Back ‘vital’ childcare owners with major funding – Murphy
CHILDCARE PROVIDERS across County Wexford have been taken for granted by the State and need several financial supports over the coming months to ensure they can reopen safely, Independent TD Verona Murphy told Catherine Zappone, Minister for Children & Youth Affairs, in the Dáil.
Deputy Murphy said: ‘Many parents and families in Wexford throughout this crisis have expressed to me just how much they truly miss daily interaction with their childcare centres and they expressed such huge regard and respect for the profession.’
She said parents see creche staff as an integral part of their families. ‘The failure of the Department of Children & Youth Affairs to provide clear guidelines so childcare providers, be they public or private, can decide on reopening is somewhat deplorable. There is great concern in the sector that it is being taken for granted leaving them vulnerable by such a lack of preparation. We are at Phase I of the reopening and childcare providers are unable to reassure parents and families as to how they will deliver care for their children in the weeks ahead.’
Deputy Murphy said childcare owners can’t even inform their staff as to when they can return to work.
Calling on Ms Zappone for a clear and concise plan from government, Deputy Murphy said: ‘The government needs to show a real sense of urgency as the provision of childcare is the backbone to many parents being able to return to work.’
She pressed Ms Zappone to ensure clear protocols and guidelines are made available to childcare providers to guarantee a strategy for the safe reopening of their businesses within a week.
Ms Zappone committed to providing protocols and guidelines will be provided but suggested this would take longer than one week.
Deputy Murphy called on her to accept the views of the Federation of Childcare Providers, which has many Co Wexford members. ‘None of my Wexford constituent providers were contacted in relation to who should join the advisory group.’
She raised concerns that the reopening of creches could amount to another ‘fiasco’, like the attempt made to open some providers for the children of frontline workers.
Ms Zappone said Federation members aren’t the only group of childcare providers who feel they have been excluded by their ‘peers’ within the advisory group.
Deputy Murphy said the Access & Inclusion Model needs to be continued. ‘Our most vulnerable children depend on these services but were effectively abandoned by the State when funding was withdrawn during the Covid-19 emergency. Continuity of care lies squarely with the State, not with the providers. If funding is withdrawn financial interventions by the State must be guaranteed during the recovery process to ensure parents can return to work.’
She also raised the ‘overbearing’ amount of administration childcare providers have to deal with.