Written answers

Tuesday, 24 May 2005

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Child Care Services

9:00 pm

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 313: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the membership of the city and county child care committees; the amount expended by each of these committees each year since they were established; if the work of the committees has been evaluated; his further plans for the future development of these committees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17003/05]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The city and county child care committees, CCCs, have a broad membership drawn from statutory and non-statutory bodies and include parent and provider representatives and a wide representation of child care interests in the relevant county. The typical membership of a CCC would include representatives of the Health Service Executive, local uthority, social partners, VEC, FÁS or local employment service,area partnerships, national voluntary child care organisations, community groups active in the development of child care in an area, private child care providers, parents, and other individuals as appropriate. The chairperson of each committee is automatically a member of the county development board, ensuring that child care remains a central aspect of each county's development plan.

The strategic objective of each of the 33 city and county child care committees, established under the equal opportunities child care programme 2000-2006, EOCP, is to advance the provision of quality child care services within the local areas through development of a co-ordinated strategy for childcare provision in the area-based on analysis of needs and overseeing effective implementation against targets set by the committee; development of an information strategy concerning the provision of child care within the county which also updates and develops the baseline data provided in the national child care census; and development and support of local county wide networks and initiatives which target all categories of child care providers. In 2005 the total funding allocated to the CCCs under the EOCP amounts to €7.6 million with a further €965,000 allocated for training, information and networking actions as part of the national childminding initiative.

The following table outlines the total expenditure reported of each CCC in each of the years since they were established. The table also outlines the total spending reported by the CCCs in the first three months of 2005.

Equal Opportunities Child Care Programme
County Child Care Committee Expenditure Reported
Total Expenditure Reported for the following Periods
Year ended 31/12/2000 Year ended 31/12/2001 Year ended 31/12/2002 Year ended 31/12/2003 Year ended 31/12/2004 Quarter Ended 31/03/2005
Border, Midlands and West Region
Cavan CCC 38,277 136,619 206,260 190,388 45,121
Donegal CCC 39,064 203,117 317,964 288,566 74,033
Galway CCC 17,889 109,084 170,818 526,855 451,605 97,085
Laois CCC 1,163 85,328 155,505 169,849 23,588
Leitrim CCC 3,660 92,103 231,956 192,017 32,506
Longford CCC 7,906 117,918 178,136 186,577 41,431
Louth CCC 136,171 217,261 207,170 41,225
Mayo CCC 3,308 19,555 242,468 226,206 50,327
Monagghan CCC 26,880 140,392 243,956 203,538 50,479
Offaly CCC 4,260 73,466 221,311 190,617 33,501
Roscommon CCC 74,881 214,128 194,009 37,458
Sligo CCC 180,963 215,715 157,820 41,859
Westmeath CCC 167,390 231,555 215,905 43,360
Total BMW 17,889 233,602 1,598,721 3,203,070 2,874,267 611,973
South and East Region
Carlow CCC 8,656 91,434 183,038 174,814 48,504
Clare CCC 14,007 153,781 244,550 226,423 47,347
Cork City CC 92,596 260,445 233,133 38,994
Cork County CC 92,545 369,459 303,802
Dublin City CC 53,623 473,125 380,031 162,707
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown CCC 42,435 196,377 248,160 54,430
Fingal CCC 13,623 50,453 231,765 318,889 49,476
Kerry CCC 158,583 329,690 274,808 32,838
Kildare CCC 65,321 294,274 300,665 59,990
Kilkenny CCC 126,866 212,640 175,516 32,914
Limerick City CC 64,344 144,000 179,115
Limerick County CC 130,501 303,265 243,966 55,819
Meath CCC 97,516 291,058 293,103 61,350
South Dublin CC 34,707 165,931 193,601 40,603
Tipperary North CC 107,226 222,076 192,520 23,286
Tipperary South CC 13,455 119,001 211,238 189,078 37,371
Waterford City CC 9,416 53,098 200,422 183,064 45,443
Waterford County CC 19,631 50,625 203,061 195,493 95,694
Wexford CCC 23,256 140,807 320,504 253,649 58,795
Wicklow CCC 63,390 169,959 241,080 41,804
Total for the SAE 102,044 1,788,852 5,026,877 4,800,910 987,365
Total for EOCP 17,889 335,646 3,387,573 8,229,947 7,675,177 1,599,338

