A State that forces us to choose: A future, or childcare

I WRITE to you on the verge of tears.

At present, I am juggling a full-time job in what has been considered essential services during the current crisis, a college year, and providing childcare for my two children while at the same time trying to find suitable childcare for them come September.

How is it possible that in this day and age, in a country considered developed, mainly women are still put through this massive disadvantage when it comes to both their personal and working lives?

How come we have not put children at the centre of this national issue, and aimed to provide the best possible service to them – a service that allows every family to go to work or college if they so choose, and to carve a better life for themselves and their children?

Due to the lack of suitable childcare from September I am considering taking a yearlong career break. I do not want to take a career break. If anything, I want to develop my career further, and yet I am faced with two distinct options:

1. To give up my job for a year so that I can provide care for my two children (in preschool and primary school) in the fading hope the situation will be better in a year.

2. To hire an unqualified carer; someone uninsured and unregistered with any childcare board or Revenue, to provide that care.

The State is pushing people up and down the country, mainly women, to make these sorts of decisions every day and in the midst of this crisis, the situation isn’t improving.

It isn’t that we are not willing to pay for quality care: without any help from the State, before Covid-19, we were paying €300 a week for full-time care for my youngest child and two hours daily after school for my oldest. The price went up to €425 per week when both needed to be minded full-time during school breaks.

By all standards in this country I am lucky: I have a husband that I can share the load with, a full-time job that I adore and opportunities for educational development. Since last year, we are also proud homeowners, and yet, it all can come to nothing in the blink of an eye due to the lack of transparent, workable, affordable childcare options.

My heart goes out particularly to singleparent families who have no extended family support: how many brilliant women and men are missing their potential to develop their lives and their families’ lives?

When will the people in power, who can make these decisions, take their finger out and implement best international practice?

Name and address with Editor