Crèches: slanted view of a well-regulated service

I WAS appalled by your front page headline “Crèches: abuse, bullying and neglect” and the accompanying unbalanced report (October 30).

The issues are of extreme importance to parents and it was a huge disappointment that the Irish Examiner did its annual trick of pulling out complains from around the country and developing a sensational headline to sell newspapers.

Nowhere in the report was there any information on whether or not the complains were substantiated. Parents have every right to complain about inadequate childcare provision. These complains are dealt with by the pre-school inspection team at the HSE, an excellent system already in place.

Our service is highly regulated and the care of children is generally of a very high standard around the country.

Of course I understand that factual information like this does not boost circulation. It was essentially the lack of balance in your coverage that I found the hardest to bear. At a time when community childcare is threatened by the withdrawal of the staffing grant — an issue on which the Irish Examiner has been silent — it is disappointing that you choose to slant a report, kicking a hard-working, poorly-paid sector already under pressure.

Kathryn O’Riordan

Association of Childcare Professionalsc/o 32 Penrose Wharf

Cork