The DCYA have issued a update to all providers about the inspection process for period going forward, please see below.
Dear Service Provider,
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is very conscious of the stress and additional burden the closure period and preparations for re-opening have put on you as providers but also on your staff and the parents and children who use your service. We have endeavoured throughout this period to assist you, initially in sustaining your service through the closure period and, more recently, in making preparations for reopening. You will already be familiar with the extensive guidance and support material available to you through the First 5 Website.
In acknowledgement of the current pressures, and the need to work within public health advice, both the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate and the Department of Education and Skills Inspectorate are providing an update on how they intend to work with services who are opening from June 29th onwards.
In line with the agreement to coordinate and streamline communications to the sector on inspection processes, announced by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in January, attached here are communications from the two inspectorates, which have also been published today on the websites of the two bodies.
In addition to previous guidance issued (available on the DCYA and Tusla websites) and in order to assist providers, both Inspectorates have provided new documentation to explain their approach to inspections in the coming weeks and months. You will find that documentation attached here, including:
- Letter from Tusla
- Tusla Early Years COVID-19 inspection protocol for Registered Providers
- Tusla Early Years Inspectorate COVID-19 Inspection Tool
- Tusla Early Years Inspectorate Covid -19 Pre Inspection Documentation Request
- Department of Education and Skills Circular on Inspection of ELC Services in 2020/2021 – English & Irish version
If you have any specific queries on the content of the attached documents or the conduct of inspections, please make contact with the relevant inspectorate.
Pobal CAR/the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will provide an update to providers in the coming weeks on resumption of compliance visits.
Kind regards, Early Years Division. DCYA.
