“Childcare”
“Workforce” “Quality”
“Play”
“Economy”
“Strategy”
State
Age l o o h c S e h t f O or t c e S e r a c d l i Ch
REP RT
PlayBoard is the lead organisation for the development and promotion of children and young people’s play in Northern Ireland. Since its establishment in 1985, PlayBoard has been committed to supporting the child’s right to play through a combination of service delivery and development; campaigning and lobbying; awareness raising and working in partnership with others to put play on the agenda of policy makers and resource providers. 2
State Age Of the School tor Childcare Sec
State
Of the School Age Childcare Sector
PlayBoard is a membership organisation which exists to promote, create and develop play opportunities aimed at improving the quality of the lives of children and young people. This is achieved through five key Strategic Priorities: 1. An Inclusive and Engaged Membership Body 2. Strategic Alliances - to achieve increased recognition and understanding of the importance of play and playwork 3. Research, Policy and Information 4. Playwork Workforce Development 5. Organisational Growth and Development All children and young people have the right to play and indeed have an intrinsic need to play. Play allows opportunities for children and young people to be free, to choose what they do – with the chance to challenge themselves, take risks and enjoy freedom. The Right to Play is enshrined in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
Vision
A society that respects and values the child’s Right to Play as an intrinsic and essential right of childhood.
Mission
Working for the Child’s Right to Play Acknowledgements PlayBoard would like to thank all who have contributed to the development of this report, responding very quickly and constructively. We would in particular like to thank those members of the School Age Childcare Sector who participated in the survey pilot phase; responded to the survey and informed the development of the final report. The outline conclusions and draft recommendations contained within this report are the responsibility of PlayBoard. State Of the School Age Childcare Sector
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Role of PlayBoard As the lead organisation for children and young peoples play in Northern Ireland, PlayBoard has long championed the need for sustainable play based School Age Childcare provision supported by a strategic framework and adequate resources. Since the establishment of the Play Care initiative in 1995, PlayBoard have played a lead role in the development of School Age Childcare services across Northern Ireland. This has included the provision of support, guidance and training for services alongside the dissemination of funding, with PlayBoard operating as an Intermediary Funding Body. This report builds on previous PlayBoard contributions to the debate around School Age Childcare provision including “Policy Delivery through Playcare” (2004) and “School Age Childcare Matters – Scoping Study” (2009).
Nature of School Age Childcare
The term School Age Childcare refers to the provision of childcare and age appropriate play opportunities for children aged between 4 to 14 years. School Age Childcare services can provide school drop off and collection and a full day care service during school closures (holidays and exceptional closures). School Age Childcare Services include projects termed as: - Out of School hours - After Schools - PlayCare - Sessional Activities - Breakfast clubs School Age Childcare settings provide a caring and safe environment, offering a range of active and stimulating play activities for children. By providing play based informal learning opportunities, School Age Childcare contributes to a range of developmental areas including health and wellbeing, social and personal development and resilience. In addition to supporting the development of children and young people, School Age Childcare provision enables parents to take up employment, education and training opportunities. It is important to note that the School Age Childcare Sector in Northern Ireland comprises a range of service providers based within both the private and community/voluntary sectors. As such, the type and range of funding required to support and develop School Age Childcare services is diverse. Private sector providers operate within the same environment as any other type of private business, marketing and promoting their service to maximise the uptake of available childcare places. Community and voluntary sector providers also self-generate income through fees, but are also able to access a range of funding opportunities including Government funded programmes and funding made available through grant making bodies, for example Children in Need, Big Lottery Fund etc.
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State Age Of the School tor Childcare Sec
Local Policy Context
Since 2006 the School Age Childcare sector in Northern Ireland has operated within what has been termed a policy vacuum. Changes within government led to a period of uncertainty, with responsibility for services shifting between a number of key Government Departments. Over a significant period, a lack of policy guidance aligned with short term and often ad hoc funding has impacted adversely on the ability of the School Age Childcare sector to sustain frontline services. Recent Article 201 reports aligned with anecdotal evidence collected through the area Childcare Partnerships has further indicated a deficit of School Age Childcare provision and support at a local level. It has been suggested that the ongoing policy deficit, in particular for School Age Childcare services, has to some extent negated the growth and development of provision. In 2006 the Extended Schools programme was introduced by Government in order to “improve levels of educational achievement and the longer term life chances of disadvantaged children and young children by providing the necessary additional support which can enable those children to reach their full potential”. Whilst it was anticipated that extended schools would complement existing School Age Childcare services, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest they have in some areas led to displacement of services. In July 2012 the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety released the ‘Minimum Standards for day Care and Childminding for Children Under Age 12’. The minimum standards build on the legal requirements set out on the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 and aim to ‘provide assurance of a consistent level of quality in these services, and also to provide a consistent regional approach to registration and inspection’2. It should be noted that the standards are minimum i.e. they are the very minimal level required in order for a provider to be registered with their local Health and Social Care Trust and to be able to meet the inspection standards. The anticipation is therefore that providers will seek to deliver a service in excess of the minimum standard established within the document. This will bring significant challenges for School Age Childcare providers as they work to achieve the required standards by July 2013.
