Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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274. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the changes she has made to the schemes applied by her Department whereby from August 2016 a group (details supplied) will not be able to accept infants under two years of age. [18916/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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My Department has been in contact with Dublin City Childcare Committee and it is my understanding that the service in question is undergoing expansion for the provision of the second year of the ECCE programme. I understand that the Board of Management conducted a strategic review recently and following this a decision was made that this service would not be in a position to provide services for the under twos. I understand this was a business decision, and as such is a matter for the Board, which is independent of my Department.

There are a number of changes to Programmes being implemented for the 2016/17 programme year, including the expansion of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme and changes to the Childcare Regulations concerning qualification requirements for those working in the sector.

The new Childcare Regulations require that all staff working with children in early years services should hold a qualification in early childhood care and education at a minimum of Level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) or equivalent. This is in accordance with international best practice.

In the past, Community Employment participants with no qualifications were used as part of core staff / child ratios. From 31 December, unless these CE participants are in year 3 of their programme and have received their level 5 qualification they cannot be considered as part of core staff ratios but can of course remain as an additional resource to the service. The level 5 requirement will come into effect on 30 June 2016 for newly-registering services and for existing services on 31 December 2016.

The contract for ECCE has always required that pre-school leaders in ECCE services hold a minimum Level 5 qualification, or equivalent. From 31 December 2016, all pre-school leaders delivering the ECCE programme must hold a minimum Level 6 qualification, or equivalent.

My Department has long-standing relationships with community/not-for-profit childcare providers, and recognises the important role that this sector has to play in childcare provision. As demand for childcare continues to grow with, for example, the ECCE scheme being set to increase from 67,000 children last year to approximately 127,000 in 2017, it is essential to support both community and private childcare provision to meet the higher standards.

In relation to the availability of childcare for children under two, my officials have been in contact with Dublin City Childcare Committee and they are available to assist parents to source alternative childcare provision within the area. The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) Programme provides funding to childcare services to enable them to provide quality childcare, including to children under two, at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income working parents. Parents qualify as disadvantaged or low income on the basis of means-tested entitlements. In the case of full day care, parents qualifying for the higher rate of subvention under the CCS Programme can have up to €95 per week deducted from the overall charge for childcare in the participating childcare facility. Traditionally, CCS was only available through community services, but to ensure wider access for families, in 2016 this Programme has been extended to include private providers for the first time, and my Department is working to ensure the availability of places under this Programme.