Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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661. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the draft childminding action plan public consultation was advertised; the reason the public consultation process only ran for six weeks; if her attention has been drawn to a large number of parents who were unaware of the public consultation and have concerns regarding the drafting of regulations including the crèche-based model at the centre of proposals and the overall lack of engagement with childminders in the sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53069/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I strongly believe that childminding has an important and distinctive role to play in the future of early learning and care and school-age childcare in this country. The public consultation on the Draft Childminding Action Plan was extensive, and I warmly welcome the high level of participation in the consultation by both childminders and parents.

A central part of the consultation process was a series of 32 focus groups of childminders that were organised around the country by the local City and County Childcare Committees, with a total of 205 childminders taking part. The focus groups were designed specifically to enable childminders to take an active part in the consultation: all 32 events were run in the evenings, and they were organised at county level, with the help of the new team of regional Childminding Development Officers that I have put in place this year.

In addition to the focus groups, the consultation process involved an online survey, a call for submissions, and an Open Policy Debate (with 55 participants) that took place in the daytime to facilitate participation by other stakeholders. The online survey had 467 respondents, of whom nearly 40% were parents and nearly 60% were childminders. 14 submissions were also received.

The public consultation process on the Draft Action Plan was widely publicised through the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations (including Childminding Ireland) and the local City and County Childcare Committees, all of whom communicate on an ongoing basis with Early Learning and Care providers, School Age Childcare providers and parents.

The consultation with parents and childminders on the proposed reforms also included a major consultation process that was carried out by the Working Group on Reforms and Supports for the Childminding Sector. The Draft Childminding Action Plan is firmly based in the Working Group's report, which was submitted to me last year. The Working Group itself was chaired by Childminding Ireland, and its work included an online survey of childminders and parents, in which there were 3,630 participants.

While a significant amount of consultation has already taken place, the Draft Action Plan also commits to further consultation with childminders, parents and other stakeholders during development of regulations specific to the home environment, during Phase 1 of the Action Plan.

The Draft Childminding Action Plan is very much about recognising and supporting all that is distinctive about childminding and about the home and family setting in which childminders work. The Draft Action Plan proposes to move away from the current situation in which childminders face the same regulations as centre-based providers, and proposes instead to develop new regulations that are specific and appropriate to childminding, and to develop bespoke training and resources to support the quality of childminding provision.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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662. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53108/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Draft Childminding Action Plan sets out a phased approach to achieving Government commitments in First 5,the Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and Families. The Draft Childminding Action Plan is firmly based on the 2018 report of the Working Group on Reforms and Supports for the Childminding Sector ('Pathway to a Quality Support and Assurance System for Childminding'), which was chaired by Childminding Ireland and included a number of representatives form the childcare sector.

Childminding is of huge importance to children, to parents, to our economy, and to our society. Until now however, it has not received the support it deserves in terms of public funding or our system of quality assurance or regulation. The Draft Action Plan aims to recognise the valuable work that childminders do and to ensure they can access the supports they need. The Draft Action Plan sets out positive reform proposals to bring childminding into the mainstream of regulation, funding and support.

I am very aware of the unique nature of a childminding service; that is why I established the expert group and called for the development of a bespoke plan for childminders. The Draft Childminding Action Plan makes clear that the intention is to develop regulations that are specific and appropriate to childminding, and to develop customised training and resources to support the quality of childminding provision, including through the development of staffed local networks to provide professional development and peer support. The new regulation and inspection process for childminders is yet to be developed, but the Draft Childminding Action Plan stresses the importance of regulation and inspection being proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting in which childminders work.

The public consultation process on the Draft Action Plan was widely publicised on social media, through National Voluntary Organisations (including Childminding Ireland) and City/County Childcare Committees. The consultation process was carefully designed to ensure strong participation by childminders. In particular, a series of 32 focus groups were organised around the country by the local City and County Childcare Committees. The focus groups were designed specifically to enable childminders to take an active part in the consultation. The focus groups were at county level – run through the City and County Childcare Committees and organised with the help of the new team of regional Childminding Development Officers that I have put in place this year. The focus groups were organised in evenings to make it easier for childminders to take part.

In addition to the 32 focus groups in the evenings, an Open Policy Debate took place in the daytime to facilitate participation by other stakeholders. There was also an online survey and a call for submissions. The online survey had 467 respondents, of whom nearly 60% were childminders.

The Draft Childminding Action Plan proposes that a Steering Committee be appointed to drive and oversee the implementation of the Action Plan, and that the Steering Committee should include representation of childminders, parents and other key stakeholders within the early learning and care and school-age childcare sectors. The role of the Steering Committee will include monitoring and review of the implementation of the plan. During Phase 1 it is proposed that four Advisory Groups will be established and will meet, under the auspices of the Steering Committee, and will work with officials in relation to the following: Regulation and Inspection, Qualifications and Training, Funding and Financial Supports and Consultation and Communications.

With the completion of the consultation process, my officials will soon commence a process of consideration of all the feedback received from the various fora and methodologies. A final plan will then be brought for approval which will reflect the results of the extensive consultation exercise.