Underlying Trends and Driving Forces
Within the Northern Ireland Executive Programme for Government (2012 to 2015) there is a clear commitment to publish and implement an overarching Childcare Strategy. In developing a strategy for childcare there are a number of key factors which Government will need to take into close consideration. 1 Article 20 of the Children (NI) Order 1995 places a duty on HSC Trusts to review the level, pattern and range of day care and related services for young children every three years. 2 “Minimum Standards for Care and Childminding for Children Under Age 12”, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, 2012
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Demographics The 2011 census of the population indicates that on census day there were 379,000 children (aged between 0 to 15 years) in Northern Ireland, equating to 21% of the overall population. It should be noted that whilst the overall proportion of children has fallen by 3% since the previous census, there remain variations at local government level. For example the number of children as a proportion of the overall population within each council area varies from a low of 18% in North Down, through to a high of 24% in Newry and Mourne.
Economic Situation Since 2008 the global economic downturn has impacted significantly on both individual and public spending levels. The 2011 UK government spending cuts resulted in the Northern Ireland block grant being effectively frozen at around £9.5 billion. This represents an accumulative reduction of 6.9% over a four year period, with further expectations that by 2014-2015 the local capital budget will be reduced by around 37%. The economic forecast for Northern Ireland remains bleak, with the Northern Banks ‘Quarterly Economic Review’ noting that the local economy has effectively remained in a flat-lined state for the past 18 months, with little indication of short to medium-term improvement3.
3 Northern Bank Quarterly Economic Review Overview, Q2 2012
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State Age Of the School tor Childcare Sec
Labour Force Participation A critical driver for childcare demand is the level of female participation within the workforce. Despite the recent economic downturn and the associated fall in employment levels, the number of women in employment in Northern Ireland has increased by an estimated 34% between 1995 and 2012. This rise has been more than double that of Great Britain where the increase in female employment levels for the corresponding period was 16%4. Children Born Outside Northern Ireland Between 2000 and 2010, Northern Ireland experienced a significant increase in the level of long-term international migration, with the arrival of almost 122,000 international migrants. During this same period an estimated 97,000 migrants left, leaving a net migration gain of 25,000 individuals. The impact of increased levels of migration has been particularly felt in relation to childcare and education services. The 2010 School Census highlighted that over 5,000 primary school children has a language other than English as their first language equating to approximately 3% of the total primary school population. Child Poverty Child poverty levels in Northern Ireland are higher than in other jurisdictions within the UK with an estimated 122,000 children living in poverty5 and an estimated 44,000 children living in severe poverty.6 Between 2001 and 2004 short term poverty affected 27% of children in Northern Ireland compared with 22% in Britain while persistent poverty affected 21% of children in Northern Ireland compared with 9% in Britain.7 School Age Childcare has a critical role to play in helping to reduce child poverty. By enabling parents and carers to avail of training and employment opportunities, School Age Childcare offers an effective means of breaking the poverty cycle helping to reduce child poverty and aiding in the regeneration of the local economy. Welfare Reform In January 2012, the four UK Children’s Commissioners released a statement highlighting deep concern at the potentially negative impact of Welfare Reform on hundreds of thousands of children across the UK.
4 ‘Women in Northern Ireland’ Labour Market Statistics Bulletin published by the UK National Statistics Authority and the Northern Ireland Statistics and research Agency, September 2012-11-07 5 Magadi, M. And Middleton, S. (2007) Measuring Severe Child Poverty in the UK. Save the Children UK.
In the statement the Commissioners highlighted the vulnerability to small changes in household income of many families, particularly those in receipt of welfare benefits. Further, real concerns are raised regarding the potential of welfare reform to push families and their children into absolute poverty over the coming years.
6 Ibid 7 Save the Children and ARK. (February 2008) Persistent Child Poverty in Northern Ireland Belfast.
State Of the School Age Childcare Sector
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The aim of this report is to outline the importance of School Age Childcare and to advocate for it’s inclusion within the emerging Childcare Strategy for Northern Ireland. The report objectives are threefold:
Survey Aim
1. To review the impact of School Age Childcare in relation to its role and function in supporting children, young people, parents and families; 2. To identify the pressures which are currently impacting upon School Age Childcare providers from both an economic and a policy perspective; 3. To make recommendations regarding the future growth and development of the School Age Childcare Sector within the context of the developing Childcare Strategy for Northern Ireland;
To review the impact of School Age Childcare in relation to its role and function in supporting children, young people, parents and families.
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State Age Of the School tor Childcare Sec
Methodology The “State of the Sector� survey was conducted during the Spring and Summer of 2012. The survey comprised a 5 section questionnaire which was sent in hard copy to 267 registered School Age Childcare providers across Northern Ireland. In total 95 respondents completed and returned their questionnaire, representing a 36% return rate giving us a statistically robust and representative sample. The survey was sent to registered School Age Childcare providers across Northern Ireland, this included private providers and those based within the community and voluntary sectors. Limitations of the Survey It is recognised that the report findings do not represent a complete overview of all School Age Childcare Provision in Northern Ireland. Furthermore, in considering the data relating to the cost of School age Childcare it is important to recognise that fees tend to be higher in the private sector than in the community and voluntary sector. As a result cost data contained within this report is not indicative of fees within any one sector, but rather a combination of both.
