2931. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to extend the national childcare scheme for childminding in the childminder's home and childminding in the family home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61699/26]

All paid, non-relative childminders who work in their own homes can now register with Tusla and access the National Childcare Scheme.

The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 set out a pathway for the extension of regulation to childminders. A key objective of the National Action Plan for Childminding is to enable parents who use childminders to also 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 childcare providers helps to ensure that public funding is provided where there is assurance of the quality of provision.

As a result of the commencement of the relevant parts of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2024 and the Childminding Services Regulations, which came into effect on 30 September 2024, childminders are now able to apply to register with Tusla. The 2024 Act, under which the timeframes are established, provides for a transition period of three years, to September 2027, after which registration is due to become mandatory. 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 National Action Plan for Childminding distinguishes childminding which involves care in the childminder’s home from care that takes place in the child’s home, which may be carried out by a nanny, au pair or babysitter. This distinction is also reflected in the legal definition of a childminder set out in the primary legislation. The employment relationship and the legal and regulatory context are different between childminders who work in the childminder’s home and someone who works in the child’s home (e.g. nannies and au pairs). A childminder working from the childminder’s own home is self-employed, whereas someone caring for a child in the child’s own home is regarded as an employee of the child’s parents. In addition, because they work in the parents’/child’s home rather than their own home, au pairs and nannies cannot be held responsible for the safety or suitability of that home for the purpose of early learning or childcare. Furthermore, the employment of someone in the child’s home may involve a combination of caring with other roles, e.g. cleaning or other domestic duties. This would require a different regulatory and funding approach, which has not yet been scoped.

The National Action Plan for Childminding does however commit to develop supports to strengthen the quality of childcare provision by nannies and au pairs. This might involve provision of information to parents and/or nannies/au pairs, with a focus on what quality provision looks like as well as information about legal and employment responsibilities. I expect work on this to commence this year.

While the National Action Plan for Childminding committed to a review of the initial implementation of the regulations before 2028. Acting on feedback received from childminders and childminding representative organisations, I have brought the review forward, to ensure there is sufficient time to implement any changes arising from the review, before the end of the transition period.

The review, which is being managed by an external company, launched in June with an open call for submissions. A consultation survey went live in July. It provides an opportunity for respondents to share their experiences and views on the childminding regulations, including any changes they would like to see considered as part of the review. Feedback received through the survey will contribute to the evidence base informing the review and future policy development. In-person and online focus groups are also ongoing.

The scope of the review is broader than initially outlined in the National Action Plan for Childminding and will now also examine the effectiveness of supports made available to assist with the registration of childminders, as well as examining the barriers to registration and regulatory compliance, including financial and information barriers. For further information see www.letstalkchildminding.ie

Information and support is also available for childminders at local level through the City and County Childcare Committees. Each City and County Childcare Committee employs a Childminding Development Officer, who provides a range of supports to local childminders, including the short pre-registration training course. I would encourage any childminder who has questions or concerns about the new regulations to contact their local Childcare Committee. The Childminding Development Officers are there to provide the most up-to-date, accurate information, and to guide and support childminders at every step of the journey.