Childcare provider seeks clarity for sector

A local childcare provider who is chair of a national organisation is urging the government to take an immediate decision on whether childcare will fully reopen at the end of the current lockdown period.

Regina Bushell, managing director of Grovelands Childcare and chair of Seas Suas, the representative body for independent early years service providers, is calling for clarity on three core issues, including plans for childcare after January 31.

In a letter to Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman, the organisation said that the sector is an essential service and despite lockdowns, providers continue to operate safely and provide education and care to children.

Ms Bushell said: “The clock is ticking and with every day that passes, we lose more time that could be spent planning and ensuring we can continue to provide services beyond January 31, eight working days from now. We risk service provision with a last-minute to midnight decision.”

Seas Suas has called on the government to provide clarity and take an immediate decision on the reopening of childcare, avoiding the ‘short-termism’ and last-minute approach currently being taken.

It says decision makers should utilise data and predictive modelling to establish the likely scenario with regard Covid-19 on January 31. This would help to inform decision making now and avoid waiting for the last minute to take decisions. Providers require time to plan and parents need time to make alternative childcare arrangements, if necessary.

In its letter to the minister on Tuesday night, Seas Suas sought a response to three core and fundamental questions by this Friday including whether the childcare sector will reopen for all children or continue to provide education and care for the children of essential and frontline workers only.

It also asked what public health criteria would apply and in what Covid-19 case numbers would allow childcare settings reopen for all.