In 2001, each CCC was asked to prepare a five-year strategic plan for the development of child care services to address the specific child care needs of its own area. The strategy set out the framework for the development of child care based on a shared vision and analysis of the needs within the county. Each strategy was thoroughly appraised prior to its being approved by the national child care co-ordinating committee. The strategic plan outlines the committee's aims and objectives over the five-year period and is implemented through yearly action plans which receive funding under the programme. The annual action plans are subject to a thorough appraisal before the applications are approved for funding by myself through the programme appraisal committee structure.

In order that the EOCP be enabled to adequately track and report upon the wide range of work being undertaken by the CCCs with the assistance of EOCP funding, the CCCs are required to submit a range of reports to fulfil monitoring requirements including annual action plans, quarterly updates on progress, and annual reports. The CCCs are also required to submit quarterly financial reports to ADM which monitors the EOCP on behalf of and in conjunction with my Department. The EOCP is monitored using a number of indicators over the three strands of the programme. The CCCs are monitored on a quarterly basis using the following indicators:

Quality

Number of Providers supported in developing policies and procedures

Number of actions/initiatives aimed at increasing the range of childcare services in the county/city

Capacity Building (Providers)

Number of Providers supported at pre-development stage

Number of providers assisted at pre-application stage

Number of providers assisted by CCC who submitted an EOCP application

Number of providers supported to meet ADM reporting requirements

Information

Number of research initiatives/audits/needs analyses completed

Number of publications completed

Number of information sessions held

Networking

Number of provider networks supported by the CCC

Number of providers affiliated to CCC supported networks (excl. childminders)

Number of parent networks supported by the CCC

Number of parents affiliated to CCC supported networks

Number of inter agency collaborative actions/initiatives (excl. other CCCs)

Number of collaborative actions/initiatives with other CCC(s)

Social Inclusion

Number of initiatives focused specifically on disadvantaged groups

Number of providers from disadvantaged areas given advice/support

Number of providers from disadvantaged areas who were supported by the CCC and who submitted applications to the EOCP

Equality and Diversity

Number of initiatives specifically aimed at promoting greater participation in childcare by children with special needs

Number of initiatives specifically aimed at promoting greater participation in childcare by members of ethnic minorities/Travellers

Number of providers (new/existing) given advice/training on special needs

Number of providers (new/existing) given advice/training on equality/ diversity issues (other than special needs issues)

Training

Number of training courses

Number of training hours (total from all courses)

Number of people referred by the CCC to other agencies for training

Total number of participants on training courses (excl. childminders)

Number of participants on accredited training (excl. childminders)

Number of participants who completed accredited training (excl. childminders)

Capacity Building (CCC Board and Staff)

Number of full committee meetings held

Number of facilitated capacity building sessions for the committee

Number of training courses completed by CCC staff members

Childminding

Number of Childminder grant applications received

Number of Childminder grants approved

Number of Childminders operating in the county/city who are known to the CCC

Number of Childminder networks supported by the CCC

Number of Childminders affiliated to CCC supported networks

Number of Childminders in the county/city notified to the HSE

Number of information sessions for Childminders

Number of Childminder participants in CCC run/facilitated training

Number of Childminder participants on accredited training

Number of Childminders who completed accredited training

The CCCs play a pivotal role under the equal opportunities child care programme providing a local focus in the development of child care infrastructure in Ireland and bringing quality awareness to the child care sector throughout the country. This role will further evolve over time, and I look forward to seeing them play an even greater part in the development of Irish child care over the coming years.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.