State Of the School Age Childcare Sector
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Profile of Respondents Responses to the survey came from across Northern Ireland, with just over half of the respondents (57%) located within urban areas. Mapping of respondent location against multiple deprivation rank highlights that 44% of respondents were located within the top 40% most deprived wards, with 26% located in the top 20% most deprived wards.
The majority of respondents (61%) came from a community or voluntary sector background, with the remainder operating as private businesses. Whilst the focus for School Age Childcare has traditionally been on offering a play based childcare option for parents or carers on an after-school basis, increasingly many are offering a more extensive service which operates beyond school term times. Within Northern Ireland primary and secondary schools operate for 40 weeks per year. Analysis of the survey results indicate that 51% of respondents operate their service for 50 plus weeks per year, with a further 34.7% offering a service for 45 to 49 weeks. Those who delivered a service beyond the school year reported that they had extended their service into school holiday periods in order to meet the needs of parents and carers who were in employment.
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State Age Of the School tor Childcare Sec
Number of Weeks Service Operates per Year 5.3% 8.5%
39 Weeks and under 40 to 44 Weeks 45 to 49 Weeks 50+ Weeks 50.5%
34.7%
With regards to the number of primary schools feeding into School Age Number of Children on Waiting List at time of Survey Completion Childcare providers, just over half of the respondents (53%) indicated 5.8% that they currently provided a service to children attending between 1 to 4 primary schools.5.8% Of the remainder 33% served between 5 and 10 primary schools and 10% served over 10 primary23.4% schools. A significant proportion of respondents (82%) indicated that the service they provided was cross-community in nature with the reminder identifying their location in a single identity area as limiting crossNone 21% 2-4areas did community opportunities. All of those based in single identity however indicate that they actively seek out opportunities for5-9 cross10-14 community engagement through joint programmes of activity with School 15-19 20+ Age Childcare providers from other communities. The majority of respondents (66%) identified that29.4% their service operated 14.6% on a stand-alone basis i.e. the only service they provided was School Age Childcare. Of the remainder, School Age Childcare was part of a wider portfolio of services including youth programmes, support for older people, community health programmes and adult education and training opportunities. Current Sources of Funding for Community/Voluntary SAC Providers
As part of the survey, respondents were asked to indicate whether they 7 felt that there was within their area, an adequate level of School Age Childcare provision. Whilst the majority (57%) indicated that they felt that current provision was adequate within their area, 36% 36 indicated that they felt there was a need for additional provision. 29 Govt. Department Public Body Charitable Trust Peace 3 Big Lottery Fund Children in Need Self Generating Other
5 5
20
State Of the School Age Childcare Sector
11
Comments from those who felt there was a need for further provision included:
“We are currently operating at full capacity and are simply unable to meet with local demand. Our current waiting list is over 2 years long!”
“There is only minimal School Age Childcare available within our rural area. Many parents have to travel up to 12 miles away to have their after-school childcare needs met”
The divided nature of some communities and its impact on School Age Childcare provision was also noted by one respondent who highlighted that:
“Operating within an interface area brings a particular set of challenges. Whilst we are operating under capacity and there is need in neighbouring areas, the interface and community division prevents these places being taken up”
Service Overview
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State Age Of the School tor Childcare Sec
One of the key benefits associated with School Age Childcare is that it enables parents and carers to remain active within the workforce by providing play based childcare services on an after school basis. Without the support provided by the sector families would at best be inconvenienced (by having to make alternative childcare arrangements), whilst at worst the ability of parents to remain in active employment could be affected, reducing not only household income but impacting on the wider economy by reducing household spending capacity.
19.4%
19.4%
£10,001 to £20,000 £20,001 to £30,000 £30,001 to £40,000 £40,001 to £50,000 More than £50,000 No Response
11.8%
Role of Voluntary Management Committees 9.7% Voluntary Management Committee’s play a critical role in the management of After School Childcare providers based within the community and voluntary sectors. Committee’s are responsible for leading the organisation, taking key Number of Children with providermeets its financial, legal and decisions and ensuring thatRegistered the organisation regulatory requirements. 16% The average size of committee for those respondents based within the 26% community and voluntary sector was 9 with the largest committee being made up of 16 individuals.
In the majority of cases committee membership is reviewed formally on 12% an annual basis, and informally throughout the financial10-19 year. A majority of respondents (68.4%) provided access to training for committee members on 20-29 30-39 an ongoing basis. 40-49 50+
Households Supported Amongst 13% respondents, 15.6% reported that the service they provided supported between 5 to 14 households; 32.3% were supporting between 15 and 29 households; 26.7% were providing support to between 30 to 44 33% households; 13.3% supporting between 45 to 59 households; and 12.1% providing support for 60+ households.
