Written answers

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Qualifications Recognition

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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687. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a manager with a level 6+ qualification and 18 years’ experience will not meet the uplift requirements in relation to the Core Funding Plan for Childcare; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that for them to get a level 7 qualification they need to return to college for approximately six years to do nine modules at a cost of approx. €4,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14587/22]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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First 5, the whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families, recognises that the workforce is at the heart of high-quality early learning and care. The evidence suggests children achieve better outcomes when staff are well qualified. This is undisputed internationally. First 5 seeks to continue to build an appropriately skilled and sustainable professional workforce, and includes a commitment to achieve a graduate-led workforce by 2028.

In Budget 2022 I announced the introduction of a new Core Funding stream from September 2022. Core Funding has a number of objectives, including to support improved quality, affordability, sustainability and the achievement of the commitment to a graduate-led workforce. Of the total of €221m in full year costs, €38 million is allocated to contribute to support graduates to be Lead Educators across ELC and to support graduates as Managers in ELC or combined ELC and SAC services. This aspect of Core Funding will encourage employment of graduates as Lead Educators across all ELC, not just in ECCE rooms as was the case with Higher Capitation payments.

In December last year, I launched Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028. Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in early learning and care and school-age childcare.

In particular, Nurturing Skills commits to the provision of funded places on flexible education programmes at levels 6 to 8 for current early years educators. This new funding will support upskilling and strengthen career development pathways for those working in the sector, reducing the cost to educators of undertaking further and higher education qualifications. The new funding scheme will also develop and introduce mechanisms for providing financial support to early learning and care services to help meet the costs of releasing staff to go on student practice placements and study leave. Plans for the new funding scheme are currently being developed.

This planned new funding for educators to upskill is in addition to financial supports that are already in place for educators undertaking qualifications. Existing financial supports include the Free Fees Initiative. My Department has since 2014 provided a number of rounds of funding for early years educators to undertake qualifications through the Learner Fund.

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