Childcare Providers Strike:"Public Service Unions Queuing Up For Pay Increases But Childcare Is The Poor Relation"

The Federation of Early Childhood Providers says unless their demands are met they will close their doors for business in September for 2-3 days at a time, leaving many parents with no childcare.

“Public Service Unions are queuing up for pay increases and threatening strikes, but childcare is the poor relation," that's according to the Federation of Early Childhood Providers (FECP).

Members of the Federation of Early Childhood Providers (FECP) have been taken to the Capital’s Streets again today, to protest the New Core Funding which they claim has left Ecce services without viability.

They say unless demands are met, they will close their services in September for two to three days at a time, insisting that “Our members cannot  back down; this is far too important."

Chair, Federation of Early Childcare Providers, Elaine Dunne commented: "We have spelled-out the issues and solutions for some time.  But, it seems Government and this Minister is not committed to supporting working parents or to the education and development of their children."

The FECP has said the new Core Funding Model this will lead to in excess of 260 childcare providers closing their doors in June 2023.

FECP maintains a minimum €76.00 a week per child ECCE capitation is needed at a cost of €30 million to Government, adding that providers reliant on ECCE preschool funding, alone, are most at risk as they cannot charge any fees to parents.

The 1,400 FECP members represent over a third (34%) of independent providers, servicing 55,000 children and their families.

The childcare business owners say, it is the children that benefit if they are valued and working without the stress of funding.

It said small and medium FDC are being coerced into agreeing to cap fees at September 2021 rates of fees. 

Most of these services have not increased fees since 2017, the federation said, adding,  the rate of inflation is at its highest in 32 years at 9.6% while the Euro Zone as a whole is running at 8.9%.

Despite numerous meetings with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Elaine Dunne, FECP  Chairperson Elaine Dunne, says the message to officials is that there will be widespread childcare closures is falling on deaf ears.

“Funding and ECCE subsidies are seriously inadequate.  Childcare services won’t sign-up to the Core-Funding proposal, as their issues are not being heard.” The FECP representative says, explaining the group’s third protest.

We demand action by Minister Roderic O'Gorman to deliver urgently needed viability for our businesses and affordability for parents, the FECP says. 

It seems very premature to announce the Core Funding Scheme without an Employment Regulation Order [ERO] fully in place. This has caused huge anxiety with all of our members Elaine Dunne says.

As well as subsidy increases, the group has issues including reinstating the provision of optional extras by providers within the ECCE programme, and not imposing the fees freeze demanded by the Department, as part of its new ‘core funding’ proposals that childcare and ECCE providers are being asked to sign-up to. 

This is causing huge anxiety to childcare providers, exacerbated, they say, by the fact that Government plans to bring in an Employment Regulation Order (ERO).

“Off course we want minimum pay and conditions for our sector, and the professionals working in it.  But the Minister expecting providers to agree Core Funding rates now, ahead of any detail being available on the ERO proposed is ridiculous”, Elaine Dunne says.

A further issue highlighted is that an online Core Funding ‘Ready Reckoner’ developed by the Department of Children produces ‘wildly incorrect figures’. 

Designed to calculate return for providers, based on data inputs, Elaine Dunne of the FECP says figures are off by between €15,000 and €25,000, depending on the numbers of children cared for.

With viability diminished, and parents unsure of places for their infants, the FECP group says investment to stabilise the industry and improve outcomes for children, parents, staff and providers is desperately needed.

Government has an obligation to care for the youngest members of our society and to support their parents.  This matters for both economic and social development, says Elaine Dunne.

A major funding injection is needed, the industry maintains, to ensure Irish Early Learning and Care provision is fit for purpose.   Government must recognise how far its current spending commitments are from the UNICEF target of .1% of GDP.  Basic issues must be fixed around fairer funding.  Staff retention, pay and conditions, supporting children with additional needs, and addressing the gender and diversity imbalance in the sector all need action, they say.

The FECP is one of few Provider Representative groups not Government funded.  It has been vocal in protesting what it calls persistent under-funding, current inadequate Core Funding proposals for the sector, and divisive policy impacting parents and children.

Chair, Federation of Early Childcare Providers, Elaine Dunne spoke with Eoin Beatty on Wednesday's Kildare Focus: