Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

952. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that a person can register as an individual childminder with Tusla, rather than requiring a second person to also register. [13226/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As a result of legal exemptions in section 58L of the Child Care Act 1991, many childminders are currently exempt from regulation and the requirement to register with Tusla. Those childminders who are currently required to register with Tusla are subject to the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 and/or the Child Care Act 1991 (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018. These Regulations require (regulated) childminders to have a second person who is familiar with the operation of the service to be at all times within close distance and available to attend in the event of an emergency. However, this second person is not required to register with Tusla.

Furthermore, as the Regulations define a childminder as a person who operates their service single-handedly, a provider who employs staff to assist in the operation of the service would not count as a childminder under the Regulations.

The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to extending regulation and supports to all paid, non-relative childminders who work in their own homes over the coming years. The National Action Plan for Childminding commits to opening the National Childcare Scheme to all childminders at the earliest possible opportunity, though it will be necessary first to develop and introduce childminder-specific regulations, and to give childminders adequate time and support to meet regulatory requirements. A specific objective of the National Action Plan for Childminding is to develop childminder-specific regulations that are proportionate and appropriate to the home environment in which childminders work. The definition of a childminder in the National Action Plan refers to their operating single-handedly within the childminder’s family setting.