Early Childhood Ireland says Cork children being let down and calls for rethink of early years in upcoming Budget

Early Childhood Ireland has said that Cork’s children are being let down and has called on the government and policymakers to “completely rethink” their approach to early years and school-age care in the upcoming Budget.

Speaking ahead of the reopening of many early years settings this week after the summer break, Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland Frances Byrne said that for years, policy in childcare provision has been underpinned by economic requirements rather than what children need and deserve.

“The emphasis has been on facilitating parents’ access to the workforce and providing a much-needed service for adults. In the midst of all that, the rights of the child have been neglected,” Ms Byrne said.

“The consequences of this failure have been well-documented: salary rates are low but costs for parents are high; settings struggle to attract and retain staff; and some children are not getting access to the quality early years education they deserve.

“The upcoming Budget gives the Government an opportunity to completely rethink the approach they take to early years care and education. In recent years, there has been increased investment in the sector – something that was sorely needed and much welcomed.

We must, however, ensure investment is geared towards building a fit-for-purpose system that places children’s rights and wellbeing at its heart.

According to Early Childhood Ireland, a professional, highly qualified workforce is essential to deliver the high-quality care and education that is the right of Ireland’s youngest citizens.

“Early Years is the most formative educational experience children have, yet in Ireland there is no proper planning for its delivery,” said Ms Byrne.

“Other countries operate on two and five-year planning cycles to ensure there are enough places and staff in centres and childminders’ homes.

Ireland now needs a plan to create a unified, publicly-funded model of early years care that incentivises the recruitment and retention of a graduate workforce, is affordable and accessible for parents, and – crucially – places children’s rights and wellbeing at its heart.

Early Childhood Ireland is also advocating for the ‘Reggio Emilia Approach’ to be further adopted across the early years sector. The Reggio Emilia Approach is a concept that it takes a village to raise a child, that education is a right of all children and, as such, a responsibility of the whole community.

Early Childhood Ireland is calling on the government to support the Reggio Emilia Approach in settings throughout the country which Ms Byrne said has the potential to “completely transform the early years sector”.

“The Government has promised a ‘Children’s Budget’ for 2024. To make good on this commitment, they must put children’s rights at the heart of everything. For too long, we have let the needs of adults dictate the type of care delivered to our children. It is time, now, for us to recognise that our children deserve so much more,” she said.