Dáil debates

Tuesday, 26 November 2013

Topical Issues

Child Care Services Funding

6:35 pm

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the office of the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue for discussion. I welcome that the Minister has secured €900,000 for allocation in 2013 to the delivery of training modules in the early child care sector. While it is a modest sum given there are 4,300 service providers throughout Ireland it is to be welcomed.

During the summer I published a discussion paper entitled Investing in Tomorrow, one of the key objectives of which is support for and professionalising of the early child care workforce by way of a professional early childhood training fund based on a needs-led targeted approach. I do not believe that the model being advanced by the Department will ensure a needs-led targeted approach is taken. The allocation being provided relates to level 5 and 6 training provision. However, it has been demonstrated by various reports and in a "Prime Time" exposé that there are gaps and deficiencies not only at level 5 and 6 but across the spectrum, including at managerial level. Can the Minister confirm this evening that the restricted criteria set out in respect of the 2013 allocation will not be repeated in respect of the 2014 allocation?

I also have grave concerns in regard to the manner in which this allocation was made. Can the Minister clarify if in relation to the €900,000 training fund public procurement procedures were followed, in particular the number of training agencies approached to tender for this work? The target in respect of the number of people who can avail of this training scheme is 630. Was any formal value for money analysis undertaken to determine if this is indeed value for money? Also, as it is a requirement in terms of eligibility for this funding that a provider deliver level 5 and 6 training what is the reason for the selection of one of the agencies, which is not accredited to deliver level 6 training?

A communication has been brought to my attention by a senior official in the Minister's Department in which it is acknowledged that an allocation has been given to two agencies. The word "given" would indicate to me that due process and procurement were not followed. This limits the options of learners and practitioners to only two agencies. It appears from that communication that no criteria has been set out in regard to how this money is to be spent and that this money will not be spent evenly across the country. It appears also that this €900,000 of taxpayers' money is being spent in a highly irregular manner, which lacks transparency and is unfair and uncompetitive. I would welcome the Minister's clarification on how the two agencies concerned were selected to provide the training.

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Over the past 15 years, since the introduction of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme and its successor, the National Childcare Investment Programme, my Department and its forerunners have been supporting the development of the child care sector. This support comprised capital funding for the provision of additional child care places, funding for staffing and funding to improve quality in child care services. The support also included the provision of annual funding to a number of voluntary child care organisations, including Early Childhood Ireland, formerly the National Children's Nurseries Association and Irish Preschool Play Association; Barnardos; Irish Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Association; Forbairt Naionraí Teoranta; Border Counties Childcare Network; St Nicholas Montessori Association and Childminding Ireland. These are voluntary organisations which provide, inter alia, training and quality supports to their members. The arrangements for funding these voluntary child care organisations have been in place for the past 15 years and have been effective in supporting development of the sector.

Similar well established arrangements are in place across many areas of the public service whereby funding is provided through grant arrangements. In the case of my own Department, a very sizeable range of organisations receive grants to support activities with children and young people or those providing services to children and young people. As well as national organisations, many local organisations receive grants in the youth, child care and community sectors. These funding arrangements are separate to the public procurement process which applies to commercial services provided on a for-profit basis.

The commitment to improve the quality of early childhood care and education has been a key priority for me since becoming Minister. In that context, my Department and I have been progressing work on a comprehensive preschool quality agenda which will seek to support and ensure higher standards in preschool services. The Deputy asked why FETAC levels 5 and 6 have been assigned as the required standards. As he knows, there has been a great deal of discussion regarding qualifications and standards in preschool services in the aftermath of the "Prime Time" programme which investigated practices in various facilities. If we want to improve standards, we have to demand certain levels of training - which is precisely what we have done. I have indicated my intention, for example, to increase the minimum requirement from FETAC level 5 to level 6 for preschool leaders delivering the preschool year. It is also my intention to require all preschool assistants and all other staff caring for children in a preschool service to hold a minimum qualification at level 5. These new requirements will apply from September 2014 for new services and from September 2015 for existing services. Staff in the sector are on modest pay,. Subsidising the provision of accredited training provides an important contribution to their achievement of the new requirements in the shortest possible time. That is precisely the purpose of the funding.

