Giraffe stretches childcare services

GIRAFFE Childcare, a consortium of business people and childcare professionals, is aiming to become Ireland’s largest childcare provider within the next five years.

Last night, Tánaiste Mary Harney announced Giraffe is to open three new childcare centres this month. The company has five centres, all based in Dublin business centres, employing 125 childcare professionals.

It plans to open a further 15 centres, again in the greater Dublin area, creating a further 400 jobs. After that it intends establishing centres in other large population centres throughout Ireland.

Giraffe’s joint managing director Mary Ann McCormack said they were responding to the current acute shortage of quality childcare provision in Ireland.

“Giraffe are committed to delivering childcare in key locations for working parents. Convenience of location and quality of care are the main criteria in influencing parent’s choice of provider,” she said.

Ms Harney said businesses also recognised the benefits of having local childcare services, the provision of which was already a Government priority.

“On-site accessible childcare increases the flexibility of their workforce and can be a beneficial staff recruitment tool,” she said.

Giraffe Childcare is a wholly Irish company founded in 2001, which operates childcare and early learning centres for pre-school centres and after school and out-of-school care programmes.

Ms Harney was in the company’s flagship centre in the Irish Financial Services Centre in Dublin. Giraffe’s other existing centre is in Cherrywood Science and Technology Park in Loughlinstown.

The new centres are in Blanchardstown Corporate Park, Park West Business Park and Central Park, Leopardstown. All the centres range in size from 5,500 to 7,000 sq ft. Each age group have their own fully equipped homebase that opens onto a common activity street.

Each new facility will employ 25 full time staff in addition to administration staff, and cater for up to 120 children. The standard weekly fee for full time care is 171.

The company has also established Giraffe Corporate Childcare Services which provides a childcare consultancy service for companies and their employees. They currently assist some of Ireland’s top companies in the provision of childcare for their employees.

Giraffe is seeking second round funding for further development and is in discussion with venture capitalists and private investors.

The Finance Act 1999 provides for capital allowances on the development of childcare facilities.