Stay-at-home-dad: 70% of young children are monopolising the care and attention of an adult who might otherwise be doing something worthwhile, writes Victoria White

Both Early Childhood Ireland and one of the country’s leading academic experts in early childhood care say the new childcare measures must also be available “to the squeezed middle-income earners”.

For the first time new creches and preschools here will have to undergo inspection before they can open their doors to babies and young children.

Parents are facing a scramble for childcare after a warning that there will not be enough places for all children when the second free preschool year starts in less than five months’ time.

Here are the main thins Noel Baker thinks the Government should address in the upcoming Budget

The first days of primary school can be difficult for children even if they have had the benefit of a pre-school experience says Helen O’Callaghan.

Children’s Minister Dr James Reilly has said he believes a second free pre-school year would benefit children’s educational and developmental outcomes — but claims the State cannot afford the extra €175m it would require.

Unannounced inspections of how children are being taught in pre-school settings will begin in the autumn, six years after taxpayers started investing over €170m a year on free provision.

Campaign seeks improved pay and Government investment in the development of early education

Thousands of childcare workers are to gather outside the Dáil today in protest against cutbacks in the sector which they say make it impossible for them to earn a living wage.

Helen O’Callaghan reports on sending a child to pre-school.

A Government TD says a national fund should be in place to ensure no child is unable to fully access the free year of pre-school because of a disability.

Katie Lonergan from Owning near Piltown, Co Kilkenny, turns five next Wednesday and has cerebral palsy spastic quadriplegia. She had life-changing surgery in the United States last year, and is close to defying the early medical advice that she would never walk, thanks to intensive training, physiotherapy and other supports.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has no record of how many pupils with disabilities take up options to extend or delay their use of Government-funded pre-schooling.

Supports for children with disabilities in the free pre-school year vary widely because of a lack of clear Government policy, according to Children’s Ombudsman Emily Logan.

Education standards have been assessed at just 15 of the 4,300 childcare centres paid more than €600m to provide a free pre-school year since 2010.

Education Correspondent Niall Murray says questions hang over regulation of creche standards

It is almost beyond comprehension that any entity should pay €600m to 4,300 businesses — an average of €140,000 — and not thoroughly access the effectiveness of that investment.

Some reactions to the Prime Time revelations concerning the abuse of children in childcare seem wide of the mark.

THE viewing of the Prime Time programme on Early Years Care and Education (ECCE) centres was truly shocking and in the aftermath, requires some serious reflection and action.

THE Government is failing to clamp down on the increasing number of black-market childminders, yet is overburdening the preschool and creche sector with unending regulations, according to childcare providers.

PARENTS of special needs children said they face further cutbacks after the Department of Education confirmed children signed up for the free preschool year will have specialist home tuition hours cut.

THE number of children attending playgroups and crèches has dropped in almost eight in 10 pre-school services, according to a new survey by the Irish Preschool Play Association (IPPA).

The Government must move to ensure every child in the country is given a year’s free pre-schooling following a major new study on childcare, it was warned today.

There can be no argument with the National Economic Social Forum (NESF) describing as very inadequate the implementation of policy on childcare, and as markedly insufficient the financial investment in the education and care of younger citizens.

The Government must act immediately on the findings of a new report on Early Childhood Care and Education, a leading charity demanded today.