Minister O’Gorman publishes the Annual Early Years Sector Profile Report 2019/2020
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman, T.D., has published the Annual Early Years Sector Profile Report 2019/2020. This annual report – the eighteenth in the series – provides a detailed overview of the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector in Ireland, including the numbers of children in receipt of state subsidies, information on ELC and SAC fees, staff wages, qualifications and turnover.
The report, which plays a central role in informing policy development and in assessing the impact of policy change, is based on a survey of ELC and SAC providers in Ireland and administrative data from Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) schemes. The report is produced by Pobal on behalf of the DCEDIY.
The Annual Early Years Sector Profile report is based on information collected at the end of June 2020during an unusual and challenging period, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when ELC and SAC providers were preparing to reopen. Despite the difficult circumstances almost 3,000 providers completed the survey, demonstrating their commitment to provide evidence for policy-making.
Speaking on the report Minister O’Gorman thanked all the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare providers who participated in the survey and reflected on some of the key findings and said:
“I am very pleased to publish the 2019/20 Annual Early Years Sector Profile Report. Undoubtedly, 2020 marked one of the most difficult years we have collectively faced and I recognise and applaud the leadership shown by services and staff in the context of Covid-19, putting children and their families and the heart of their work.
"Notwithstanding the impact of Covid-19, I am struck by the positive developments across the sector and through the data evidenced in this report. This report reveals another year-on-year increase in the number of children with additional needs receiving support under the Access and Inclusion model. The continued progress towards a highly qualified workforce is also very positive, with a significant increase in the number of staff qualified to level 7 or higher.
"High quality research and data are essential to developing the early learning and care system, and the data in this report will inform a range of significant policy initiatives underway to continue to develop and strengthen the sector. I offer my thanks again to all of those who took the time to participate”.
Anna Shakespeare, Pobal CEO added:
“For the past 18 years Pobal has been collecting important information about the Early Learning and Care and School Aged Childcare sector in Ireland through the Annual Early Years Service Profile. I welcome the publication of 2019/2020 report knowing that the information and analysis included in this report will be used to plan for accessible and quality early learning and care to all children in Ireland. Over the past year, this information has become even more important in helping the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to plan the response to the COVID-19 emergency and deliver measures to mitigate its impact on the sector. Pobal has been very proud to be able to work with DCEDIY on this.”
The Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2019/2020 is available to read in full here.
ENDS
Pobal is a not-for-profit organisation that works on behalf of Government to support communities and local agencies towards achieving social inclusion and development. Pobal works in the areas of social inclusion, early learning and care and care and school-age childcare, local and community development, peace and reconciliation, equality, labour market supports, and education and training. Some of the groups supported by Government through Pobal include the long term unemployed, children, young people and families, farmers / fishers, Travellers, and older people.
More information about Pobal can be found here.
Jennifer Allen, Early Years Communications, Pobal
Phone: 087 3303106