Number of households Availing of SAC Services 12.1%
15.6%
13.3% 5-14 15-29 30-44 45-59 60+
32.3% 26.7%
Number of Children Bornof Outside Northern Ireland is providing a significant level of The overall picture is that a service which 2.2% family and household support across Northern Ireland through the provision of School Age9.9% Childcare.
42.9% 0 1-4 5-9 10-14 15+
State Of the School Age Childcare Sector
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16% 18.3%
Less than £5,000 £5,001 to £10,000 19.4% £10,001 to £20,000 Registered Places £30,000 In order to ensure compliance with legislation and maintain£20,001 qualitytoof service, £30,001 to £40,000 School Age Childcare providers are assigned a limited number of toregistered £40,001 £50,000 More than £50,000 child places by Social Services. This is to ensure that the provider is able to 19.4% No Response
offer an adequate level of service based on the number of staff employed and the general setting of the provider. 11.8%
As part of the survey respondents 9.7% were asked to indicate how many children their service was registered for with Social Services. Number of Children Registered with provider
16% 26%
12% 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ 13%
33%
The number of registered places varied across the sample from a low of 10 registered places to over 50. At the low end, 26% of respondents had between 10 to 19 registered places; the single largest grouping (33%) had Number of households Availing of SAC Services between 20 to 29 registered places; 13% had between 30 to 39 registered places with the remaining 28% having 40 or over registered places. 12.1% 15.6%
Disability and Additional needs The majority of respondents (75.5%) reported that at least 1 child attending 13.3% their service had a disability or additional need. Of these, 48.9% had between 1 to 4 children with a disability or additional need; 19.2% 5-14 had 15-29had between 5 to 9 children with a disability or additional need; 6.3% 30-44 between 10 to 14 children and 1.1% had 15+ children with a 45-59 disability or 60+ additional need. From a training perspective, it is interesting to note that a significant 32.3% proportion of respondents identified a need for additional staff training within the area of disability 26.7% and additional needs.
Number of Children Born Outside Northern Ireland 2.2%
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State Age Of the School tor Childcare Sec
9.9%
Waiting Lists The presence of a waiting list for a service is generally indicative of a high level Number of WeeksWith Service Operatesto perSchool Year of demand for that service. regards Age Childcare, the need for provision tends to be driven by parents or carers wishing to place their child in safe, quality, affordable, local5.3% provision enabling them to remain active within the workplace or in education or training. 8.5% In the case of School Age Childcare, the existence of a waiting list can be taken as indicative of a level of need within a geographical area which is not currently being met.
39 Weeks and under 40 to 44 Weeks With a view to gauging the current level of waiting lists, respondents were 45 to 49 Weeks 50+ Weekslist for asked to indicate how many children they currently held on a waiting
a place. 50.5% Overall, 42.3% of respondents indicated that they did operate a waiting list system; however 12.6% of these did not have any children on their waiting list at the time of survey completion. 34.7% Of those who did have a waiting list at time of survey completion, 29.4% had 2 to 4 children on their list; 14.6% had between 5 to 9 on their list; 21% had a waiting list of between 10 to 14; 5.8% had a waiting list of 15 to 19; with a further 5.8% having a waiting list of 20 or over.
Number of Children on Waiting List at time of Survey Completion 5.8% 5.8% 23.4%
None 2-4 5-9 10-14 15-19 20+
21%
29.4%
14.6%
Current Sources of Funding for Community/Voluntary SAC Providers 7
36 29
5
Govt. Department Public Body Charitable Trust Peace 3 Big Lottery Fund Children in Need Self Generating Other
State Of the School Age Childcare Sector
15
5-14 15-29 30-44 45-59 60+
32.3%
Children born outside Northern Ireland 26.7% With a view to identifying the number of children born outside of Northern Ireland attending School Age Childcare, respondents were asked to indicate the number of children within their care born outside Northern Ireland.
Number of Children Born Outside Northern Ireland 2.2% 9.9%
42.9% 0 1-4 5-9 10-14 15+
45%
Whilst 42.9% of respondents indicated that none of the children currently registered with them had been born outside of Northern Ireland, 45% had between 1 to 4 children born outside Northern Ireland; 9.9% between 5 to 9 children; whilst 2.2% had 15 or more children born outside Northern Ireland. It is important to recognise the impact of population movement on School Age Childcare providers when planning for future service delivery. Whilst the current population profile and projected birth rates are a key element to future planning, immigration can and does increase demand on providers, often within confined geographical locations. Any decisions regarding the resourcing of School Age Childcare must therefore take into consideration both projected birth rates and immigration patterns.
