Concerns as creches plan for opening
CHILDCARE PROVIDERS ARE SET TO OPEN ON JUNE 29TH. BUT, SOME PROVIDERS FEEL AS THOUGH THEY HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN SUFFICIENT ASSISTANCE FROM THE STATE. CLAIRE BARDEN TALKS TO JESSICA FARRY ABOUT HER CONCERNS.
IN less than four weeks time, on June 29 th, childcare services can re-open to provide services to the children of essential workers. Childcare providers are working hard behind the scenes to ensure that their premises are up to standard, but unfortunately there will be many that will not open for a number of reasons, including lack of space to allow social distancing, and uncertainty surrounding childcare scheme subsidies.
Claire Barden provides care for 145 children in Ballymote in two premises, Learn Early Montessori Academy & Crèche & Claire Barden School Aged Childcare.
Claire says she, like many other childcare providers, is awaiting guidance from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs as to how she can open in a way that is safe for children and parents.
Prior to last week, providers say they had not been consulted as to what they feel are safe and child centred ways to re-open.
All childcare providers have now received contact from Katherine Zappone, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
A survey which was conducted by the Federation of Early Childhood providers showed that only nine out ten childcare providers intend on re-opening on the 29 th of June.
Claire told The Sligo Champion: “I myself hope that I will reopen on the 29 th of June to welcome my children back to Learn Early, however this is all subject to government investment and re-instating all schemes which they cut in April.
“Every child in Ireland is now entitled to a government subsidy irrespective of means, therefore currently no children in childcare services in Ireland have scheme subsidies in place for when we’re to re-open on June 29 th. The minister agrees social distancing will not work among small children and therefore, the suggested Play Pod method, where by a group of children stay within the same groups with the same educator, and rooms, seems like a workable option.
“Play pods, would allow for minimum spread of infection and contact tracing, if there was an infection outbreak, children are already catered for in age appropriate groups and playrooms, therefore the transition for children and staff will be child centred.
“Adult/child ratios will remain the same as will space requirements, as per the childcare regulations. This is a welcome announcement. PPE is not a requirement, with the exceptions of gloves and aprons, which we used for nappy changes and cleaning prior to covid-19.
“It has also been confirmed from Allianz that there will be no exclusion for Covid-19 on our current insurance policies. The biggest welcome from the issued guidelines is our child centred approach will remain and children will remain the heart of our policies and procedures. We await details of the maximum play pod sizes.”
The re-instatement of childcare scheme subsidies remains up in the air, after all state funding was cut in April.
The uncertainty over these subsidises means that many chilldcare facilities may not re-open later in the month.
“Are all scheme subsidies going to be re-introduced?” Claire posed the question. “If not, parents cannot be expected to cover the brunt of the possible increased cost of childcare. Providers won’t be in a position to make up the potential shortfall in the government schemes.
“It would be more cost effective to remain closed. Providers already faced huge insurance hikes of 300% early this year. This, I feel is the reason service providers surveyed indicated they would not re open on the 29 th of June.
“What we need to look at first and foremost is the child, they are the heart of and centre to all this. I am lucky with my two services that I have ample amounts of space and I am happy I can provide a secure base for my children and families as I have successfully provided for 12 years’ pre-coronavirus.
“Providers like myself, find ourselves in a position where we do not know what to communicate with parents in regards to re-opening and childcare fees until the DCYA confirm subsidies are reinstated.
“I have updated all our policies and procedures, staff handbook and I have undergone additional training and received qualifications in infection and disease control, measures which will be in place once we return to minimise spread of infection.”
As a parent herself, Claire completely understands the concerns of other parents, particularly from a financial aspect with no guarantees right now regarding subsidies.
She is, however, looking forward to getting back to work and seeing everyone again, albeit in slightly different circumstances with the layout of buildings changed to provide for social distancing. There will also be a new external hand sanitiser station for parents.
She said: “With no information in regards to children subsidies, we cannot make concrete decisions in regards to childcare costs which ultimately will be a huge concern to parents. A recent survey also states that parents won’t return children to services due to coronavirus. I myself as a one parent family, I am looking to return to work and the new normal, when it is safe to do so, June 29 th for myself.
“My team of educators also look forward to returning. We miss the children dearly, we spent a large portion of our week with our children in crèche and its lonesome now not been able to see them grow and share experiences with them. Although we interact now via Facebook crèche page for story time and activities. It is not healthy for children to be isolated from their friends.
“My little boy has not interacted with children since March 12 th. Although we enjoy spending time together, he needs company of his own age, and I personally look forward to Sean returning to school in September, as I have every confidence in the teaching staff to ensure all precautions are in place, and we cannot continue to live in isolation.”
While she had her own concerns at first regarding her own health, Claire is also worried that the many children for whom creche may have been a safe space, across the country, might be struggling without it.
“I lived in fear for the first four weeks, as I am a severe asthmatic, however, this virus does not appear to be going anywhere soon. I believe we need to learn to live with the virus, people’s mental health will suffer and that could potentially cause more damage than the coronavirus pandemic to Irish families.
