Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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144. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will consider changes to the school-age childcare staff-to-pupil ratio to allow the provider to apply the ratio based on age groups similar to the creche model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26547/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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School age childcare (SAC) services are required to operate within regulatory minimum adult-to-child ratios as set out in the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018. The ratio is the minimum number of adults required to supervise, care for and work directly with the children in the service.

The introduction of SAC Regulations in 2018 was an important step in ensuring oversight and quality assurance of school-age childcare services which is in the best interests of the children and families who use these services.

In setting regulatory requirements, the primary consideration must be children’s health, safety and well-being, and these were the primary factors considered when setting a minimum 1:12 adult-to-child ratio in the Regulations for school-age childcare. The 1:12 ratio was agreed following consultation with an expert group on school-age childcare standards, which included a range of sector representatives among its members.

The adult : child ratios for Early Learning and Care (ELC) services are set out in Schedule 6 of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. Ratios for ELC services are categorised by age and service-type from 1:3 for children aged 0-1 in full day care up to 1:11 for children aged 2 to 6 in sessional ELC services.

There are no plans at present to revise the minimum adult : child ratio for SAC services.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority and my Department relies on a number of data sources to monitor supply and demand.

The annual data captured by Pobal on behalf of my Department - through the Early Years Sector Profile Survey - is one important data source that allows us to monitor supply and demand. In addition to this survey data, my Department also relies on data from the register of services held by Tusla and data provided by services as part of their application for Core Funding. My Department also regularly conducts surveys with parents. Indeed, since 2020, five parent surveys have been undertaken by Ipsos MRBI on behalf of my Department.

In addition to these measures, the City/County Childcare Committees (CCC), including Dublin City Childcare Committee proactively engage with early learning and childcare services to identify unused capacity and explore the potential/intention for services in increase capacity, particularly where there is evidence of unmet early learning and childcare needs of families.

Most recently, in February/March this year, CCC, including Dublin City Childcare Committee undertook a survey in a sample of providers in their local area for this purpose.

Fieldwork for the Early Years Sector Profile Survey 2022/23 is currently underway which will provide an updated position of capacity across all CCC areas.