Press release
Minister Zappone launches Open Policy Debate on Draft Childminding Action Plan
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 and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone TD, this morning launched an Open Policy Debate on her department’s Draft Childminding Action Plan. The event is one of a series of public consultation events on the Draft Plan.
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs launched an online survey and a call for submissions in August. In the coming weeks a series of focus groups will take place around the country, to give childminders an opportunity to share their views on the proposals.
Designed to complement the focus groups with childminders, today’s Open Policy Debate drew together a wider range of stakeholders who have an interest in the future of childminding in Ireland.
The Draft Childminding Action Plan aims to recognise the valuable work that childminders do and to ensure they can access the supports they need. It proposes a phased programme of reforms over a 10-year period to bring childminding into the mainstream of regulation, funding and support.
Speaking at the Open Policy Debate, Minister Zappone said:
“The National Childcare Scheme will launch in the coming weeks. Only Tusla-registered providers will be able to take part, and only parents who use Tusla-registered providers will benefit. That is essential if we are to act in the best interest of children, provide some level of assurance to parents on the quality of the service, and offer accountability in the use of public funds. However, I want childminders to be at the heart of the National Childcare Scheme; doing so is in the interests of children, parents and childminders; and so, we need to bring more childminders in to the sphere of regulation and of registration with Tusla.”
Minister Zappone continued:
“Because of the significance of the reforms proposed – potentially bringing funding and support to thousands of childminders and to the children and parents who use their services – I decided to carry out a major public consultation on the Action Plan while it is still in draft form. The feedback received will be of great help as we revise and then finalise the proposals.”
ENDS
-The Child Care Act 1991 (as amended) currently only requires registration by childminders (working in the childminder's home) who care for 4 or more children of pre-school age or 7 or more children of any age (other than their own children), at the same time. Most childminders do not meet this threshold and therefore are not registered with Tusla. Childminders who do not meet the threshold may voluntarily notify their local City or County Childcare Committee.
-Most childminders are exempt from the requirement to register with Tusla, as a result of long-standing exemptions in the Child Care Act 1991. These exemptions include: those who care for family members; those who care for children from just one family; those who care for fewer than 7 children (provided no more than 3 of those are of pre-school-age) in the childminder's home at any one time. Registration requirements also do not apply to those who care for children in the children's own home (when they are then regarded as employees of the children's parents).
-A number of actions are under way to support more childminders to register with Tusla in the immediate term. These actions include: the appointment of a National Childminding Coordinator in the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and a team of regional Childminding Development Officers, to strengthen supports for childminders; and a "Childminder Learner Fund” to provide a financial support and incentive for childminders to achieve the current minimum qualification requirement for Tusla-registration.
-In the longer term, the number of registered childminders will only increase significantly if there is a change to some of the legal exemptions from registration and if new regulations are introduced that are proportionate and appropriate to the home environment in which childminders work. These reforms are a key part of the proposals set out in the Draft Childminding Action Plan.
-Two elements of the consultation process have already taken place: a call for submissions, and an online survey. (The Irish-language versions of the online survey and call for submissions remain open until 15 November.) A series of focus groups with childminders will take place across the country in November, organised by City and County Childcare Committees.
Link to the Draft Childminding Action Plan.