Means of vetting pre-school sector staff to be decided on

A HIGH level meeting is to take place next week to decide how best to introduce a system to vet staff working with pre-school children.

Minister for Children Brian Lenihan has already postponed the need for all creches, nurseries and pre-school businesses to have garda checks carried out on their staff.

At present staff at the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) are unable to take on the cases of childcare workers because of obligations to other sectors.

A statement for the Office of the Minister for Children said it is arranging a meeting for next Wednesday to outline how it can introduce the vetting procedures to the pre-school sector in September.

“The Office and the HSE and the garda vetting unit are in contact to put the necessary arrangements in place to enable vetting to be extended fully into this sector as soon as possible.”

Before Christmas a ministerial order was signed delaying the implementation of new childcare regulations until September 3, 2007.

They were originally due to come into effect on January 2, 2007.

When the regulations are implemented, the GCVU expects to have to gather reports on 550,000 people every year, with a staff of just 33.

Minister Lenihan’s office said by postponing the start-date for the new regulations he is giving those operating in the sector time to bring their operations up to standard.

Despite this the office said it was planning to publish reports on pre-school inspections along the lines of those prepared for national and secondary schools.

“A standardised inspection report is being developed to be used by pre-school inspectors to compile outcome inspection reports on pre-schools that will be placed on the HSE website as soon as possible in 2007.

“The objective is to help parents make informed judgements about their children’s care and by doing so to ensure children have access to the highest quality pre-school service available.”