Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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493. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the new funding model for early year services will build in recognition of those offering childcare in disadvantaged settings; if it will include a DEIS-style mechanism for childcare settings where there are added needs and in which additional resources may be required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27353/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Partnership for the Public Good, A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) - the report of an independently chaired Expert Group - was adopted in full by Government last December.

Amongst other things, this sets out a new approach to State funding of the ELC and SAC sector that includes universal and targeted Tackling Disadvantage funding and support, building on Core Funding. 

A number of research inputs contributed to this work including a paper on “Approaches to Identifying Children or Settings in Need of Additional Support” and another on “Funding Models Addressing Early Childhood Disadvantage”. There was also extensive and detailed stakeholder consultation on the issue of addressing disadvantage. The Expert Group was also briefed on the Department of Education’s DEIS model.

Informed by recommendations in Partnership for the Public Good, services will be provided with a proportionate mix of universal and targeted supports to support children and families accessing their services who are experiencing disadvantage.

As recommended by the Expert Group, once core funding is embedded and changes to existing programmes take effect arising from Budget 22 (ECCE and NCS), my Department will progress the development of the Tackling Disadvantage funding and support.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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494. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is engaging with childcare providers on their inclusion policies to ensure children with additional needs can access childcare outside of the Access and Inclusion Model and the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27383/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), which was launched in June 2016, is a model of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme.  Its goal is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE programme and reap the benefits of quality early learning and care.

One of the commitments in First 5, A Government Strategy for Babies and Children, was to undertake an end of Three-Year Evaluation of AIM. That evaluation has been undertaken and the draft report has been reviewed by the Cross Sectoral Implementation Group (CSIG), with the final report due to be published in Q3 of this year. 

The evaluation included extensive consultations with parents, providers and other key stakeholders. 

Subject to evaluation findings and other relevant developments, we will be considering potential enhancements to, and/or extensions of AIM including expanding to children outside of ECCE provision.