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State Age Of the School tor Childcare Sec
Number of Children on Waiting List at time of Survey Completion
Cost of School Age Childcare 5.8% Age Childcare is provided by a range of organisations As previously highlighted, School from across the private, 5.8%community and voluntary sectors. All providers generally charge fees for the service they provide. For community 23.4% and voluntary providers based within areas of high deprivation the ability to become self sustaining through fees alone is often not viable. In such cases providers will generally seek to subsidise spaces through fundraising and the securing of grant aid. None
21%survey respondents were asked to indicate the As part of the cost associated with 2-4 5-9of childcare provided during sessional delivery (i.e. afternoon care) as well as the daily cost 10-14 school holiday periods (were applicable). 15-19 20+
The average costs for sessional delivery across all respondents (private, community and voluntary sector) was £10.30, with individual provider costs ranging from no charge (with places subsidised14.6% by external funding) through to29.4% a high of £28.00. The average daily cost for childcare provided during school holidays across all respondents (private, community and voluntary sector) was £21.80 per day. As with sessional costs, fees ranged from no charge (with places subsidised by external funding) to a high of £37.50 per day. Current Sources of Funding for Community/Voluntary SAC Providers 7 Annual Salary Spend The impact of School Age Childcare on the local economy not only relates to enabling parents and carers to engage in the workforce, but also in providing jobs for local people. 36 By creating employment opportunities providers are playing an active role in supporting the local economy. 29
With a view to determining the economic impacts of employment Govt. created Departmentby School Age Public Childcare, respondents were asked to indicate the total amount of Body salary spend in the Charitable Trust preceding 12 months. Analysis salaries,
Peace 3 Big Lottery Fund in Need per annum indicates that only 3.2% of those surveyed spent lessChildren than £5,000 Self Generating with a further 2.1% spending between £5,001 and £10,000 per annum. Other 5
on
5 Of the remainder, 18.3% spent between £10,001 and £20,000 per annum; 19.4% 20 spent between £20,001 and 1£30,000; 9.7% spent between £30,001 and £40,000 and 3 11.8% between £40,001 and £50,000. The remaining 19.4% of respondents spent over £50,000 per annum on salaries. Amount Spent on Salaries in the Preceeding 12 Month Period 3.2% 2.2% 16% 18.3%
19.4%
19.4%
Less than £5,000 £5,001 to £10,000 £10,001 to £20,000 £20,001 to £30,000 £30,001 to £40,000 £40,001 to £50,000 More than £50,000 No Response
11.8% 9.7%
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Parental Employment and Training As outlined previously, School Age Childcare providers have a critical role to play in enabling parents and carers to remain economically active within the workplace by providing care on an after school basis. With a view to gauging the level of employment amongst parents and carers, respondents were asked to estimate the number of parents and carers currently in full and part-time employment. Only 4.7% of respondents reported having no parents or carers in fulltime employment (FTE), with 17.1% reporting between 1 and 9 in FTE; 28% reporting 10 to 19 in FTE; 23.1% reporting 20 to 29 in FTE with the remaining 26.1% indicating that 30 or more parents or carers were in full time employment. Building on the previous question, and in recognition of the increasing prevalence of part-time employment within the wider economy, respondents were asked to estimate the number of parents and carers currently in parttime employment. Amongst respondents, 21.4% reported having no parents or carers in part-time employment (PTE), with 27.4% reporting between 1 and 4 in PTE; 21.4% reported 5 to 9 in PTE; 16.6% reported 10 to 14 in PTE; 3.6% reported 15 to 19 in PTE with the remaining 9.6% indicating that 20 or more parents or carers were in part time employment. One of the key benefits of School Age Childcare is that it offers parents and carers the choice and flexibility to remain active within the workplace or in education and training. Since 2008, the economic downturn has led to increased levels of unemployment as businesses have faced financial difficulty, often resulting in staff reductions or in the most extreme cases closure. For many parents and carers the opportunity to engage in education and training has become critical as it enables them to retrain or build on existing skills. Whilst 51.2% indicated that none of the parents or carers were currently in education, 40.4% reported between 1 to 4 in education; 7.2% between 5 to 9; and 1.2% between 10 to 14. With regards to training, 60% indicated that none of the parents or carers were engaged in training at the time of the survey; 35% reported between 1 to 4 in training; 3.8% between 5 to 9; with 1.2% reporting 10 to 14 parents or carers in training.
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Workforce At the heart of the School Age Childcare sector are a dedicated workforce who provide essential services, support children and engage with parents and carers on a daily basis. The survey was therefore particularly keen to gather information on current staffing levels; annual salary spend; qualification levels and areas of training need. The completion of the survey was particularly timely as it was completed in the period immediately prior to the launch of the ‘Minimum Standards for Day Care and Childminding for Children under Age 12’ which introduces new requirements for School Age Childcare with regards to minimum qualification levels. Overview of Staffing Levels Just over one quarter (26.9%) of respondents currently operated with no fulltime staff whilst just over half (50.5%) operated with between 1 and 5 full-time staff members. Of the remainder 7.6% had between 5 and 9 full-time staff; 11.7% between 10 and 14 full-time staff; with the remaining 3.3% of respondents operating with over 15 full-time staff. With regards to part-time staff, 19.4% of respondents reported operating with no part-time staff whilst a significant proportion (55.8%) operated with between 1 and 4 part-time staff. Of the remainder 18.3% had between 5 and 9 part-time staff members; 5.4% had between 10 and 14 part-time staff members with 1 respondent indicating that they had more than 15 part time staff members. The majority of respondents (73.1%) indicated that they had an all female workforce, with 20% reporting that they currently had 1 male member of staff; 4.2% reporting 2 male staff members with 2.1% having 4 male staff members.
