‘Affordability for parents, sustainability for early childhood educators and quality for children are all absolute necessities for real investment in childcare in next week’s budget’
This is according to Teresa Heeney CEO of Early Childhood Ireland based on survey published today which asked crèches and preschools nationwide to rank their absolute priorities for the budget
The 746 respondents (representing a 21% response rate) to Early Childhood Ireland’s member survey rank increased capitation for the ECCE free preschool year as the top priority, followed closely by increased supports for children with additional needs.
According to Teresa Heeney CEO of Early Childhood Ireland:
“Affordability for parents, quality for children and sustainability for early childhood educators are all absolute necessities for real investment in childcare in next week’s budget.
“The State must step in and address the unsustainable and unmanageable situation for parents where they are paying the full cost of childcare, with parents here expected to pay up to 40% of their household income on childcare costs while our counterparts in Europe pay 14%. It is only real State investment and a plan for real subsidization that will address this imbalance. Simply topping up child benefit by €5 will not have the impact we need and we are urging this government to switch this proposed investment into increased subsidization of childcare for parents.
“We can’t address affordability without also addressing sustainability and it’s not surprising that increased capitation for the ECCE scheme is ranked as the number one priority for the budget. The fact is that the real cost of delivering the current ECCE free preschool scheme is not covered by the capitation rate being paid and, for too long, creches and preschools around the country have been subsidizing this scheme, putting many of them out of business and others in an unsustainable position.
“Parents rightfully expect good quality childcare for their children. That will be achieved consistently by ensuring that capitation paid to services is sufficient to retain good quality staff and paying them a decent salary.
“Our members are saying that, at the very minimum, the cuts already made to the ECCE scheme must be fully restored in the next budget bringing it back to €64.50 from its current level of €62.50. But the fair and sustainable rate for the ECCE scheme should increase to €75 per child per week, therefore recognizing that a good quality childcare place costs €75 and above to deliver. Furthermore, while both parents and practitioners are keen to introduce a second free preschool year (ranked third in our survey) this can’t be done until the funding level is right for the first one. If a second preschool year is to be introduced, or if subsidized childcare places were made available, the system cannot supply enough places as currently constituted, especially in the Dublin area. Any such move towards a second free preschool year depends absolutely on our members for implementation and this can’t happen until the scheme is made sustainable.
“Also a must for next week’s budget is investment and support for children with additional needs through their preschool years, ranking second in the survey. Research proves that early diagnosis and intervention is what’s needed and we’ve got to start delivering in terms of investing in children with additional needs. It makes sense morally, educationally, socially and financially and investing early will save money down the education track.”
Funding for regulated after-school provision was ranked fourth in the Early Childhood Ireland survey, while an increase in paid parental leave was ranked fifth and a €5 increase in child benefit ranked sixth.
