Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 April 2026
979. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is looking at expanding training and introducing upskilling programmes to grow the workforce (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30893/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraNurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028 aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) and to raise the profile of careers in the sector through its five pillars of support.
Nurturing Skills commits to providing funded places on flexible education programmes at levels 6 to 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) for Early Years Educators and level 5 for SAC Practitioners, supporting staff to upskill while continuing to work.
Nurturing Skills Learner Fund was set up with the aim of providing upskilling and professional development opportunities for staff working in Early Learning and Care services.
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (aims to assist early year’s educators to pursue Early Learning and Care qualifications at level 7 and level 8 that have been approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board while continuing to work in the sector.
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund assists in the financial costs for early year’s educators who wish to pursue ELC qualifications approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board at level 7 and level 8 while continuing to work in a core funded service. The funding is paid directly to the higher education institution on behalf of the early year’s educator in order to minimise the financial and administrative barrier the educator faces when seeking to undertake further studies.
The scheme applies to those Early Years Educators who are entering a Nurturing Skills Learner Fund approved ELC level 7 or 8 qualification for the first time.
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund 2026 Application process is now open for new applications and will close on 1st May 2026. It is expected that more than 350 Educators, seeking to upskill to Level 7 and Level 8 Early Learning and Care Qualifications in the academic year 2026/2027 (commencing Autumn 2026), will be offered financial support.
Since its inception in 2024 the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund scheme has been in a position to offer financial support to over 700 applicants.
One of the five pillars of Nurturing Skills (the Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare 2022-2028) is the development of a national Continuing Professional Development (CPD) system.
The Better Start Learner Management System was enhanced and rebranded to support the national approach to continuing professional development set out in Nurturing Skills. Building on this work, the new Nurturing Skills website and Learning Hub successfully launched in Q2 2025, providing educators with open and accessible pathways to career development, CPD resources and training opportunities. The platform supports learning across a range of priority areas, including inclusive practice, health and wellbeing, and the Irish language.
Further enhancements to the website and Learning Hub are planned to expand functionality and user experience. The platform is available in both English and Irish, supporting accessibility and inclusion across the sector.
Further work focussed on the delivery of national CPD systems through the establishment of Better Start and the formation of its Learning and Development Unit, through the National Síolta Aistear Initiative (NSAI), and through the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM).
Aligned to the commitment to develop a national CPD system, the Department recently commissioned a mapping exercise in order to identify existing CPD opportunities available to the Early Learning and Care, School-Age Childcare and Childminding sector.
The Department also plans to conduct research and consultation with key stakeholders, educators, practitioners, childminders and relevant organisations within the sector to gain a full overview of current CPD provision and identify any areas where there is a gap between skill requirement for ELC and SAC provision and CPD topics.
