Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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227. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a child care facility (details supplied) in County Kerry will be given the higher capitation for two early child care and education preschool rooms with the required staffing Level 7 qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16325/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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In order for a service to qualify for the higher capitation rate, all the pre-school leaders in the service in each room must hold a nationally accredited Major Award in Early Childhood Care and Education at Level 7 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or equivalent and all the pre-school assistants in the service must hold a nationally accredited Major award at Level 5 in Early Childhood Care and Education.

The minimum numbers of required pre-school leaders and assistants for ECCE Higher Capitation purposes, in relation to children within the two and a half years to six years age range, in the pre-school setting, are:

- 1 to 11 children per session: at least 1 pre-school leader at all times

- 12 to 22 children per session: at least 1 pre-school leader and 1 pre-school assistant at all times

- 23 to 33 children per session: at least 2 pre-school leaders and 1 pre-school assistant at all times

- 34 to 44 children per session: at least 2 pre-school leaders and 2 pre-school assistants at all times and so on

The higher qualified staff attracting the higher capitation rate must be working directly with the children at all times in the ECCE sessions, and in all rooms where the ECCE programme is being delivered.

Childcare services can only apply for the Higher Capitation Rate during the relevant pre-school year, when all the staff are working in the service, and where the number of children using the service is known. Therefore services can only apply in September 2015 in relation to the September 2015 – June 2016 pre-school year.