Only 20% of parents favour a crèche for children

JUST one-in-five parents with crèche-going children believes a creche is the ideal way for their child to spend their days.

Irish parents would much rather be at home with their children, work part-time or have their children with a childminder, preferably one whom they are related to.

Two out of every five parents with crèche-going children believe their children would be better off at home with a stay-at-home parent while another one in seven think they’d be better off with a childminder than in a crèche.

Two thirds of parents who use childminders believe they’d be better off elsewhere, with over half thinking the ideal situation for a child is to be cared for either full-time or part-time by their parents.

Interestingly, parents whose children are cared for by other family members seem the most assured of their child’s welfare with 42% saying it was an “ideal childcare arrangement.”

Less of this group believe they should be at home looking after their children full-time with just 39% saying full-time parenthood is the ideal.

Over four-fifths of full-time parents believe their lifestyle, where one parent stays at home, is the ideal childcare arrangement. Only 4% of this group think part-time work is ideal, with just 3% looking more favourably on childminders and another 3% backing crèches.

Overall, an overwhelming number of parents believe the ideal childcare arrangement for a child is full-time care by a parent. Eighty-four per cent of all parents believe a child should ideally be at home.

Overall, crèches do not appear to be held in high regard by parents with just 3% of parents saying they would be their first choice for their child.

Responding to the findings, South Dublin County Childcare Committee Co-Ordinator, Julia Hackett, said some parents prefer childminders as they care for a smaller number of children and are more often located close to the family home.

“It really can vary from parent to parent. A lot of parents are delighted with the quality of care at crèches and see their children thrive in a bigger group. It is also impossible to say whether the quality of care differs between a crèche and a childminder but there are a lot of women who want their children to have more individual attention like at home,” she said.

Cork City Childcare Committee Co-Ordinator, Kathryn O’Riordan said most women who approach them looking for childcare are “desperate”.

However, she said that childminders are generally more popular as they are more flexible, cheaper and offer a ‘home-from-home’ environment.