCS, €3m has been allocated to Tusla for the development of dedicated registration and inspections teams for childminders and an extension of Garda vetting supports to include childminders and their families, while an additional €280k has been allocated for 2024 for childminding initiatives to support actions under the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028.
During 2024, preparations will continue for the phased extension of regulation and supports to all paid, non-relative childminders, including through:
• The development and initial roll-out of pre-registration training for Childminders.
• Engagement and consultation with childminders on the draft regulations, as well as research to support the Action Plan.
• Increasing the number of regional Childminding Development Officers from 22 to 30, to enable childminders to engage and participate in training and supports at local level, with a Childminding Development Officer to be in place in every county from 2024.
• Testing the staffed local networks model to engage childminders in pre-registration training and supports.
Legislation is currently being drafted to remove the legal exemption of childminders from regulation, and draft childminder-specific regulations will shortly be published for the purpose of public consultation. Subject to legislative and regulatory changes, it is expected that childminders will be able to start registering with Tusla and taking part in the NCS from autumn 2024.