State Of the School Age Childcare Sector
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Staff Qualifications The Minimum Standards (2012) for sessional care settings (i.e. School Age Childcare providers), state “In out of schools clubs, the person in charge and deputy should have at least a qualification at QCF Level 5 Diploma in Playwork which is the most appropriate qualification for this setting”. The standards further outline that “Team leaders or supervisors should have at least a qualification at QCF Level 3 Diploma in either Playwork or Child Care, learning and Development”. Furthermore, the standards outline that “At least 50% of all other child care staff should have a minimum qualification at QCF Level 2 Diploma in either Playwork or Child Care, Learning and Development”. The issue of staff qualification levels within the sector has therefore never been more pertinent. With a view to determining current qualification levels within the sector, respondents were asked to identify the level of qualification held by each member of the staff team. - Degree level: Within 60.2% of respondent settings none of the staff team held a degree level qualification. Of the remainder, 14% had 1 member of staff at degree level; 12.9% had 2; 7.5% had 3; 2.2% had 4; 2.2% had 5 with 1.1% reporting that they had 6 members of staff educated to degree level. - NVQ Level 5: Analysis shows that 93.5% of respondents had no members of staff qualified to NVQ Level 5; 5.3% had 1 member of staff, and 1.1% reported 7 members of staff at that level. - NVQ Level 4: Amongst respondents 82.1% indicated that no members of staff were qualified to NVQ Level 4. Of the remainder 8.6% had 1 member of staff; 5.4% had 2; 1.1% had 3 with a further 1.1% had 5 members of staff qualified to NVQ level 4. - NVQ Level 3: Analysis shows that NVQ Level 3 qualifications were by far the most prevalent amongst staff teams with only 5.3% reporting that no members of staff held an NVQ level 3 qualification.
Of the remainder, 61.3% had between 1 to 4 members of staff educated to NVQ Level 3; 22.6% had between 5 and 10 members of staff at level 3; with and 8.8% reporting 11 or more members holding an NVQ level 3 qualification.
- NVQ Level 2: Analysis shows that 46.2% had no staff members holding NVQ level 2 qualifications. Of the remainder 26.9% had 1 member of staff educated to Level 2; 15.1% had 2 staff at level 2; 5.4% had 3 staff at level 2; whilst 6.4% had 4 or more members of staff educated to NVQ Level 2.
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Playwork Qualifications As previously indicated, the newly developed Minimum Standards articulate that playwork qualifications are the most appropriate qualification for the School Age Childcare sector. The majority of respondents 58.1% indicated that at present none of their staff team held a play work qualification. Amongst those who had at least 1 member of staff trained in playwork 66.6% had 1 member of staff qualified to NVQ level 2 in Playwork; 16.6% had 2 members of staff qualified to level 2; with 4.2% having 3, 4, 5 and 7 members of staff qualified to level 2 respectively. With regards to those reporting that they had members of staff qualified to NVQ Level 3 in Playwork, 40% had 1 member of staff trained to Level 3 Playwork; 32% had 2 members of staff; 12% had 3; with 4% respectively indicating that they had 4, 5, 6 and 7 staff trained the NVQ Level 3 in playwork. Having assessed the current level of Playwork qualifications amongst respondents, the survey moved on to gauge the level of demand for playwork training at both NVQ levels 2 and 3. Just over half (53.8%) of respondents indicated that members of staff were interested in achieving either NVQ level 2 or 3 in Playwork. This equated to a total of 141 individual staff members. It is important to note that the survey was completed prior to the launch of the Minimum Standards which recommends playwork as the most appropriate qualification for School Age Childcare settings. It is likely that in light of the development and adoption of the Minimum Standards, demand for playwork qualifications will increase significantly. Respondents were further asked whether any of their staff had an interest in working towards the attainment of higher level playwork qualifications (i.e. level 4 or above). In total 57.9% indicated that they would be keen for staff members to work towards the attainment of higher level playwork qualifications over time.
