Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide for the upskilling of professionals in early childhood care and education settings following recent inspection reports carried out by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31086/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As part of the collaborative approach towards quality improvement in early childhood education and care in Ireland, my Department is carrying out education-focused inspections in early years services offering the ECCE scheme (universal free pre-school). 

As part of the wider remit of my Department relating to the quality of the education system, the Early Years Education Policy unit, that is co-located with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, is carrying out a phased review of the education and training programmes that are available to upskill professionals in the early years sector.  A report of the consultation with practitioners on the quality and relevance of their education and training was published earlier this year.  Professionals identified some gaps in their preparedness to implement the curriculum and quality frameworks, Aistear and Síolta, and that they were poorly prepared for the education of children with additional needs. 

On foot of this, the Department has commissioned a piece of research from an international expert to revise the occupational role profiles that were published in 2002 and are used as the basis for many qualifications in early years.  It is expected that this report will be available for further consultation with the sector before the end of 2016.  This report and an international literature review of professionalisation will inform further phases of the review in 2017 and we will work closely with education providers to ensure that all qualifications reflect the needs of practitioners in their professional practice.  My Department is also collaborating with DCYA to implement the Síolta/Aistear initiative.  Two national coordinators are now in place and are developing and delivering CPD for practitioners which will be rolled out further in 2017.

Another significant development in the upskilling of practitioners and their capacity to deliver a high quality early educational experience for children with a disability is being supported by both Departments.  My Department secured funding of €500,000 from the dormant accounts scheme to put in place a national higher education qualification for practitioners to train as Inclusion Coordinators.  The programme is being delivered by a consortium led by Mary Immaculate College in co-operation with Froebel, Maynooth University and Early Childhood Ireland.  DCYA will fund 900 practitioners per year for four years so that an Inclusion Coordinator can be in place in every setting to coordinate educational provision for children with additional needs in that setting. 

I am strongly committed to ensuring that the highest quality education and training including continuous professional development opportunities are in place for early years professionals and my Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in that regard.