‘THOUSANDS OF CRECHES WILL NOT OPEN AGAIN’

FEWER children are likely to be cared for in creches because parents are too fearful about them catching coronavirus and bringing it home.

That’s according to Elaine Dunne, chair of the Federation of Early Childcare Providers, who also believes that unless the Government provides a financial rescue package, as many as two-thirds of the country’s 4,600 childcare facilities will not re-open after the pandemic.

The Dublin crèche owner said: ‘There is so much fear about children being the carriers of the virus I think parents fear children will bring the virus into their home.

‘So many children are not going to go back because parents are not confident yet about going back and our job is to give them the confidence.

‘It’s definitely going to change for the foreseeable future... I already have five children who will not be coming back because both parents have lost their jobs.

‘I think the sector will lose children to child minders looking after them in their homes.

‘Some staff who worked in creches have gone out to mind children in their parents’ homes and my fear is that some of the staff may not come back.’

Ms Dunne owns Treehouse childcare in Dublin. Across two centres, she and her staff looked after 98 children before the pandemic struck.

However, last month when she contacted parents only eight families said their children would be returning after Covid.

‘We were at crisis point for staff anyways before Covid,’ she said. ‘It is a big worry that staff won’t come back.’

She added: ‘Four services have closed down in north Dublin, and four in south Dublin… and that’s just in Dublin alone.

‘Tusla has not being informed yet about these closures.

‘There’s definitely going to be fewer creches opening up. It’s hard to gauge how many will reopen… there are 4,600 creches in the system and I would think about a third of them will re-open.

‘It’s all about sustainability.’