Third-level students on childcare courses will be eligible to work in early learning and childcare providers on a temporary basis to relieve staffing pressures in the sector.
From today, December 13th, undergraduate students on relevant courses of study will be permitted to work in early learning and childcare centres for the next seven weeks, until the end of January.
The temporary arrangement is being introduced as part of a suite of measures to help creches and childcare providers reduce the spread of coronavirus.
To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a Level 6,7 or 8 course relevant to early learning or childcare. Such students can complete the application form available here.
An agency portal on myccc.ie will be launched early this week where students can see upcoming posts in early learning and childcare practices.
In a press statement, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman said: “Colleges will – where possible – facilitate students of early learning and care education programmes to work in settings until the end of January 2022 to relieve current staff supply pressures owing to COVID-19. I would like to thank Further and Higher Education Institutions for their support with this measure. Thanks also to the students for their offers of help.”
The announcement comes as part of a once off €10 million grant programme to help childcare providers reduce the spread of coronavirus, including the purchase of HEPA filters.
A grant programme for primary and secondary schools was also announced today by Minister for Education Norma Foley. Some €45 million is to be given to primary schools and €17 million for secondary schools.
Individual schools will be allowed to decide how best to use the funding to address their particular needs.
At the start of the pandemic, student nurses and midwives were invited to work as healthcare assistants in hospitals.
Then-Minister for Health Simon Harris said that student nurses and midwives who were on supernumerary – or unpaid – placement would receive payment for their work, after criticism from students’ and trade unions.
In a statement, Harris said that student nurses and midwives will be offered a contract as healthcare assistants which will allow them to receive payment.
“This is an offer and not an obligation”, he said. “But I know so many of our student nurses want to play their role as we navigate our way through these difficult times.”
“Our healthcare professionals have shown immense leadership and I will do everything I can to support them.”