“It makes you also question how many children under Tusla referral who had a safe space within childcare services are now subjected to domestic violence and neglect. School and crèche, for these children was their happy space, where they were loved and cared for, and in some instances the only place they received a hot meal. We also need to consider children with additional needs, who thrive on routine, and need the stimulation provided pre covid by their educators.”
Now, with the country preparing to take the next step to bring us somewhat closer to returning to normal, Claire feels that everyone has a responsibility to try to ensure the slow down of the spread of Covid-19. She is also encouraging people to get in touch with their local politicians regarding childcare and government provisions for the services.
“The onus is on us going forward to ensure if we or our children are sick or have symptoms of an illness, that children & adults remain at
home and self-isolate, continue to have strict hand hygiene we can all play a part in getting society back to normal for July 20 th when we all return to work.
“What I propose is parents start to contact their local politician and address the issue of childcare, as we need our childcare services re opened in a safe manner for all stakeholders involved.
“The cost of re-opening childcare service’s in Ireland, should not fall on the shoulders of parents or the providers, the government need to step up and listen to our sector. Ireland spends 0.5% of GDP on Early Years compared to Norway at 1.2% GDP, yes the Irish government has invested heavily in early years over the past number of years, what is not seen is the early years educators earning below the living wage to provide these schemes.”
Claire wishes to reassure parents that she will be re-opening her services for children of essential workers from June 29 th.
Once the Department for Children and Youth Affairs confirms guidelines, she says she will email them on to parents to make sure that they are fully up to date with everything.
And although the future is very unclear for everyone at the minute, Claire remains defiant and is determined that she will come out of this stronger than ever.
“We are calling for a realistic plan to be in a position to re-open our services, in a safe and sustainable manner, where providers are consulted in regards to the future of our business. All business owners in every sector, face the same hurdles to reopen and the plan to long term sustainability.
“Only business owners know the true pain and heartache, caused the day we were forced to close our business.
“A piece of my heart broke on March 12 th, when I had to drive away from my life’s work, faced with uncertainty.
“I now have two empty premises in Ballymote, that yearns for the laughter of children. Although I don’t know what lies ahead, one thing is for sure, I will face it head on with a smile, and when covid-19 is a distant memory we will be stronger for it.”
Minister Zappone, last Friday announced a number of developments to assist childcare providers and parents plan for the reopening of services on June 29.
Minister Zappone welcomed expert guidance provided by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) written specifically for the childcare sector.
The guidance, developed in consultation with her Department, focuses on a ‘play pod’ model. The ‘play pod’ model restricts interactions between closed groups of children and adults as an alternative to social distancing, which is not possible with young children.
The purpose of ‘play-pods’ is to limit the number of people a child has contact with, to facilitate tracing, and to support close, positive interactions between children and their adult caregivers, like in a key-worker system. This system will also reduce the amount of contact adults have with each other. Where possible, there should be two adults in a ‘playpod’, to allow breaks without need for floating staff. The maximum size of a ‘play-pod’ will be confirmed in the coming days.
Services will now be asked to apply the guidance to their setting and determine what capacity they may offer. It is expected that a significant amount of capacity will be available in individual services that reopen in the summer, subject to, for example, their space, room layout and staffing availability. Whilst there are 4,500 Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare services in the country, fewer than 2,000 of these normally remain open in July and August.
The HPSC guidance developed by their Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control Division (AMRIC) on ‘Infection Prevention and Control guidance for settings providing childcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic’ was agreed by NPHET’s Expert Advisory Group last week. As services reopen, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will keep the operation of the guidance under close review and take appropriate updated action as required.
The Minister also announced which children would be eligible to resume full or part-time childcare services from 29 June. Whilst initially the Government Roadmap had indicated that services would resume only for the children of essential workers, this has now been widened. Subject to local capacity, services are encouraged to support:
- Children of health and social care workers, other frontline workers, childcare practitioners and parents who need access to childcare in order to return to work.
- Vulnerable children sponsored under the National Childcare Scheme(NCS) (for example, children who are homeless and Tusla referrals) and children funded through legacy childcare schemes who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage or child welfare issues.
- Children with disabilities who previously attended part or full-time early learning and care, including those preparing to start school in September.
- Children previously registered in childcare services on March 12, whose parents continue to need childcare for employment or training purposes and who were assured that they would retain their place through conditions attached to the Department’s Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS). If capacity issues emerge, priority should be given to the children of essential or frontline workers.
Childminders will also be able to resume looking after children in the childminder’s home from June 29, while complying with HPSC advice.
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has been engaging intensively with a number of organisations representing the childcare sector, through an Advisory Group. It is preparing a range of additional guidance and resources to assist the sector to prepare for reopening. These will start to issue in the coming days and continue over the 4 remaining weeks before opening.
PARENTS CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO COVER THE BRUNT OF THE INCREASED COST OF CHILDCARE. WE CANNOT MAKE CONCRETE DECISIONS WITH NO INFORMATION REGARDING CHILDCARE SUBSIDIES
- CLAIREBARDENON THE RE-OPENING OF CRECHESAND CHILDCAREFACILITIES