Early years sector: Let debate begin

With reference to the recent Prime Time report, as a community-based family centre providing early intervention and prevention childcare services, I would first like to state our abhorrence of the emotional and physical abuse of the children featured in the programme and to address some of the issues raised.

Quality service provision can only be attained by having fully qualified staff who are trained to work in early years education. The Highscope and Montessori methods are designed for the young children who need a relaxed, encouraging and nurturing play and learning environment. All childcare services need to be staffed with well-qualified professionals to deliver the new Aistear programme.

The Early Childhood Care & Education Scheme (ECCE), commonly known as the free pre-school year, has seen a massive growth in choice of pre-school for parents. However, we would welcome the point made by Minister Fitzgerald and Early Childhood Ireland that a second, free pre-school year would be subject to quality criteria. Community-based services, like ourselves, who work with vulnerable children and families in need of early intervention, must be properly regulated and funded to ensure the needs of the child are identified as early as possible, and the relevant support services put in place to enable every child to attain their potential. Early intervention has been proven to work and in the long term prevents more serious personal and social problems.

The community childcare sector is operating in a funding vacuum as changes in roles of Government departments, along with the development of the new Aistear curriculum, has as yet failed to address how services like ours are at risk of not being able to provide badly-needed locally-based services.

The focus of discussions on the early years’ sector needs to look at the sector as a whole, including service delivery standards, qualifications, standardisation of HSE inspection regulations, ongoing professional development, pay and& conditions, and funding strategies.

The focus cannot be just on the issues raised in the Prime Time programme, however disturbing. It is time for a real, positive forward-thinking plan of action for our early years sector. Let the real debate begin.

June Hamill

Before 5 Family Centre

Churchfield

Cork