• Early Years Services strongly encouraged to take part

• Information from the survey will provide a profile of the impact of COVID-19 on individual early years services and the sector as a whole
• Survey is shorter, acknowledging challenges for the sector. Will capture the most critical information for 2019/2020
• Survey closes on Friday 26^th June at 5pm.

Today, Monday 15^th June. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) and Pobal have launched this year’s Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey.

The annual survey is developed by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in consultation with key stakeholders in the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector. This year’s survey in particular will help Government understand the impact of COVID-19 on the early years sector in Ireland.

The deadline to complete the survey this year is 5pm, Friday 26^th June.

We understand that the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector has been experiencing unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19, and that their focus on working towards the phased reopening of services in line with the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.

However, while recognising these very challenging circumstances, we urge all Early Years services to make the time to complete this survey. The survey has been shortened this year and will only collect the most critical information needed to inform Government policy, planning and investment.

The data provided by services has been used to advise Government for over 17 years and, we hope to continue this important data collection this year, particularly in light of the challenges COVID-19 have presented for this sector.

The data collected this year will be used to maintain an accurate, up-to-date and evidence-based profile of the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector in Ireland and will capture a profile of services before the COVID-19 closures in March. This means that in time, we can objectively assess the impact of COVID-19 on individual Early Years services and on the sector as a whole.

Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey reports from previous years can be found here.

Early Years Services with queries on completing their service profile can contact the Early Years Providers Centre at EYPC@pobal.ie.

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