How I plan to reform our deficient childcare system

When I arrived in Ireland it was with the intention of bringing some evidence- based impatience. Evidence-based impatience is important. Sometimes outright impatience is required.

Children will undoubtedly benefit in due course from the very significant ongoing children’s services reforms which are moving forward, oh so slowly, in the shadow of resource constraints and recruitment restrictions and often amidst critique without support, challenge without contribution. And then there is that rare seminal moment which reminds us that children matter, that childhood will not wait and that makes us question why things are not better. This week was one such moment. Our response should be one of boldness, not caution; more change, not less.

The portrayal of childcare on the RTÉ investigations unit programme, A Breach of Trust, was truly horrifying. Individual and corporate responsibility for the utterly unacceptable standard of care lies in the first instance with those directly involved. However, responsibility ultimately lies where power is exercised and in a democracy power lies with the people. This programme starkly illustrated the consequences of a society which has not had a proper debate on childcare. What cost our childcare? What balance between State and personal responsibility? How do we illustrate a genuine commitment to the philosophy that the care of our children is everybody's responsibility?

“Seek ye the State and the State will do it for you” is an utterly bankrupt philosophy. Too much failure testifies to that. The State cannot, nor should it, deliver in isolation on the care of children. Childcare, along with education and healthcare, require to be recognised as a common good, not a private contract, and should be delivered with the consent and participation of all. To date the predominant motivation in the development of childcare services has not been the social good but rather the economic necessities for parents, for the home and for employment. Scarcely child-centred. Scarcely a celebration of the joy and playfulness of childhood.

There needs to be a debate about the role of all those involved in care services, both public and private providers. Despite some commentary to the contrary, inspections of childcare facilities are not the primary problem. Inspectors do identify the deficiencies and prioritise the points for action accurately. The Prime Time investigation referred extensively to inspector reports. The area in need of attention is enforcement – clearer sanctions without always needing the redress of the courts, consistent follow-through and the development of improvement supports.

Early-years services should be overseen and commissioned by a single body representing health, care and education, with an inspection service covering the whole of that continuum. This should build on previous good work to modernise the National Quality Framework as in Siolta and as in Aistear, the National Curriculum Framework.

As chief executive-designate for the Child and Family Agency, I shall seek clarity of responsibilities within a clearly articulated early-years strategy. I am impatient. The children of Ireland deserve more than what is now on offer.

In the immediate, the inspection services within children and family services in the HSE will be run as a national, rather than local, service. This will enable a more confident response to services gaps and a determination that 20 months will be the maximum time between inspections rather than the average. In addition, it will assist in ensuring an entirely consistent approach with regard to both inspection and follow-through.

Proposals for a registration system will be advanced as a priority and I shall be arguing that this should involve a significant registration fee, proceeds from which will be used for training and the improvement of services. Services should not be solely dependent for development on the contribution of taxpayers. Early childhood services for profit should be contributing to the regulation and improvement of a sector in which they have, to date, insufficiently invested.

All new early-years reports will be put online as they are completed. As soon as possible the last previous report from each establishment will also be uploaded.

Early-years service providers have been asked to detail policy in connection with:

local centre governance and accountability;

parent partnership through weekly meetings or consultative groups ;

training arrangements; and

staff meetings and supervision.

I have commissioned an analysis of the last 18 months of inspection reports so that there is a clear national picture.

These are immediate actions. In the wider debate we must consider the clear lines of accountability, a definitive strategy and allocated responsibility. We must avoid succumbing to complacency arising from resource restrictions; demoralised staff; reduced budgets. Many areas are in need of systemic reform.

Investment during the good times was perhaps unstructured and lacked strategy. We require a strategy that ensures that the voice of the child is not lost in processes that guarantee constitutional protections such as the right to livelihood while insufficiently protecting Ireland’s children. Ireland needs to start prioritising the needs and rights of children.

We also need to react strongly against the disempowering nature of austerity. To those who say there has been far too much change, I say there has been nowhere near enough. We do need a system with decisions at the most local, practical level – but there needs to be far greater national consistency.

Ireland prides itself on individual initiatives whether in childcare, domestic violence, suicide prevention or other services. This is commendable but has its limitations, and there is now a need for a far more strategic approach to the delivery of services, one with strong implementation plans at its core.

Finally there is a need for a more radical approach to service reform and a commitment to a fundamental budget review enabling resource redirection. Without resource prioritisation the next scandal is around the corner. Early years is a priority.

Childhood is fragile, fleeting and worthy of our greatest efforts. The same could be said of this unique opportunity to champion reform within the Child and Family Agency – that seminal moment to put Children First always.

Gordon Jeyes is chief executive-designate of the Child and Family Agency