Early Childhood Ireland members in Waterford have asked the Government to announce a plan to transform the Early Years and School Age Care.
They have asked for a five-year plan to be included in Budget 2023 which will see the introduction of core funding leading to a more sustainable provision for children, staff, parents, and providers.
The organisation, which has 68 members in Waterford, have said the Government should announce and outline a public investment plan with clear funding targets and key priorities for each year.
Frances Byrne, Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland, believes that years of chronic underinvestment in the Early Years and School Age Care sector has left Ireland playing catch-up with other EU members.
“Parents in Waterford pay some of the highest fees from take-home pay in the European Union. The average pay and conditions of staff in the sector remains poor, leading to continuing challenges in staff recruitment and retention, which in turn impact on the provision of consistent, high-quality care and education to our youngest citizens,” she said.
Frances said for 2023 and beyond, a coherent multi-annual plan is needed to offer certainty to families, the workforce and operators in Waterford.
She believes it is important to invest in our children now, to ensure they can reach all their developmental milestones.
“Our children deserve to have a well-funded Early Years and School Age Care sector, just like children in other EU countries.”
What are they asking for?
Early Childhood Ireland members are asking for long-term planning.
This is essential for providers to invest in their people and settings. It also gives parents security and builds confidence between families and providers.
They are asking that long-term planning be combined with an increase in core funding that should take inflation and agreed sector pay scales into account.
The subsidies offered under the National Childcare Scheme should be increased and a national communications plan should be launched to promote the scheme to parents, according to Frances.
The Access and Inclusion Model should also be extended beyond the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, and the first phase of the National Childminding Action Plan and Nurturing Skills, the sector’s workforce plan, should be implemented.
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