2025-12-18

7. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is satisfied that the number of childminding services registered with Tusla, and the numbers of childminders undertaking the pre-registration training, will be sufficient to meet the future demand in Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73088/25]

Roughly 22,000 children will need childcare in County Clare by 2027. Only five services have registered and only 26 individual childminders have done the mandatory pre-registration training so far. With less than two years before these new regulations take effect, what is being done to ensure the number of childminders will be sufficient to meet the future demand in Clare by 2027?

I thank the Deputy. Childminders are a hugely important part of early learning and care and school-age childcare provision and they continue to be the option of choice for many families. The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 set out a pathway for the extension of regulation to childminders. A singular objective of the national action plan is to enable parents who use childminders to benefit from State subsidies through the national childcare scheme. The Childcare Support Act 2018, which provides a statutory basis for the national childcare scheme, specifies that only Tusla-registered childminders are eligible to participate in the scheme. The limitation of public funding schemes to Tusla-registered providers helps to ensure public funding is provided where there is assurance of the quality of provision. It must be noted that childminding regulations only came into effect in September 2024, with a statutory transition period of three years ending in September 2027. Registration is therefore not mandatory until the end of this transition period. This phased approach aims to facilitate the largest possible number of childminders to enter the regulated sector, the sphere of quality assurance, and access to Government subsidies, while recognising the time and supports required for childminders to learn about and prepare for registration. The childminding-specific regulations are designed to be proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting in which childminders work. The regulations differ substantially from regulations for centre-based childcare. While the Department has successfully completed phase 1 of the national action plan, considerable work lies ahead during phase 2 in supporting the large number of unregistered childminders to register with Tusla and take part in the national childcare scheme before the end of the transition period, in County Clare and right around the country. I fully understand the sense of uncertainty and anxiety childminders may be experiencing in this period of transition. Communication is essential to overcoming this. A national communications strategy is a key element in phase 2 of the national action plan during the transition period we are now in. Work on this communications strategy has begun with the aim of informing childminders and parents about the changes, the supports available and what to expect. The Department has committed to a review of the initial implementation of the childminding-specific regulations in phase 2 also. I aim to meet Childminding Ireland on a one-to-one basis before the review of the regulations commences.

I thank the Minister. In Clare we will need roughly 170 childminders to accommodate the number of children who use individual childminders' services. My experience on the ground in Clare is that existing services are already under huge pressures, with long waiting lists, very limited availability in many areas and, unfortunately, increasing numbers of childminders shutting up shop. I acknowledge the need for registration but am very concerned about how this will play out if there is not a well-thought-out strategy put in place to retain existing childminders and encourage new entrants to the sector, which is vital and important for our young generation in these very demanding times.

I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge that the issue of childminders and registration and the challenges they might face has been consistently raised in this Chamber. I do not wish to be repetitive but I will say again that I absolutely acknowledge that childminders are an incredibly important and valuable resource in the whole sphere of the childcare sector and I want them to continue in the business. I have to ensure they are regulated and, as has been said, I do not think any childminders are opposed to that. However, it is an important element of child safeguarding. There will be a review - I spoke about it earlier - as early as possible in 2026. That will be important for engagement. I have also given a commitment that I will meet Childminding Ireland before that review commences. Yesterday, I published Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan. The action plan commits to restructuring the core funding pilot for registered childminders in 2026 - in other words, a number of childminders in the pilot are part of the core funding process. That will also be restructured going forward to bring more and more into it. That is my ambition anyway. I am committed to continuing to work with childminders to make it as easy and accessible as possible for them to come within the regulations.

My main concern is that there will only be a trickle of applications for the training and a then a flood at the last minute. We can be smart and avoid that last-minute surge by putting in place a planned, targeted information campaign for next year, possibly using the childcare committees. This would ensure that any misinformation about the process is countered and that anyone who might be interested hears about this well before the deadline, which is important. We could take this campaign directly to parents by going to schools. This would drive a huge awareness campaign at local level, especially in more rural areas where the impact will be mostly felt.

I appreciate that the Deputy has come with many positive suggestions for how we can collaboratively support childminders going forward. Already the Department provides funding to each of the county and city childcare committees so that there is a specific individual who is a childminding development officer in place in each of the committees to work directly with childminders. That is an important access point for childminders and it will be drawn upon more and more. I have already outlined a stronger communication campaign which we are in the process of undertaking. We will do all we can - and I appreciate the many examples the Deputy gave - to ensure the maximum number of people are engaging on a consistent basis before 2027. It is a feature of life that there is always a rush towards the end and I absolutely accept that it would be better if there were a consistent registration so we will continue to work on that. I appreciate the Deputy's input.