June 15, 2020

PIP Announcement: The Early Years Service Profile 2019/20 is now LIVE on the PIP and Hive portals

The 2019/2020 Early Years Service Profile is the primary data source on the Irish early learning and care and school-age childcare sector. It is developed and published by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

The Annual Early Years Service Profile, which has been running for over 17 years, plays a central role in informing policy development and assessing the impact of policy change. It provides comprehensive national analysis of over 4,500 early learning and care and school-age childcare services throughout Ireland on key issues, such as capacity, staff and costs.

The continuation of this survey in 2020 is more important than ever given the challenges COVID-19 have presented for this sector, and the information you provide will be essential for future policy development as well as short term emergency planning. It will also ensure that we maintain an accurate, up-to-date and evidence-based profile of the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector in Ireland, and that we can capture a profile of services before the COVID-19 closures in March. This means that, in time, when the survey rolls out again, we can objectively assess the impact of COVID-19 on individual services and on the sector as a whole.

COVID-19 Notice

This survey covers the period up to the closure of early learning and care and school-age childcare services on 12^th March 2020. All responses (including staff details, wages and fees) should therefore reflect how the service was operating up to this date.

Pobal and the DCYA appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey, which has been shortened this year to include only the most critical information needed for Government policy and planning. We understand that the sector is experiencing unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19, and that their focus is placed on working towards the phased reopening of services in line with the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. We also acknowledge and sincerely thank the services for their participation in the recent survey, which was rolled out to inform plans on reopening.

About the survey

This annual survey is developed and published by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The content of the survey is also informed by a stakeholder consultation, which was conducted in partnership with the Early Years Forum.

The data collected will allow for in-depth analysis of the sector across a range of headings including:

Service detail and provision
Capacity and attendance
Staffing (numbers, qualifications, staffing retention, level of turnover etc.)

By providing the most up-to-date national data on the sector, we are able to support a range of key stakeholders in their planning and analysis. For instance, data may be shared with:

Government Departments (e.g. Department of Education and Skills, Early Years Inspectorate)
Organisations conducting research and analysis on behalf of Government Departments
Statutory agencies (e.g. Túsla Early Years Inspectorate)
Better Start Early Years Specialist Service
City/County Childcare Committees
Local Authorities (to inform local planning and development priorities)

Summary data will also be provided to the following organisations for research and statistical purposes:

Voluntary Childcare Organisations
Central Statistics Office
OECD
Third Level Institutions

Data from this survey may also be combined with findings from other surveys of the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector conducted on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

We have made every effort to keep the survey concise and relevant. Only questions that relate to key policy and planning priorities are included in the survey.

Completing the Survey:

A service profile should be completed for each facility i.e. one for each DCYA reference number.

How long will it take to complete the service profile?

The length of time it takes to complete the survey depends on the size of the service, the number of staff and number of children enrolled. It is expected to take approximately one hour. The survey will save so you can complete it in more than one sitting before final submission.

Why does the survey look different to previous years?

This year’s survey was developed on a new platform and so the layout and format of some questions has been changed.

Can I complete the service profile through Irish?

Based on feedback from the sector, we had intended to offer the service profile through Irish this year. This unfortunately has not been possible due to resource constraints arising from COVID-19. Pobal and the DCYA continue to work towards this goal for future years.

When is it due?

The deadline for completing the survey is 5pm, Friday 26th June.

Who can we contact for assistance?

If you experience any difficulties accessing or completing this survey, please contact the Early Years Provider Centre at EYPC@pobal.ie. While we are unable to accept calls at the moment due to COVID-19 constraints, we can arrange a call back for you at a time that suits