Investment in our early years provision will bring its reward

POLITICIANS of all parties and none need to rise to the challenge and support greater investment in early years. Years of historical underinvestment mean that the early years sector in Ireland is in the midst of a staffing and recruitment crisis. Despite increased investment in the past two years, under Minister Katherine Zappone’s department, childcare providers are still struggling to recruit and retain qualified, experienced educators, with low pay a significant factor.

Earlier this year, one member of Early Childhood Ireland reported she had lost two valued staff members, because the salary scales they were guaranteed by their local supermarket were greater than any wage she was able to pay.

This crisis is one of several issues that Early Childhood Ireland members from all over Ireland will highlight with TDs and senators at a special pre-Budget briefing in Dublin today.

Our members will share their experiences of delivering quality care for children in a sector grappling with low pay, high staff turnover, and the resulting difficulties in attracting and retaining high-quality professionals.

The average wage in the sector – across all levels of experience – is €11.93 an hour, barely above the living wage of €11.90 per hour.

Some 50pc of all early years staff work parttime (nationally, around 21.5pc of those in employment work part time). The annual staff turnover rate in the sector is 28.2pc, compared to a national average of only 13pc.

While some very welcome progress has been made in recent years, Ireland’s record remains poor.

According to figures from the OECD, we invest only 0.2pc of GDP in early years care and education each year. This is the lowest amount of any EU country. Early Childhood Ireland is calling on members of the Oireachtas to commit to increasing the Budget allocation for early years by a minimum of €250m – approximately 0.1pc of GDP – every year over the next five years.

The current minister is on the right track. At today’s event, Early Childhood Ireland is seeking support from every party and from Independents to support greater investment. It is both a social and an economic win-win.

We need our elected representatives to rise to the challenge and ensure Ireland has a world class early years system for our youngest citizens and their families. They deserve nothing less.

Frances Byrne is director of policy and advocacy with Early Childhood Ireland, which represents 3,800 early years providers, who support more than 100,000 children and their families every day