In light of the timeframe for the introduction of minimum qualifications, my Department has sought to work with the child care sector to accelerate the process for training and upskilling its staff. In this context, Early Childhood Ireland, which is the largest of the voluntary child care organisations funded by my Department, and the Border Counties Childhood Network have been asked, as part of their 2013 work plans, to offer additional training to the existing workforce in relevant level 5 and level 6 training modules. My Department has asked Early Childhood Ireland to include specific elective modules that are considered particularly relevant within its training provision. These include modules entitled Children with Additional Needs and Equality and Diversity in Childcare at level 5, and Early Childhood Literacy and Numeracy and Equality and Diversity in Childcare at level 6.

I understand 13 training courses are currently being delivered and it is anticipated that up to 600 child care staff will access courses leading to the higher qualification. Additional grant funding, the amount of which is yet to be determined, will be made available to Early Childhood Ireland in 2013 to provide for this. ECI is a major national membership organisation which operates on a charitable basis. It represents 3,400 child care providers, has a proven record in delivering quality training to its members and is a registered FETAC-QQI centre with full quality assurance status. Process, policies and procedures are in place to ensure fair and consistent assessment of learners. This process is continually reviewed through self-evaluation, as monitored by FETAC-QQI. Unfortunately, the Acting Chairman has indicated that I am out of time.

6:45 pm

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the allocation of moneys for training; that is not an issue. I asked whether that funding would be restricted next year to the provision of training at FETAC levels 5 and 6. The standard of staff training in some facilities is already very high. I visited one in Kinnegad recently, for example, where every member of staff has at least a level 5 qualification and most are qualified to level 6. In such instances, staff might have a different requirement in regard to training. My concern is that under the model introduced by the Minister, those staff would be precluded from accessing it.

Will the Minister clarify that there is no public procurement requirement in respect of the €900,000 of taxpayers' money set aside to deliver this training? I have no issue with Early Childhood Ireland, a representative and voluntary body that is doing good work. However, there are other training providers, including the education and training boards. Why were they not considered as part of this programme? On the other hand, the Border Counties Childhood Network is not even accredited to deliver training at FETAC level 6. In fact, I am informed that the Department was not even aware that the BCCN was not accredited to level 6 until that body contacted the Department to inform it of same. There is an issue there. Will the Minister indicate whether public procurement procedures were followed in allocating moneys under this programme to two independently managed organisations?

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The answer to the Deputy's second question is that these funding arrangements are separate to the public procurement process that applies to commercial services provided on a for profit basis. Regarding the range of training that will be offered, it is important to note that we are starting from a very low base in terms of financial support to the sector in respect of training. There is a significant amount of training required for staff and providers. As I have often said, we focused a little too much in the past on bricks and mortar and not enough on quality training. I have been allocated these additional moneys, for which Deputy Troy and others have been calling, to provide subsidised training for a sector whose members are generally low paid.

During 2014 and 2015, I will be implementing a new national training programme for the existing child care workforce for which I have secured an additional €3 million. This programme will offer training opportunities for child care staff to upskill. I will consider a range of options in terms of the types of training offered. Qualifications at FETAC levels 5 and 6 are a priority at this time because I am bringing legislation through the House to ensure workers reach that standard. I certainly do not accept the Deputy's claim that we are not responding to the need that is there. We are clearly responding to the need to upgrade staff to levels 5 and 6, which, as I said, will be the obligatory standard. Staff in the child care sector have shown great enthusiasm for participating in the training. It is expected next year and in 2015 that training will be delivered by a range of accredited training providers. I will be putting arrangements in place in the coming months to develop the programme. I do, however, take the Deputy's point that managerial training is also required.

Another important element of the preschool quality agenda that I am pursuing is the publication of the online Health Service Executive reports, which is strengthening the national inspection system. We now have more than 1,600 inspection reports online which allow parents to examine the quality of the services to which they are entrusting their children. That is an important part of improving standards, quality and training.

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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One of the bodies charged with delivering training is not accredited for FETAC level 6.

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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It can deliver level 5 training. The approach we are taking follows a well established practice of supporting voluntary charitable organisations to deliver training.

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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What about training for level 6? The Minister did not address that point.