As 6,800 children return to Early Years and School Age Care settings in Wexford after the holidays, staff shortages and stark waiting lists remain nationwide. Early Childhood Ireland is calling on those involved in government formation talks to address these challenges in the forthcoming Programme for Government. The first step being to set a date to bring Early Years and School Age Care graduates into the public pay system.
Recruitment and retention of staff continues to be one of the main issues faced by the organisation’s 127 member settings in Wexford. The latest available data shows that the average staff turnover stands at 18.9%.
All political parties promised to reduce fees and improve affordability for parents throughout the general election campaign. However, without addressing the staff shortage, these proposals will not be viable.
“We welcome the focus on access to Early Years and School Age Care for all children, but without proper pay and conditions for staff, there simply will not be enough educators available to care for those children,” said Frances Byrne Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland.
The latest Pobal Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey revealed that in Wexford there are 88 children under the age of 1 on crèche waiting lists and just two places available for them; 193 children aged 1-2 years on waiting lists and just eight places available; and 245 children aged 2-3 years on waiting lists and 50 places available.
Ms Byrne continued, “Guaranteeing parity of pay and conditions for Early Years and School Age Care graduates will not only offer staff deserved recognition but also go a long way to alleviating the capacity issues in the system, and ultimately support affordability for parents in Wexford.”
Investing in children
According to the organisation, a five-year plan and a new investment target is also crucial to building a system that is of high quality, sufficient capacity, and that is inclusive of all children.
Ms Byrne said, “There is broad political support for increased investment in Early Years and School Age Care. With a new 5-year programme being shaped, now is the time for the incoming government to propose a plan which outlines the level of funding which will be made available each year, along with clear annual priorities.”
Early Childhood Ireland is calling on the next government to build on the progress made in the last five years by putting in place the steps needed to guarantee access to a high-quality, equitable Early Years and School Age Care system for every child in every family in Wexford.
