Childcare crisis: ‘Varadkar must step in’ to save hundreds of jobs

Capacity and staff retention key problems for sector

THE Government has admitted that parents face a looming childcare crisis in September – saying the sector is entering ‘uncharted waters’ in terms of capacity.

The secretary general of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, Fergal Lynch, will tell the Dáil’s Special Committee on Covid-19 Response today that the Government faces a ‘significant challenge’ as they try and get the childcare sector up and running again.

The Federation of Early Childhood Providers has today called on the Taoiseach to urgently intervene to save the childcare sector – warning that ‘hundreds of providers will be forced out of business’.

Chairperson Elaine Dunne said: ‘We urgently need the Taoiseach to intervene to save hundreds of childcare providers from going bust. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs don’t even understand their own package of supports for the sector, which fall short, will force children with additional needs to stay at home and leave a massive black hole in the finances of early years providers.’

Paula Donohoe, of the Association of Childhood Professionals, a separate childcare body, will tell the Dáil’s Covid Committee today that working parents will struggle to secure childcare places because of a looming staffing shortage in the sector.

In her address to the Covid committee today the Cavan-based creche owner will warn that childcare workers may struggle to transition from the €350-a-week pandemic payment back to their normal wage.

Under the Covid roadmap, childcare services will open on a phased basis from June 29 to all parents who require it in order to return to work.

In his opening address today, Mr Lynch will say that there is difficulties in estimating demand for childcare services between June 29 and early September.

‘The planned reopening on June 29 occurs at a time when just 40% of services would normally be open at this time of year (1,800 out of 4,500 providers).

‘We are conscious that demand may be lower to start, but rise as parents seek to return to their own work, to more normal living, and feel greater confidence regarding the safety of their children.

‘Compared to pre-Covid, demand this autumn may be lower because of job losses among parents, or because of more flexible working that better allows families balance caring and working responsibilities,’ he will say.

The Department has already announced a funding package of €75million for the sector, which includes the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, resumption of the

Department’s existing funding schemes, a €18million reopening grant and a €14.2million capital grant, with a further fund of €375,000 for certain childminders.

The Department was left redfaced after a scheme to provide childcare for essential workers was announced in early May and scrapped just days later. Mr Lynch conceded ‘the scheme of childcare for essential health workers had to be cancelled because it was not possible to meet all of the requirements that would have made it attractive to providers.’

Meanwhile Siptu representatives are to tell the Oireachtas Covid-19 Committee that the Government’s approach to childcare is seriously flawed. Representatives of the union will meet the committee today to discuss the issue of childcare for essential health workers during the health crisis.

Siptu health divisional organiser Paul Bell will say: ‘Our members in the health service were genuinely striving to strike a balance where they could ensure their children were cared for while also fulfilling their duties on the frontline of the health service. This balance could have been achieved with a focus on greater flexibility including roster change and special leave where other options had been exhausted. Another way forward could have been for the provision of childcare in a safe environment explicitly for healthcare workers. This model

‘Demand may be lower to start’ ‘Flawed and inflexible’

was used in other countries to ensure essential healthcare workers could get to work, safe in the knowledge their children were being cared for.

‘Instead, the focus was on uniformity, with rigid options only being approved by Government.

‘Ultimately, this seriously flawed and inflexible approach resulted in the depletion of essential healthcare workers from the frontline of the fight against Covid-19 and a financial loss for many of them.’