Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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735. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the creation of the new nurturing skills website by her Department. [34387/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department continues to implement ‘Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028’.

Nurturing Skills sets out plans to raise the profile of careers in the sector and establish role profiles, career pathways, qualification requirements, and associated policy mechanisms, along with leadership development opportunities, and will work towards a more gender-balanced and diverse workforce.

The innovative new Nurturing Skills website, nurturingskills.ie, was launched by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality at the national conference ‘Continuing the Journey: Exploring the updated Aistear’, which took place in Dublin on 24 May 2025.

This website delivers on a number of actions contained in the Nurturing Skills Implementation Plan, including the development of a hub for Continuing Professional Development and a one-stop-shop on careers, qualifications and training opportunities in the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare sector.

This new online platform will support over 31,000 staff working with 235,000 children in early learning and care, school-age childcare and childminding settings in Ireland. The website will be a valuable way for my Department to share news and resources directly with the workforce and with people considering joining this workforce.

The Nurturing Skills website will host the new Nurturing Skills Learning Hub, which provides educators with easy access to learning materials and training opportunities in several areas, including inclusive practice, health & wellbeing and the Irish language.

The website represents a significant milestone towards achieving a national Continuing Professional Development system for the sector, which was a commitment in Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Development Plan.

The intention is to continue updating and developing the website to ensure that it is seen as the 'go-to' resource for educators, practitioners and childminders for both their practice and their career.