As part of the National Conversation on Education: the First 5 years and School-Age Childcare, the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality (DCDE) is undertaking a public consultation process on the future of early learning and care and school-age childcare (including childminders). The consultation process has a number of channels which allow for the participation of a wide range of stakeholders:
• A national online survey on ELC and SAC (now closed) which received over 11,000 responses.
• A survey of a nationally representative sample of parents. This is a telephone poll of a representative sample of 500 households with children under 14 which asks parents about their experiences and perspectives on early learning and childcare.
• An art engagement exercise with children.
• Approximately 50 local consultation events that are taking place between 20-30 April, organised with the City and County Childcare Committees. At least one event is taking place per county.
• A national consultation event that will take place in June: The Shaping the Future National Forum: Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare (details of which will be released soon).
In addition, it should be noted that the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum (ELCSF) continues to be the main consultation mechanism between this Department's ELC/SAC Division and the stakeholders in the ELC/SAC sector, and this will remain the case throughout the development of Shaping the Future Phase 2. The main focus of upcoming ELCSF meetings will be consultation on the development of Shaping the Future: the Early Years Action Plan.
The local consultation events seek the views of parents, early years educators, school-age childcare practitioners, childminders, providers, other stakeholders, and community members. During the consultation events, stakeholders have an opportunity to make their voices heard on the next steps in improving early learning and care and school-age childcare across the country.
The consultation process addresses all aspects of early learning and care and school-age childcare – affordability, access, and quality.
Responses given during the consultation events will be analysed and collated by an independent consultant and all views will be recorded and taken into consideration. The findings will then be used to inform both Phase 2 of Shaping the Future—the Government’s Early Years Action Plan—and the successor to the First 5 Strategy, Ireland’s Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families.
