Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1349.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of graduates each year that are entering the early years and school age system; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[34309/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As the State does not employ staff in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) services, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), does not keep a staff register of those who have graduated with a recognised Early Years qualification, nor of graduates who join the sector as part of the workforce.

The information below sets out the number of graduates that achieved an NFQ award at Level 5 or higher in childcare, early childhood education and care, or Montessori in each of the years 2018 to 2023. This information was sourced from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and Quality & Qualifications Ireland (QQI). The statistical data for 2023 Higher Education graduates is not available currently.

No. of Persons awarded relevant childcare qualifications at NFQ Level 5 or above:

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 (ELC). The evidence suggests children achieve better outcomes when staff are well qualified. This is undisputed internationally. Nurturing Skills, The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028, seeks to continue to build on commitments in First 5 to develop an appropriately skilled and sustainable professional workforce, and includes a commitment and actions to achieve a graduate-led workforce by 2028.

The data in the table below sets out the percentage of staff with a qualification by NFQ Level over the past 5 years and illustrates the growth in the number of staff with a childcare relevant degree level qualification (NFQ Level 7 and above) from 21.9% in 2018 to 35% in 2022.

I am committed to growing the number of of graduates in the sector and achieving our aim of a graduate led workforce. To support this objective I launched the new Nurturing Skills Learner Fund in December last year which, will help early years educators to undertake approved degree-level qualifications while continuing to work in the early learning and care (ELC) sector.