Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

180. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the percentage of the workforce in early years education who have Further Education and Training Awards Council, Level 5, 6, 7, and 8; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25192/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Prior to the introduction of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme in 2010, there was no minimum qualification requirement for staff working in the early years sector. Under the ECCE programme, all pre-school leaders were required to hold a Level 5 qualification. In addition, pre-school services could qualify for a higher capitation rate where all the pre-school leaders, in the ECCE room, held a Level 7 qualification, and all the pre-school assistants held a Level 5 qualification. This represented a major step forward in improving the quality of early year.

Nearly all of the pre-school childcare services in the country are participating in the ECCE programme. In 2010, a total of 3,787 childcare services were under contract to deliver the free pre-school year under the ECCE programme. Of these 82 per cent met the basic capitation criteria, and 11 per cent met the higher capitation criteria. In 2015, a total of 4,371 childcare services are under contract to deliver the ECCE programme with 72 per cent meeting the basic capitation criteria, and 28 per cent meeting the higher capitation criteria.

According to the findings from the Annual Survey of Early Years Services undertaken by Pobal on the Department’s behalf, in 2014 the percentage of staff in early years services who hold a qualification equal to or higher than the Level 5 qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) is almost 87 per cent and the percentage of staff that hold a Level 6 qualification or higher on the NFQ is 50 per cent. The findings of the survey also show that almost 5 per cent of staff hold qualifications at Level 7 (ordinary degree), and over 9 per cent hold a Level 8 (honours degree) award.