Local childcare providers call for increased state funding

A group of childcare providers from the Mullingar area staged a protest earlier today to highlight what they say is the underfunding of the sector by the state.

The protest outside the entrance to Westmeath County Childcare Committee's base is one of a number taking place across the country this week in response to what providers say is the government's continued underfunding and the excessive administration demands placed on crèche and playschool owners.

A spokesperson for the group said that the funding provided by the state under the  Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme, which provides parents with three hours of pre-school each day for a year, has remained the same for the past decade while overheads have spiralled.

“The ECCE capitation, which is advertised by the government as a free pre-school year, is €69 per week per child and has not increased in ten years. That is a major grievance we would have. For three hours of free childcare we get €69, which is not sufficient.

“All of our overheads have gone through the roof. Our insurance has quadrupled over the last couple of years, our electricity bills, our food bills, arts and crafts, all the types of the things that we used have significantly risen in the last couple of years.

“Also the funding we get for AIM (The Access and Inclusion Model) for children with special needs is not near enough. We end up having to subsidise that ourselves.”

The spokesperson added that the early intervention services for children is “practically non-existent now with waiting lists of up two years”.

“That's something that is heartbreaking and we are the front line for that now. We are the ones who are having to speak to parents about having concerns. We are not qualified to do that.

“Of course, we have experience and we know when they are not hitting their milestones, but we are the ones that are being left to take on that with parents.”

The spokesperson, who has almost 30 years experience in the sector, says that crèche and playschool owners now spend a disproportionate amount of their time doing paperwork.

“None of us entered childcare to do admin. I now have two people hired to do the admin for my school. Two people are hired to do the government's work.

“The funding is just not sufficient. It is not right that we are being taken from working with the children, which we are all passionate about, into doing heavy admin. It is ridiculous what they are expecting us to do.”

Pay for childcare staff has risen in recent years following the introduction of a new funding stream from the government. However, local providers say that the level of funding from the state needs to be increased in line with rising costs.

“It's really important that parents realise that we do not want them any more fees. Some of their childcare bills are mortgages. What we want is the government to stand up and realise how much it is costing and how much quality childcare is costing.”

"...I believe that it is because we are women and naturally carers, I am not saying that men aren't, but predominantly it is women [in the sector]. We wouldn't see any child go without."