Strong governance is at the heart of quality in the Early Years sector. Under the regulatory framework set by Tusla, services must maintain clear, comprehensive policies to safeguard children, support staff, and ensure compliance. However, it’s important to understand the distinction between different types of policies and why simply meeting minimum requirements may not be enough. 

Childcare Policies vs. Staff Policies 

Childcare policies relate directly to the care, safety, learning, and welfare of children attending the service. These are required under the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 and cover areas such as safeguarding, behaviour management, health and safety, infection control, and complaints procedures. 

Staff policies, on the other hand, relate to the management, conduct, rights, and responsibilities of employees. These include, disciplinary processes, grievance procedures, absence management, dignity at work, and data protection. While not all staff policies are named within Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, many are required under Irish employment legislation. 

In simple terms: 

Both are essential for a safe, compliant, and professionally run service.
 
How Many Policies Does Tusla Require?
 
Tusla requires early years services to have a significant number of written policies and procedures under the 2016 Regulations. While the regulations do not simply provide a single number in checklist format, they outline distinct policy areas that must be in place, depending on the type of service (full day care, sessional, SAC ).
 
Examples include:

From a legislative perspective, minimum staff-related policies should include: 

One Size Does Not Fit All

Every Early Years service is different. While meeting minimum regulatory requirements ensures compliance, it does not automatically ensure best practice. Services may require additional policies depending on a number of factors for example the size of the team, additional needs provision.

Minimum compliance is the foundation, but effective governance often requires going further.

The Role of the Staff Handbook

A Staff Handbook is not specifically named as a mandatory requirement under Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. However, elements typically contained within a handbook are required as a minimum under employment legislation e.g. Disciplinary and Grievance procedures and Prevention of Workplace Bullying/Harassment/Sexual Harassment

Therefore, while the handbook itself is not legally mandated as a single document, having one is widely considered best practice and strongly recommended.

Why a Staff Handbook Is Beneficial
 
A well-structured Staff Handbook:

It also ensures staff understand the service’s ethos, policies, and procedures in one accessible place.
Policies are more than paperwork. They are the framework that protects children, staff, and services. While Tusla sets minimum requirements, high-quality early years provision often requires going beyond the baseline.
 
Clear distinctions between childcare and staff policies, combined with a well-developed Staff Handbook, support not just compliance, but a culture of professionalism, safety, and continuous improvement within the Early Years sector.

 

If you would like to put a Staff Handbook in place, Canavan Byrne can tailor one specifically to suit your service or business. 

For more information, please contact us at reception@canavanbyrne.ie or visit our website to learn more  https://www.canavanbyrne.ie/hr/category/staff-handbook