Community childcare facilities at breaking point in county

By Mary Dennehy

COMMUNITY childcare facilities are at breaking point due to a challenging financial environment, which is putting local, not-for-profit childcare providers in areas across South Dublin County at risk of closure.

A new study carried out in South Dublin County and Cork City surveyed 73 community childcare services, 98 per cent of which are experiencing financial risk – with two participating services closing during the course of the survey and another due to close this October.

The South Dublin County Partnership and South Dublin Childcare commissioned the report alongside the Cork City Childcare Committee and Cork City Partnership, which together shared concerns over current and future viability of the community ECEC [Early Childhood Education and Care] sector – given current levels of funding.

Larry O’Neill, the CEO of South Dublin County Partnership and the Chair of Dublin West Early Years, told The Echo: “These are very challenging times for community childcare, and we hope that some of our recommendations are taken on board.

“Not-for-profit childcare is vital for communities and benefits the entire family, allowing, for example, lone parents to return to education or work.

“Also, more than 90 per cent of the services surveyed work in disadvantaged areas where we need affordable, community childcare and there would be major implications right across communities if the community childcare sector collapsed – not to mention, a loss of jobs.

“However, community childcare services have very little resources left and if there is not some change soon, services will be closed by this time next year.”

Before the school holidays, St Mary’s Community Childcare Service in Tallaght closed its doors, leaving more than 80 pre-schoolers without a place for this September.

The Echo has in recent weeks been contacted by a number of parents who had their children enrolled in St Mary’s childcare service and are now finding it difficult to secure a place for their child in another Tallaght community childcare service.

However, Mr O’Neill told The Echo that due to the demand for places at St Mary’s, that Dublin West Early Years, which runs four community childcare services in Clondalkin and Lucan, is examining the possibility of re-opening St Mary’s community childcare for September – which is the feeder pre-school for St Mary’s NS.

He said: “Dublin West Early Years has decided to set aside a budget to try and get St Mary’s open for September – pending the result of an expression of interest process.

“We are aware of the difficulties that faced the pre-school, but we feel we have the resources and expertise to help get it back up running.

“There is great demand for this pre-school and while we might be able to rescue St Mary’s, we can’t rescue all of the other struggling community childcare centre – structural changes need to be introduced at Government level.”

A copy of the survey has been sent to Independent Dublin South West TD and Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone.

When contacted by The Echo, Minister Zappone said: “I am grateful to the authors of this report who briefed me on their findings at a meeting in Tallaght last week.

“I find the report deeply disturbing. At my request officials in my Department will meet the authors in the coming days to identify how the challenges outlined can be met.”

“People working in childcare are providing vital services to their local communities and I am determined to ensure their contribution is recognised.”

The report – which also revealed that 78 per cent of services surveyed anticipated a loss of income due to the second free pre-school year – is currently being circulated to Ministers, TDs and councillors in the hope of starting debate and implementing change in the sector.