Government urged to focus on quality of early years care

Olivia Kelly

Unicef Ireland expressed alarm at the content of last night's Primetime documentary A Breach of Trust and said the Government must focus on the quality of early years care.

"High quality early childhood education is crucial for children as their development is particularly vulnerable during the formative years before they begin school," executive director Peter Power said.

Footage recorded by RTÉ researchers who had gone undercover as workers at three childcare centres, two in Dublin and one in Wicklow, showed children being shouted at and roughly manhandled, toddlers strapped in highchairs for hours at a time, and childcare staff fabricating diaries relating to the children's activities and condition.

“Without exceptionally high minimum qualifications for teaching staff and appropriate standards of staff-to-child ratios, we are failing in our duty of care to children,” Mr Power said.

Five years ago Ireland was placed bottom of the table in a Unicef study of early childhood services, he said.

“While improvements have been made, we need a radical change in how we think about the quality of preschool education in this country. It’s crucial we get this right.”

Early Childhood Ireland, which represents crèche and pre-school providers said there were no excuses to justify the poor practice at the three crèches.

“Our thoughts go out to the children and parents directly affected but also to the thousands of childcare professionals across the country who deliver great experiences for children every day who are feeling vulnerable following this programme.”

The organisation called on the Government and the HSE to increase inspections and funding for the sector.