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Number of Weeks Service Operates per Year 5.3% 8.5%
Informal Training need Respondents were asked to identify any other areas of training need which had 39 Weeks and under been identified by the staff team. Analysis highlighted a40number of key areas, to 44 Weeks 45 to 49 Weeks namely: 50+ Weeks
• 50.5% Behaviour Management • Risk Assessment • Special Needs 34.7% • Autism • Play based training • Financial Management • Outdoor Play • Working with children whose 1st language is not English • Child Protection Number ofto Children Waiting List at time of Survey Completion With regards staff on training, a number of respondents highlighted a lack of available funding to support staff training as a major impediment within this area. 5.8% 5.8%
As part of the survey, respondents were also23.4% asked to highlight any areas of training need they had identified for voluntary committee members. Specific areas of training need identified included fundraising (45.6%); business planning (33.9%); governance (21.1%) and financial probity (21.1%). None Funding 21% and Sustainability 2-4 As previously highlighted, the School Age Childcare sector 5-9 is composed of a range 10-14 of providers based within the private, community and voluntary sectors. 15-19 20+
Community and Voluntary Sector Providers Community and voluntary sector providers were asked to identify any sources of 29.4% funding they 14.6% had been able to secure over the previous 3 years. In analysing the results it is important to remember that any single provider may have a number of sources of funding at any one time, the figures therefore refer to the actual number of providers in receipt of a funding source and not a %. Current Sources of Funding for Community/Voluntary SAC Providers 7
36 29 Govt. Department Public Body Charitable Trust Peace 3 Big Lottery Fund Children in Need Self Generating Other
5 5 1
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20
Amount Spent on Salaries in the Preceeding 12 Month Period 3.2% 2.2%
Amongst respondents, 36 received funding support from a Government department; 20 secured funding from another public body (e.g. Education and Library Board etc.); with a smaller number of respondents (7) receiving funding from a charitable trust or the Big Lottery Fund. Significantly 29 of the community and voluntary sector respondents identified the self-generation of income through fees as a key source of funding. This highlights the emergent growth of a social enterprise approach amongst School Age Childcare providers based within the community and voluntary sectors. There was within the survey a clear recognition that the process of securing funding has become more difficult, with 70% indicating a higher level of difficulty than in previous years. Respondents were asked to identify those areas for which they found the greatest difficulty in securing funds. Securing funding for staff salaries was the most difficult area (47.7%); this was closely followed by funding to cover daily running costs (46.4%); staff training (34.5%) and finally funding to make capital improvements (31.5%). When asked to indicate the main reason for the increased level of difficulty in securing funding, respondents identified a number of issues, including: 1. Increasingly competitive funding environment allied with a reduction in the number of funding bodies and the amounts of funding available; 2. Funding is often available for only a limited time period e.g. 12 – 18 months, making long term planning and service growth difficult; 3. The primary funding required to support School Age Childcare is within the area of core costs and staffing, both areas which funders are reluctant to support. Income & Expenditure Levels Analysis of the survey highlights that many School Age Childcare providers have faced significant financial pressures as a result of the economic downturn. Within the survey 48.3% of respondents indicated a decline in income levels over the preceding 24 month period with over ž of respondents (76.4%) indicating a corresponding increase in levels of expenditure for the same period. The poor economic conditions have further led to 66.8% of respondents having to take action in order to maintain service delivery. This has included reducing staffing levels to cut down on wages; introducing caps to limit the number of children who can be cared for; reducing opening hours or ending holiday cover; and increasing fees. Having explored the impact of the economic downturn, respondents were asked to give an indication of what they felt would be the financial situation would be like in 12 months time.
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The majority had a negative view of the coming 12 months with 54.1% indicating that the situation was likely to get either significantly worse (21.2%), or slightly worse (32.9%). Of the remainder, 36.5% felt that their financial situation would remain more or less the same, with 8.2% forecasting a slight improvement. Payment Difficulties The survey highlights that just over half of respondents (50.5%) are experiencing difficulty in the collection of payment from parents or carers for the service they provide. Respondents reported that an increasing number of parents are falling into arrears, often following job loss or a reduction of working hours for one or both parents. In extreme cases, a number of providers reported that children had been removed from School Age Childcare without notice, leaving unpaid bills leading to debt write-off. With regards to Government incentives such as childcare tax credits, a number of respondents highlighted that in some cases credits are not always passed on to the provider as payment for the service. It was suggested by a number of respondents that one solution would be to move towards the direct payment of childcare tax credits to the childcare provider. The impact of late payments can be significant for the provider, with a number of respondents highlighting that as a result they had faced difficulties in paying staff wages and utility bills on time. Level of Demand within Preceding 12 Months An increase in the level of demand was reported by 29.2% of respondents; 31.5% indicated that demand had remained at broadly the same level; with 38.2% indicating a reduction in the level of demand for the service. Respondents were asked to identify what they felt were the reasons behind the change in demand, whether it had been positive or negative. Amongst those who identified an increase in demand, reasons could broadly be grouped into 3 key categories: • Local Birth Rate – A number of respondents highlighted that within their geographical area there had been an increase in birth rates over the preceding 10 year period and that this had led to a growth in the number of families requiring School Age Childcare; • Economic Downturn – Somewhat surprisingly, a number of respondents identified the economic downturn as having increased demand. This had occurred due to reductions in working hours for the main wage earner within household. This had led to parents or carers who would have historically remained at home taking up employment thus requiring the use of School Age Childcare; • Migration – A number of respondents highlighted an increase in local population levels arising from increased levels of immigration of families with young children from countries outside Northern Ireland.
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Respondents who identified an overall decline in demand for School Age Childcare services highlighted a number of reasons for the decrease: • Economic Downturn – Whilst the economic downturn was identified as a factor in increasing levels of demand for some, for the majority it has had a negative impact on the level of demand.
Increased levels of unemployment have meant that parents and carers who have been made redundant or who have faced reduced working hours no longer require the service. This has led to a decline in both new registrations, and the removal of children previously registered.
