Home-based childminders in Mayo 'being forced out of business'
CLAIMS by Childminding Ireland that the Minister for Children is not engaging with the sector and will go down as the one who oversaw the end of childminding in Ireland should be a serious wake up call.
That’s according to Mayo Aontú Councillor Deirdre Lawless who said she is 'extremely alarmed' by claims by Childminding Ireland that up to 80% of home-based childminders may exit the sector.
This, she said, would lead to an utter collapse and have untold consequences for children, parents and the childminders themselves, who are a vital source of care for children.
Said Councillor Lawless: “Minding young children is one of the most important roles and jobs that people can do, yet providers are treated with complete disdain by this government who is clearly not valuing the very unique service they offer.
“As a young mother myself I acknowledge the fact that the home-based childminders across this constituency offer a home from home where children are loved, minded and treated as part of the family. This is the beauty of this form of childminding.
“Children need security and home-based childminders really embody this.
“It is affordable at a time when costs are going through the roof, it is flexible, and people build up really important relationships.”
However, to echo Childminding Ireland, the government, she said, is ‘tone deaf ‘to all this.
“It is regulating the sector out of existence yet ignoring the very real needs of the sector, namely its repeated calls for its own legal and policy framework. It simply cannot continue to burden this sector with bureaucracy that does absolutely nothing to improve child safety but everything to make life more difficult for the home childminding providers who are offering real options for families.
“In addition to this there was a very worrying case down the country where a home-based childminder was actually assessed for commercial rates. This is totally unreasonable.”
If the government was serious about child safety, it would absolutely ensure that all childminders should have access to garda vetting. This is currently not the case, and it absolutely should be, as a minimum, she said.
Councillor Lawless continued: “It’s really frustrating for me as a mother and teacher to see genuine, caring and hard-working people in my community stressed to the hilt and seriously contemplating quitting.
“Having spoken to countless families across Mayo, I know first-hand how many are struggling to find creche and childcare places. If home-based providers feel forced into leaving, it will be chaotic.
“This crisis has been worsening for years, yet the government is failing to deliver solutions. It shows no urgency whatsoever in trying to get to grips with the situation and is lacking in vision around this critical issue.
“We in Aontú have been challenging the government approach, which focuses taxpayer money solely on subsidising formal childcare providers like creches and playschools. We genuinely believe this is not serving people well at all. It is too narrow and exclusionary.
“Policies must give parents choice on who minds their children. The state should support those choices, not restrict them.
“The government’s short-sightedness overlooks the invaluable role of childminders and family members who care for children every day.”
Aontú has proposed specific policies:
Introduce tax credits for families whose children are cared for by childminders or family members, equalising support with what creches and playschools receive through state subsidies.
Ensure all childcare workers receive proper, fair wages recognising their invaluable contribution to early childhood development.
Provide flexible parental supports, including enhanced maternity and paternity leave options and financial incentives for part-time work arrangements, so parents can tailor work and care to their family’s needs.
Expand direct financial support to families, empowering them to choose whether to stay at home, work part-time, or full-time without financial penalty or disadvantage.
Offer accessible information and resources to help families make informed choices about childcare options best suited to their unique circumstances.
“I am calling on the Minister for Children Norma Foley to live up to her brief and to meet Childminders Ireland without delay. This sector cannot be ignored any longer; children in Mayo depend on it,” said Councillor Lawless.