THE LACK of regulations for providers of childcare to school-going children has been highlighted at the launch of a new guide for the sector.
While creches and playschools are subject to strict monitoring and regulations, there are no mandatory standards for premises providing care to school-age children.
The care can include after-school clubs, supervised care before school starts in the morning and care during the school holidays.
Research by the Dublin City Childcare Committee has found that there are about 160 services offering childcare to school-going children in Dublin city. The committee comprises representatives of agencies with an interest in the childcare sector. It aims to encourage development of childcare locally and operates under the Childcare Directorate of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
Anne Conroy, chairwoman of the committee, said school-age childcare tended to be “the poor relation” in the childcare sector. “It’s not regulated. It’s not monitored. It’s not subject to standards,” she said.
“Why should a three-year-old be able to go to services that are subjected to regulation, to standards, to monitoring and his six or seven-year-old brother or sister who goes to an after-school club cannot?” she asked. Ms Conroy said she hoped the Government’s new childcare strategy, currently being prepared, would address this issue.
The committee’s business support officer Stephen Barry said there was a distinct lack of focus and policy in relation to school-age childcare provision in Ireland. “Regulations for this sector are overdue and would be welcomed by those working in this area.”
Ms Conroy was speaking at the launch of the committee’s guide to good practice in school-age childcare. It gives advice on setting up a childcare service for school-going children and on issues such as drawing up policies and procedures, preparing budgets and writing business plans.
Launching the guide, Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay said every child in Ireland had the right to as happy and fulfilled a childhood as possible and that included access to regulated school-age childcare. He said it was often surprising to see older children getting stuck into toys and games aimed at younger children - they should be provided with age-appropriate activities.
Mr Finlay said the number of children living in consistent poverty had increased by a half between 2008 and 2009, and many children were cold and hungry when they came to childcare services. He recalled one child who refused to eat his lunch and asked that it be wrapped up so that he could share it with his siblings at home.