• Rising Fees – The need to meet the rising costs associated with running School Age Childcare facilities has meant that providers have had to increase fees in order to maintain financial viability. With families facing increased financial pressures this has resulted in a decline of both current registrations and in inquiries for future School Age Childcare places; • Displacement through Extended Schools – A number of respondents highlighted that, as the cost of using extended school services was lower than School Age Childcare, some parents were opting to move their children to extended school services to reduce household costs. Barriers to Improving/Enhancing the Service Respondents were asked to indicate which, if any barriers were preventing them from enhancing/improving the service which they were providing. Of those respondents who identified a barrier, 23.5% highlighted a lack of applicable funding opportunities; whilst 21% highlighted a lack of long term financial stability which made it difficult to forward plan for improvements (particularly capital improvement). Of the remaining respondents, 15% highlighted an increased level of competition from childcare providers; 17% highlighted increased competition from extended schools; whist 23.5% indicated an increase in families providing home based care. The cumulative impact of the final 3 areas identified was a reduction in the number of families using the service, thus reducing income levels.
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Environment With regards to the location of School Age Childcare facilities, the majority of respondents (35.1%) were located within a local community centre. Purpose built accommodation accounted for 27.7% of respondents, with 8.8% located within a residential setting. The remaining respondents were located within a range of settings including mobile units on school premises, within business units and schools. The majority of respondents (63.8%) paid rent for their property, with rental levels ranging from £100 per month (often within community centres or as part of a larger social enterprise) up to in excess of £1,000 per month for private providers. In relation to the external environment, 78.7% of respondents reported having a dedicated outdoor space linked to their premises, with 74% of these indicating that the space lent itself to outdoor play. Those who reported that the outdoor space did not lend itself to outdoor play identified a number of impediments including: • The area being small in size, negating the use of outdoor equipment; • The area being covered in concrete or tarmac raising concerns regarding children hurting themselves; • Close proximity of a car park or road. With regards to the condition of School Age Childcare premises, whilst the majority of respondents felt that their premises did not require any major structural improvement a number of issues were identified by some respondents with regards to inadequate heating and poor energy efficiency; a continued reliance on pre-fabricated buildings; and the lack of internal toileting facilities.
Conclusion There is a strong evidence base for investing in School Age Childcare. Through this report PlayBoard have sought to highlight the complexity and diversity of the School Age Childcare sector, illustrating the multiple benefits for children, young people, parents and carers; communities and the wider economy. School Age Childcare offers a quality supportive environment within which children are provided with an opportunity to play, explore and learn safely. The children are seen to benefit through the development of social skills, self esteem and self confidence. This is partly achieved due to the emphasis on inclusivity, welcoming those from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds and supporting children with special and additional needs. For parents and carers School Age Childcare provision can provide a support mechanism enabling them to return to the workplace; continue in paid employment; or to access education and training opportunities. By enabling parents and carers to remain economically active, School Age Childcare providers offer an effective means of breaking the poverty cycle, thus helping to reduce child poverty and aiding in the regeneration of the local economy.
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Recommendations Based on the findings of the State of the Sector survey, PlayBoard have developed a number of key recommendations. These recommendations have been developed to take account of the underlying issues facing the sector and are aimed at supporting the development of an effective and deliverable Childcare Strategy for Northern Ireland. 1. School Age Childcare plays an important role in the lives of children, parents and carers across Northern Ireland. In addition it plays a vital role in supporting economic growth and enabling parents and carers to remain active within the workplace.
It is recommended that in developing a robust and integrated Childcare Strategy for Northern Ireland, Government recognises the contribution of School Age Childcare and establishes mechanisms which will both support sustainability and stimulate its growth and development;
2. This survey provides an overview of the issues impacting upon the School Age Childcare Sector in Northern Ireland.
It is recommended that a full sectoral analysis be completed with a view to establishing an economic model which will ensure full cost recovery for community and voluntary sector providers whilst recognising the needs of private providers. The analysis should also pay cogniscence to the needs of the capital estate and recognise the diversity of service availability at a local level;
3. A skilled, qualified and developing School Age Childcare workforce is critical to the successful delivery of an integrated Childcare Strategy for Northern Ireland.
Given the roll-out of the “Minimum Standards for Day Care and Child Minding for Children under Age 12�, it is recommended that priority is given to developing and resourcing a workforce strategy aimed at ensuring that minimum standards are met within the required timeframe, giving cogniscence to the playwork sector whose practice is underpinned by the Playwork Principles;
4. In 2011 the Northern Ireland Executive endorsed a Play and Leisure Strategy for Northern Ireland focused on the areas of Access to Play and Leisure; Places and Spaces for Play and Leisure; Championing Play and Leisure and the Play Workforce.
Given that School Age Childcare provision is underpinned by a play ethos and the Playwork Principles, it is recommended that in developing a Childcare Strategy for Northern Ireland, recognition must be given to the Executives Play and Leisure policy and implementation plan;
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PlayBoard NI 7 Crescent Gardens Belfast BT7 1NS Northern Ireland Telephone: 028 9080 3380 Fax: 028 9080 3381 Email: info@playboard.co.uk Website: www.playboard.org