Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The research evidence is clear that the quality of early learning and care services is key to ensuring good outcomes for children, and also that the professionals who work with children are the key to the quality of those services. Supporting the further professionalisation of the early learning and care workforce is therefore key to improving outcomes for children and families. It is also essential for raising the profile of careers in the sector.

That is why, in December last year I was happy to launch the new Nurturing Skills Learner Fund on a pilot basis. The new Nurturing Skills Learner Fund will support early years educators and school age practitioners to undertake approved degree-level qualifications while continuing to work in the early learning and care and school age childcare sector.

The expansion of funding opportunities for early years educators and school age childcare practitioners to upskill was a key commitment in Nurturing Skills, the Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028 which I launched in December 2021. Nurturing Skills aims to build on the significant progress already made in raising skill levels across the workforce.

To ensure alignment with other early years policies and schemes, those wishing to make an application for the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund must meet the following eligibility criteria for the NSLF,

• be working with children in a Tusla-registered Early Learning and Care (ELC) or School Age Childcare (SAC) service with a current signed Core Funding contract with DCEDIY.
• have worked within an ELC or SAC service for the six months prior to their application.
• does not hold a National Framework for Qualifications Level 7 or 8 Early Learning and Care Qualification or equivalent qualification.

Further information regarding Nurturing Skills Learner Fund, its rules, terms and conditions can be, on the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund website at www.gov.ie/NurturingSkillsLearnerFund

I hope this fund will help drive forward the professional development of early years educators. I hope also that the Fund will help to support the recruitment and retention of early years educators, through supporting career pathways and reducing financial costs that many early educators face.