Adult-to-Child Ratios in Ireland: How Many Children Can You Have in Your Class, Workshop or Camp?
If you teach children, one of the practical questions you may have is: “How many children can I have in my class with one instructor?”
There is no single fixed legal adult-to-child ratio covering all children’s activity classes in Ireland. The answer depends on the service you provide, the children attending and any requirements specific to your activity.
This guide focuses on classes for school-going children in the Republic of Ireland. The IOMST insurance scheme does not provide cover for childcare services, Impact sports or activities above 1.5 metres.
Ok, lets get into your questions!
Is This a Legal Requirement or an Insurance Condition?
Legal requirements and insurance conditions are separate.
Where a service falls within regulated childcare, statutory staffing ratios apply regardless of what its insurer requests. Tusla, rather than the HSE, regulates these childcare services.
Some insurers also set their own adult-to-child ratios or maximum group sizes.
The insurer providing cover through the IOMST scheme does not impose a separate adult-to-child ratio for covered classes, provided the applicable legal requirements are met. Your agreed activities and all other policy terms and conditions still apply.
This means you must establish which legal requirements apply to your service and choose a group size you can safely supervise.
Does Every Children’s Class Have a Fixed Legal Ratio?
No. The school-age childcare ratio of one adult to 12 children is not a general rule for every children’s class.
The statutory definition of school-age childcare excludes services solely providing arts, tuition and certain other specified activities.
A class teaching a particular skill may therefore fall outside the school-age childcare regulations. However, calling a service a “class”, “workshop” or “camp” does not decide its legal position. What you actually provide matters.
The distinction is between teaching an activity and providing a service whose primary purpose is to care for children while their parents are unavailable.
Which Services Definitely Have Statutory Ratios?
Regulated childcare services have statutory adult-to-child ratios. These include relevant pre-school services and school-age childcare services.
For regulated school-age childcare, the minimum is one adult to 12 children, with additional staffing where needed.
The IOMST insurance scheme does not cover childcare services. We mention this ratio only to explain why it should not automatically be used to decide the size of your activity class.
Classes for children who have not yet started school need separate consideration. Do not assume that the exclusions for school-age activity classes apply to pre-school provision.
What About the Classes IOMST Members Run?
The following are examples of activities members may teach. Their inclusion here does not confirm cover for every variation of the activity.
There is no single statutory class ratio that we can assign to each activity below. For a service solely providing arts or tuition to school-going children, the school-age childcare ratio does not automatically apply.
| Class or workshop | What should influence your group size? |
|---|---|
| Art classes | Children’s ages, materials, tools and how much individual help they need |
| Craft classes | Scissors, small parts, adhesives and any equipment requiring close supervision |
| Music classes | Instruments, room layout and whether children work together or need individual instruction |
| LEGO classes | Ages, small pieces, project difficulty and support needed to follow instructions |
| Dance classes | Available space, movement, visibility and the children’s ability to follow directions |
| Jewellery making | Small components, wire, pliers, sharp tools and any heated equipment |
| Cooking classes | Knives, appliances, heat, allergies and supervision at each workstation |
| Flower arranging | Scissors, wire, tools, plant materials and individual assistance |
| Acrobatic classes | Skills taught, instructor competence, spotting and close supervision. Any proposed activity must be confirmed as covered and remain within the 1.5-metre height restriction |
| Baking classes | Ovens, hot trays, mixers, utensils, allergies and safe movement around workstations |
These are practical assessment factors, not legal ratios or insurer-approved group sizes. Check any requirements or guidance specific to your activity before setting your booking limit.
Can I Have 15 Children With One Instructor?
There is no blanket approval for 15 children per instructor. For school-going children’s classes solely providing arts or tuition, the school-age childcare legislation does not set a universal class ratio.
You must decide whether you can safely teach and supervise your proposed group. Consider the children’s ages and needs, the activity, equipment, room layout and how you would manage an injury or a child needing individual help.
If one instructor cannot safely manage those situations while supervising the remaining children, reduce the group size or provide another suitable adult.
The IOMST insurer does not set an additional ratio for covered classes. This does not mean that any group size is automatically suitable.
Source: statutory definition of school-age childcare and activity exclusions.
Does a Longer Holiday Camp Change the Position?
A longer session does not automatically turn an activity class into childcare.
For example, a one-hour weekly LEGO lesson and a three-hour holiday workshop teaching LEGO building techniques may both be instructional activities.
Similarly, a three-hour camp solely teaching art and craft may remain an arts activity. Its duration alone does not introduce the school-age childcare ratio.
However, if the service primarily provides general care while parents are unavailable, with activities offered to occupy the children, its legal classification may be different.
A longer session also needs more planning. Consider supervision during breaks, toilet visits, refreshments, arrival and collection. Confirm that the camp falls within your agreed insurance cover before taking bookings.
How Do You Decide How Many Places to Offer?
et your booking limit around the group you can safely teach and supervise, rather than choosing a number simply because another class uses it.
Before advertising places, assess:
Ages and needs: Younger children or children needing additional support may require more individual attention.
The activity: Simple drawing and cooking with hot equipment need different supervision arrangements.
The venue: Consider usable space, clear sightlines, entrances, exits and access to toilets.
Staffing: Who supervises the rest of the group if an instructor helps an injured child or leaves the room?
Equipment: Can you supervise everyone using tools, appliances or other equipment?
Session length: Longer sessions need arrangements for breaks and changes in activity.
Applicable conditions: Check your insurance documents, venue rules and any relevant activity-specific requirements.
Record your assessment and review it whenever the activity, venue, staffing or children attending change.
The Answer to “How Many Children Can I Have?”
For a school-going children’s class solely providing arts or tuition, there is no universal statutory ratio that gives you a fixed allowance of children per instructor.
The childcare figure of 1:12 should not automatically be applied to your class. Equally, the absence of a fixed childcare ratio does not mean there is no limit on what you can safely manage.
Your group size must reflect appropriate supervision, applicable legal requirements and the conditions of your cover.
If you are unsure about your service’s legal classification, contact Tusla. For questions about whether your proposed class, workshop or camp is covered, contact IOMST with the activity details, ages, duration and planned group size.
Useful Information and Sources
This article provides general information. Your obligations depend on how your service operates, and the examples do not replace advice on your particular circumstances.
Grainne & Greg
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