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12th July 2024
01:28pm BST
In its Budget 2025 submission, Early Childhood Ireland has outlined ‘4 Asks for Children’ that they believe have the potential to be transformative by recognising Early Years and School Age Care as a public good that plays a vital role in Irish society.
“The Taoiseach has made very welcome statements about delivering for every single child and their families in this year’s Budget, while also stating his intention to make Ireland the best country in which to be a child,” Frances Byrne, Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland, said.
“Our 4 Asks for Children offer a vision for the future of Early Years and School Age Care provision that has the potential to be life changing for more than 300,000 children today and for generations to come,” she added.
First up, they are calling for Ireland to align with other countries by providing adequately paid maternity and paternity leave.
They are recommending that the government follows the European Commission’s advice to offer 66% of a parent or guardian’s income during the first year of a child’s life.
Byrne notes that this level of support is standard in countries considered exemplary in Early Years and School Age Care.
She concluded that it is time for Ireland to ensure every child has equitable access to high-quality care provision.
Early Childhood Ireland is highlighting the urgent need to address the recruitment and retention of staff in the 4,483 Early Years and School Age Care settings across Ireland.
The organisation is proposing that the government set a date to integrate Early Years and School Age Care graduates into public sector pay scales and conditions, akin to those of teachers.
Frances Byrne, Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland, is emphasising that this move would significantly resolve staffing issues and ensure consistent quality for children across all care settings.
Early Childhood Ireland’s Budget 2025 submission, titled "4 Asks for Children," outlines a vision for the future of Early Years and School Age Care in Ireland.
This vision includes a sustainable workforce, strategic capacity planning, a comprehensive five-year investment plan, and improved family leave policies, all aimed at recognising these care services as a public good vital to Irish society.
ECI insists that every child in Ireland should have the right to access high-quality Early Years and School Age Care.
To achieve this, they are calling for the implementation of national and local planning cycles spanning two and five years.
Additionally, they say it is crucial to fully implement the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021–2028.
Byrne explained that these measures will enhance child safeguarding, provide families with financial support options, and formally recognise the vital contributions of childminders.
Finally, the organisation is urging the government to publish a five-year plan with a new investment target to ensure the coherent implementation of Early Years and School Age Care sector policies.
Despite reaching the initial funding goal of €1 billion in 2023, there is a need for a new funding objective and a unified plan to integrate various policy commitments.
Byrne pointed out that the current annual planning cycles place undue strain on providers, parents, and staff, ultimately impacting children. Effective management of the sector’s recent changes is essential to fully harness their benefits.