Early years staffing situation in Cork city now at ‘a crisis point’

Cork city has the second highest turnover rate for early years staff in Ireland, with a far higher turnover than the national average, as a Cork preschool owner says she cannot keep staff because they do not make enough to live in the city.

The turnover in Cork city was the second highest in Ireland, recent figures from children’s minister Norma Foley show, with rates of 33% in 2022/23 and 31.6% in 2021/22 — behind only Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.

The average national turnover rate was 24.7% in 2021/22 and fell slightly to 24.5% in 2022/23. Cork county’s rates were largely in line with this at 24.9% in 2021/22 and 22.8% in 2022/23.

Ms Foley provided the data to Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly and explained that the data is based on responses to the 2021/22 and 2022/23 Annual Early Years Sector Profile surveys. 

Heartbroken

Mairead Davis, owner of Bright Beginnings preschool in Douglas, told The Echo that recruitment and retention is a huge issue.

“I have a wonderful worker with me who was just told by a mortgage provider that she will need to find another job that pays more.

“She’s been with me for three years and she’s absolutely heartbroken to have to leave, but they’re out of work over the summer and have to sign on to the dole, so they’re going into jobs like SNA when they get paid 52 weeks a year.

“The biggest issues are the pay and conditions and the cost of living in Cork. We have students in and none of them say they’re planning to stay in early years. We can’t blame them because they can’t even get a credit union loan as they can’t show a permanent payslip.

“UCC, MTU College of Commerce have 100 early years graduates each a year. I put notices in to all three of them and I’ve not got one reply — providers are wondering where all these graduates are going.”

Ms Davis called for the department to take over paying salaries instead of their current model of funding, whereby service providers receive a set amount of funding per child in attendance to cover wages, rent and all other costs.

Crisis point

“It’s at a crisis point. I’ve had a student who went to work in a shop instead because she was getting more money — that’s what we’re up against,” she said.

Susan Murphy, who owns Spraoi preschool in Ballincollig, said: “It’s just so hard to get staff.”

In the 10 years her service has been open, she has lost staff who moved to the UK. 

One staff member had to quit the job as they were commuting for an hour each day. 

Ms Murphy said that most staff have attended college for two years, and that many in other sectors “are earning more, with less responsibility”.

“We have strict regulations to adhere to, with little regard for us teaching the most vulnerable and most important people in our society. People are leaving the country with degrees in early years or pursuing another profession.

“The fact that we have to sign on in the summer is another example of how we are treated by the Government.”

Cork South Central TD Pádraig Rice said that low pay is the driving factor behind high staff turnover.

“These highly skilled workers should be treated the same as other educators, such as primary and secondary school teachers. It is no surprise that the turnover rate in Cork city is the second highest in the country given the rising cost of living. 

"Average rents in Cork city rose by 10% last year to a staggering €2,097 per month. This is way out of reach of most workers in the sector.”