'Radical' new approach needed to benefit 4,850 Clare children, says Early Childhood Ireland

Early Childhood Ireland is calling for a radical new approach to elevate Early Years and School Age Care to the same status as primary education in Ireland.

In its Budget 2025 submission, the organisation has outlined ‘4 Asks for Children’ that have the potential to be 'transformative' by recognising Early Years and School Age Care as a public good that plays a vital role in Irish society.

“The Taoiseach has made very welcome statements about delivering for every single child and their families in this year’s Budget, while also stating his intention to make Ireland the best country in which to be a child,” said Frances Byrne, director of policy at Early Childhood Ireland.

“Our 4 Asks for Children offer a vision for the future of Early Years and School Age Care provision that has the potential to be life changing for more than 4,850 children attending settings in Clare today and for generations to come.”

The biggest challenge facing the 125 member settings based in communities across Clare is the recruitment and retention of staff, according to Ms Byrne.

“A date should be set by government to bring Early Years and School Age Care graduates within public sector pay and conditions in line with teachers. This will go a long way to resolving the staffing issues while helping to achieve consistent quality for children of all ages in all settings,” said Ms Byrne.

Early Childhood Ireland believes that every child in Ireland should have access to high quality Early Years and School Age Care as a basic right.

To ensure there are enough places for children in their own communities, a system of national and local two-year and five-year planning cycles must be initiated. Additionally, the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021 – 2028 must be fully implemented.

Doing so “will improve child safeguarding, offer families the chance to access financial supports, and give childminders the formal recognition they deserve for their vital contribution” Ms Byrne explained.

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Early Childhood Ireland is urging the government to publish a five-year plan with a new investment target.

Despite reaching its initial target of €1bn in 2023, the government has yet to produce a new funding goal and a plan which unifies the various commitments it has made in policy reports.

“We know that yearly planning cycles put a lot of strain on providers, parents, and staff and this, ultimately, negatively impacts children. It is extremely difficult for providers and parents to plan for the year ahead without adequate and timely information on funding and changes to various schemes and programmes.

“Early Years and School Age Care has undergone huge and welcome change over the last number of years, and this needs to be effectively managed to fully reap the benefits,” Ms Byrne added.

Finally, the organisation argues that Ireland must be brought into line with other countries by ensuring adequately paid maternity and paternity leave.

“As recommended by the European Commission, the government should commit to payment of 66% of a parent or guardian’s income during the first year of a child’s life to enable them to stay at home during this crucial period.

“This is the norm in many of the countries that are considered best-in-class when it comes to Early Years and School Age Care,” she said.

“It is time for us to catch up and ensure that every child in Ireland has equitable access to high-quality Early Years and School Age Care provision,” Ms Byrne concluded.