Social AffairsAnalysis

New childminding regulations: What the rules mean for minders and parents

Changes to ultimately require minders to have Garda clearance, pay an annual fee and abide by specific rules

According to the last census, there were 53,000 children aged up to 14 being cared for by childminders. Photograph: Getty Images
According to the last census, there were 53,000 children aged up to 14 being cared for by childminders. Photograph: Getty Images
Harry McGee's picture
Harry McGee
Thu Sept 19 2024 - 18:53

Why are the Childminding Regulations 2024 being published?

Childcare is already mostly well regulated. But there was a gap. Childminders who looked after infants and children in the childminders’ own homes were not included. In 2019, the European Commission reported that Ireland was the only country with a large, unregulated childminding sector.

So how big is the childminding side of childcare?

According to the last census, there were 53,000 children up to the age of 14 being cared for by childminders. As the area is unregulated, there is no concrete data on how many childminders there are in Ireland. But the best estimate posited by Tusla puts the number at 13,000. Only 70 childminders have been registered with Tusla until now and all of those were operations that looked after seven children or more.

Why the need?

Without regulation, it is impossible to know if there are proper standards being applied across the sector, and if children are being cared for in a safe and appropriate environment. At the moment, there is no Garda vetting, no safeguarding training, no inspections and no knowledge of how each service is run other than anecdotal evidence. The regulations will ensure a uniform and transparent approach to childminding, with the safety of the child being prioritised.

Who is exempt from these regulations?

For the purpose of the regulations, a childminder is someone who provides “a paid service for a minimum of two hours a day in their own home (principal residence) by themselves for children under the age of 15″.

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If you are only caring for relatives, like grandchildren, then there is no requirement to register. Care in the child’s home (eg through nannies and au pairs) remains exempt. A separate information and training action plan is being developed by the department of children for nannies and au pairs.

Was it difficult to find a formula that works?

In short, yes. Childminding operations are microbusinesses, mostly run by one person. Few looked forward to regulations that would require form-filling, mandatory courses on child safety and first aid, Garda vetting of adult members of a family, insurance certificates, limits on numbers, requirements on property and the prospect of inspection. Unsurprisingly, there was a lot of negative feedback during consultation on the first draft. The Department of Children say those criticisms were taken on board and resulted in significant changes in the regulations.

So what are the key features?

The maximum number of children to be minded is six and no more than two can be under 15 months of age. If the childminder is also minding their own children, that maximum is reduced by that number of children.

For the first time, the childminder (and all adults in the home) will require Garda vetting. The minder will also need to do a first-aid course, hold a first-aid certificate, and have insurance. Other requirements are a short training course (seven hours) and an e-learning programme on child protection.

There will also be a preregistration assessment by Tusla which will require a house visit.

The department says the cost will not be high and should not act as a disincentive or barrier. The training and courses can be provided for free and standard home insurance will cover many of those involved in child-minding. There is an annual registration fee of €40.

The regulations are far less arduous than those for a creche, for example. While appropriate rooms, sleeping areas, and an outside area must be supplied, there are no requirements for special furniture or equipment and no curriculum. Rules around eating and sleeping are relaxed. Children, for example, can eat their meals with the family, which is the natural thing to do in a home-based environment.

It is a big change, is it not, all the same?

Of course, it is. Mindful that most services are one-person operations, childminders will be exempt from registering for three years, during which they can prepare for that eventuality.

So how many will register?

The department is cautiously optimistic that the vast majority of childminders will register by the end of the three years.

One incentive is the subsidies that will be available. Universal subsidies will be €2.14 per hour, for each child. That can work out at €5,000 per year for full-time care.