A Mayo community solution to a national childcare problem

by Barbara Daly

I HAVE written in this paper previously about the lack of affordable childcare in my community and how frustrating an issue it is.

It mainly affects women and keeps many out of work – women who would like to contribute or get their career back on track or merely have a healthy break from their children.

There are so many industries crying out for staff and there is this whole cohort of workers who cannot return to work.

I decided to do something about it rather than just complain and lament (as I had been doing for quite a while).

I am involved in the local community playschool and I mentioned at the last AGM that I was going to try to set up a community creche and an after-school service in an effort to solve my own childcare problem.

There was a general wave of support and a few volunteers who were willing to come onboard to help me. Little did I know what I was getting myself into.

I was warned that there would be a huge amount of work involved. There has been.

I was warned that most people do not want to volunteer. This too is true.

However I have to say that there has been such generosity and coming together from those that did volunteer that I am inspired to keep going.

I have learned that caution and pessimism are the order of the day when you look for guidance and encouragement from the powers that be.

I have learned that it is no longer about providing a solution to my childcare problem but more about providing a much-needed service in the community for women in particular.

Every day I doubt my ability to carry this off and I have moments of paralysing fear when I think of the importance of what we are creating and how we absolutely have to have it right.

We should not have to be the ones setting this up, grappling with an area we know little about and giving up so many hours voluntarily.

This is a service that should be provided for, even for free, in every community as standard.

I will feel so proud of our small group when we do succeed in opening both services and we will. People are depending on us now and we have to deliver.

Am I beginning to sound like a politician?