Sir, – My heart goes out to parents dropping their children off to creches this morning. No matter how good your service provider, every parent delivering their child will be harbouring a real concern that “disturbing practices” may be going on behind closed doors.
Unfortunately Irish society depends on an outsourced childcare model. This is the free market, but with a sizeable state subsidy! Huge profits are made (Hyde & Seek Childcare Ltd profits after salaries amounted to almost €2.75 million). This is a competitive business, with smiley face branding.
As a stay-at-home dad, I made the decision not to professionalise my childcare needs. Individualised childcare is hard work. Your career goes on hold and your income drops considerably and adult social life evaporates. It’s not for the fainthearted.
For me the ideal childcare solution would have been a co-operative-based, family-led childcare service. Where parents could work together mutually supporting their individual childcare needs. Projects like the Community Child Care Association deliver in Australia offer a genuine alternative to the private, low-wage, profit-driven model.
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RTÉ’s undercover investigation of Dublin creches exposed something we all probably already knew might be going on.
The private professional childcare system is a State-supported scheme where hard-pressed parents need two incomes just to pay for it!
Childcare in this country is not fit for purpose.
The Government must set this straight and support the development of community-owned, not-for-profit childcare services where parents like me can work together with other parents in the raising of our children in a mutually supportive and loving environment. Ask any child psychologist! That is the way it’s supposed to be done. – Yours, etc,
GAVIN HARTE,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Present and previous governments have facilitated the transfer of care of very small infants to private industry. While this continues, the massive State subsidies continue to be pumped in, with costs increasing year on year.
For once, could our leaders figure out a way to divert tax credits or State subsidies back to the best source of child rearing, the parents?
The need for two incomes in recent years has punished families beyond reckoning. It is past time to change direction and actually bring about real improvements to family life and wellbeing. – Yours, etc,
NIAMH O’BRIEN,
Birdhill,
Co Tipperary.
Sir, – In relation to RTÉ’s disturbing revelations of inappropriate practices and care at the Hyde & Seek creches, perhaps the name says it all? – Yours, etc,
DAVID M
ABRAHAMSON,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.