Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

499. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the measures she has put in place to improve regulation of childcare here since the RTÉ Prime Time programme revelations; her views on whether adequate resources are being dedicated to the national vetting strategy and to the national early years strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39821/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As I have outlined in previous replies this year, where my Department and I, in conjunction with the HSE and other stakeholders, are progressing a Pre-School Quality Agenda involving a range of actions in eight key areas, aimed at improving quality within early years services and enhancing the regulatory regime. The actions include:

- Increasing the qualification requirements for all staff in pre-school services to a minimum standard at FETAC Level 5.

- Improving the quality and curricular supports for pre-school services when implementing the Siolta Framework and Aistear Curriculum.

- Implementing the new National Pre-School Standards.

- Introducing a registration system for all pre-school services.

- Taking steps to make the inspection system more consistent and more robust.

- Publishing inspection reports online.

- Ensuring appropriate action is taken in response to findings of non-compliance.

- Increasing and widening the sanctions which can be taken for non-compliance.

Since July, about 900 pre-school inspection reports have now been published on the Pobal website.

In July, the Government approved the heads of new legislation to amend the Child Care Act 1991. This legislation will increase the penalty for an offence under the Act to a maximum Class A fine. However more significantly, this legislation will provide a statutory basis for registration of pre-school services and will introduce a range of new enforcement powers for Inspectors at pre-prosecution level. Under the proposed new system, all pre-school services will have to be registered in order to operate. Inspectors will be empowered to specify improvement conditions that a service must comply with; and the threat of removal of registration will be available. This system will, for the first time, provide for timely and effective regulation and enforcement of standards in pre-school services, backed up by statutory registration. This legislation is currently being finalised in conjunction with Parliamentary Counsel and it is my intention to bring it before the Oireachtas during the current term. In addition my Department, in conjunction with the Pre-School Inspectorate, is working to develop new protocols on regulatory compliance to provide greater clarity and consistency of approach in the way inspection reports deal with findings of serious non-compliance as opposed to minor breaches and full compliance.

New National Quality Standards for pre-school services which will be launched before the end of the year. These Standards will complement the existing Pre-School Regulations replacing previous explanatory notes; and will set out the quality outcomes and supporting criteria against which inspection under the pre-school regulations will be measured. Discussions are continuing in the context of Budget 2014 on additional resources for the inspection system.

I have decided to introduce new qualification requirements for childcare services starting in September 2014. The current minimum requirement of Level 5 for pre-school leaders delivering the pre-school year will be increased to Level 6. In addition, all pre-school assistants, and all other staff caring for children in a new pre-school service, will be subject to a minimum requirement of Level 5. These requirements will be effective from September 2014 for new services and from September 2015 for existing services. My Department is currently examining measures to support training for childcare staff in line with the increased qualification requirements.

Since my appointment as Minister I have consistently highlighted the importance of investing and supporting quality interventions in the early years of children’s lives. There is an increasing body of Irish and International evidence which quantify the benefits of early year’s interventions in terms of improving children’s outcomes and in delivering significant economic and societal return to the state. In line with this commitment I announced that I would lead the preparation of Ireland’s first Early Years Strategy which I indicated should represent an innovative and dynamic blueprint addressing a range of issues affecting children in their first years of life such as child health and well-being, parenting and family support, learning and development, play and recreation and early childhood care and education.

The Early Years Strategy will represent one of three, more detailed strategies under the high-level Children and Young People's Policy Framework is currently being developed by my Department and which is due to be launched later this year. I appointed an Expert Advisory Group, chaired by Dr. Eilis Hennessy of UCD to advise my Department and I on recommendations for inclusion in the Strategy. This Group has now completed its work and I have this week received its Report and recommendations which I will publish very shortly. I wish to thank the members of the group for the dedication and enthusiasm which they have shown and the time they have committed to the work of the group.

The Expert Advisory Group Report represents a key step in the development of the Early Years Strategy and will provide a very strong foundation for a robust and meaningful Strategy. I expect the finalised Strategy to be published later this year. Budget discussions are on-going at present and will determine funding provision for 2014. I expect the Early Years Strategy to identify opportunities for more effective utilisation of existing resources and funding, as well as priority areas for further investment through funding availability over the life of the Strategy. The issue of funding to support vetting legislation is a matter for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.