Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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984. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to ensure childminders are represented in any decision making group on the future of childminding in Ireland and on recommendations for the childminding role profile; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31422/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department developed a National Action Plan for Childminding which was published in April 2021. The Action Plan aims to improve access, through childminding, to high quality and affordable childcare. The Action Plan sets out a pathway over the next 8 years towards regulation, support and subsidies for all paid, non-relative childminders. The Action Plan will involve change and will bring significant benefits for childminders, and for the children and the families using their services.

A National Action Plan for Childminding Steering Group will be established shortly, to drive, oversee and monitor implementation of the National Action Plan.The Steering Group will be supported by four Advisory Groups in relation to: regulation and inspection; training and support; funding and financial supports; and consultation and communications.

The National Action Plan commits to representation of childminders, parents and other key stakeholders on the Steering Group, which will be chaired by my Department. Additionally the National Action Plan commits to representation of childminders on all four Advisory Groups.

Initial work on drafting a role profile for childminders began prior to launch of the National Action Plan, in the context of on-going work on developing a Workforce Development Plan for early learning and care and school-age childcare. In order to draft proposals, a working group was established specifically on childminding. The working group has strong representation of childminding views. Of its 12 members, six are childminders or work exclusively with or for childminders, while other members represent the views of parents, the statutory regulator (Tusla) and organisations which have provided extensive support for childminders. All decisions on the design and implementation of training programmes for childminders will be made by the Steering Group of the National Action Plan for Childminding.

The National Action Plan itself was based on extensive consultation and engagement with childminders, and the blueprint for the National Action Plan was the 2018 report of the Working Group on Reforms and Supports for the Childminding Sector, which was coordinated and chaired by Childminding Ireland. The National Action Plan commits to further consultation with childminders, especially during Phase 1 of the Plan when developing regulations specific to childminders.