Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 559: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the qualifications required of teachers or carers in schools operating in the free early childhood care and education scheme; if there is a mechanism which allows qualified Montessori teachers to upgrade their existing qualification to the required standard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38840/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which is being introduced in January 2010.

To qualify for the standard capitation fee of €2,450 per eligible child per annum, all Pre-School Leaders should hold a Major Award (qualification) in childcare/early education, at a minimum of Level 5 or its equivalent on the National Framework of Qualifications. A higher capitation rate of €2,850 per eligible child per annum, will be available to sessional playschool services in which all Pre-School Leaders hold a relevant qualification at a minimum of Level 7 (degree level) and have 3 years experience working in the sector, and in which all Pre-School Assistants hold a relevant qualification at a minimum of Level 5.

A Major Award at Level 5 is made up of a number (usually 8) of component awards or certificates, known as Minor Awards. Learners can build up to a Major Award over a period of time if they have the required number of component certificates which includes the mandatory modules. Education and training providers will be able to provide individuals with information on the required modules to obtain a Major Award.

During the first two full years of the scheme the minimum qualification requirement for the standard capitation fee, will be considered to be met where a person demonstrates that he or she has achieved certification for a recognised award in ECCE that includes significant content covering the core knowledge areas i.e. child development, early learning, health and welfare, and has at least 2 years experience of working in a position of responsibility with children in the 0-6 age range.

Many Montessori teachers already meet the full educational requirements of the scheme, whether these pertain to the standard or higher capitation fee rate. Others meet the interim requirements in place until September 2012 while some hold qualifications which were designed as introductory courses and did not cover significant content in the core areas of child development, early learning and health and welfare. In these cases, the modules required to obtain a Major Award can be studied through a number of different means and persons in this position should contact their local City or County Childcare Committee for information on course modules available locally.

Persons wishing to obtain qualifications to meet the requirements of the ECCE scheme are strongly advised to ensure that both the awarding body and the particular course they are considering are recognised through the National Framework of Qualifications. As I have indicated, the City and County Childcare Committees can provide information on all locally available courses while a list of nationally available courses is available from the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland at www.qualifax.ie.http://www.qualifax.ie/