Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1391. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to increase the percentage of graduates working in early years education from 12% to 60% in accordance with the European Commission study, Competence Requirements in Early Childhood Education and Care. [34068/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The minimum qualification requirement for early years practitioners is currently confined to those working in early years settings that are participating in the Early Years Care and Education (ECCE) scheme. The ECCE scheme is funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

Under the ECCE scheme payment of the standard capitation rate is currently contingent on the preschool leader having a Level 5 major award as a minimum qualification requirement. This minimum requirement is being increased to a Level 6 Award from this month onwards for new services registering with the Child and Family Agency. Services already contracted with the Agency have until September 2015 to meet the requirement. The minimum requirement for the payment of the higher capitation rate is that the 'preschool leader' possesses a major award at Level 7 on the NFQ in ECCE.

I recently announced a major review of education and training programmes that lead to qualifications in early years care and education. This review is intended to assess the extent to which graduates of such programmes are equipped with the type of essential skills and competences that have been identified in the CORE report.