THE National Children’s Nurseries Association (NCNA) has called on its members to put a clear and accountable complaints procedure in place so that issues in relation to crèches can be resolved quickly and fairly.

ONE of two creches hit by a TB outbreak earlier this year has received a prestigious award for maintaining consistently high standards.

CHILDCARE experts say that Health Service Executive (HSE) regulations must be seen as minimal standards and is advising parents seeking a crèche for their child to look for one that is committed to quality through membership or involvement with a voluntary childcare organisation.

MORE childminding facilities will not result in cheaper childcare, the National Children’s Nurseries Association (NCNA) has warned.

MOST childcare providers would agree that there should be more ‘accountability and transparency’.

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) is to increase the number of crèche and pre-school inspectors following the publication of a number of damning reports.

CHILD welfare groups yesterday called for new regulations to be implemented to tackle problems in sub-standard crèches.

CALLS grew yesterday for crèche inspection reports to be made available to parents as the Labour Party blamed Government funding for the lack of compliance with crèche regulations.

THE ONLY way that crèches can be made affordable is if childcare providers are given annual subsidies of €2,500 for each child and parents are granted means-tested tax relief, according to the National Crèche and Nurseries Association.

MOST parents of newborn babies are surviving on just under four hours’ sleep as their children wake at least three times every night, according to a survey on sleeping patterns.

THE deportation of students and searches of schools for failed asylum seekers is terrorising young people and harming international views of Ireland, a teachers’ leader warned last night.

CHILDCARE organisations have threatened to stop their participation in a review of childcare regulations unless the new rules enshrine compulsory garda vetting of all crèche and preschool employees.

IT was every parent’s nightmare. When Denise McGrane went to collect her three-year-old son from the crèche she was told Nathan had been taken on an impromptu trip to the local park.

IT’S one of those uncomfortable realities about modern Ireland but tens of thousands of Irish children, aged six months and upwards, now spend more of their formative years in childcare than at home with parents.

THE National Women’s Council of Ireland has called for a State-subsidised childcare system to support women who wish to work or return to education.

PARENTS can avoid sending their children to bad child-minders or nurseries if they are not in a hurry to find a place for their child, according to a leading childcare expert.