The development and expansion of community-based childcare in areas of social disadvantage is being hampered by a range of issues including over-reliance on untrained or temporary workers, according to research published yesterday.
The Southside Partnership's community childcare research project warned that the gap between community childcare and private sector services was widening in terms of overall development and quality of services.
Following research which included interviews with more than 100 stakeholders, it found an over-reliance on community employment (CE) staff among community-based childcare which led to uncertainty over the sustainability of the schemes.
There were also problems with the lack of trained core permanent staff with formal qualifications. It said there was an "almost vocational" expectation of those working in the community sector, which was contributing to the experience of low status, limited recognition and poor rates of pay. It said a more effective, secure and longer-term staffing model was needed which would continue to provide opportunities for CE staff, but also retain and recruit qualified core staff.
The Southside Partnership is one of 38 partnership companies which has been set up to work with local groups to tackle disadvantage and social exclusion.
The report, launched yesterday by Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, was commissioned to explore the support, development and training needs of community childcare staff.
The research found that a priority for many workers and providers was to get accredited qualifications to help with the development of early childhood care and education. Overall, the research said community childcare should be viewed as a family support measure rather than a labour market initiative.
It advocates greater co-ordination at national and local level and recommends the establishment of a central co-ordinating body, which would help guide and give recognition to the development of community childcare.
The need to reduce the complexity of an area where responsibility crosses across seven Government departments is another priority.