Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. Many childminders are currently excluded from registration and, therefore, from the national childcare scheme because of exemptions in the Child Care Act 1991. To bring all childminders within the scope of registration and the national childcare scheme subsidies requires an amendment to this Act.

In line with the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028, last week I secured Government approval to proceed with plans to remove the exemption from non-relative childminders who care for children in the childminder's home. This legislative change will allow us to introduce new, childminder-specific regulations. Registration will, in turn, allow for access to the national childcare scheme to be opened in future to a much wider cohort of parents who use childminders, making childminding more affordable to parents. Regulations will also provide assurance to parents of the quality of care that childminders provide in the best interests of children. Registration will also open up other financial and quality supports to childminders.

Childminding offers many benefits to children and parents but until now it has received little formal recognition by the State. It has remained at the margins of funding, support and regulation, despite its many advantages and its continued popularity among parents. I know that many parents who use childminders are keen for these measures to be taken as quickly as possible, in order that they can benefit from the significant increase in national childcare scheme subsidies I introduced at the start of January this year.

However, I also know that many childminders are anxious about the prospect of regulation and inspection. Inasmuch as I can, Ioffer reassurance to childminders that the new regulations, when they are written, will be proportionate and respectful of the home and family setting that is so essential and unique to childminding. We recognise that childminding in the home is different to centre-based childcare, and the system that is being introduced will reflect that difference. Furthermore, the new regulations will be introduced in a phased manner in line with the commitments in the national action plan.

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