Madam, - The National Children's Nurseries' Association represents over 600 private and not-for-profit full daycare providers.
Our aim is to promote quality in the provision of full daycare and early education services for children.
Recent reports of HSE inspections of childcare services under the Pre-School Regulations 1996 are of concern to all those involved in the promotion of quality services for children.
The regulations require minimum standards and are concerned primarily with space, child-adult ratios, records and the physical environment.
Services that offer quality take into consideration the child's environment, the curriculum offered, the qualifications of staff, policies and procedures, adult/child relationships and information for parents.
Both sets of measurements of a service are important in order to offer a quality service for children. It is important for providers to achieve set standards to provide quality standards for children and for the reassurance of parents in their choice of childcare.
The National Children's Nurseries' Association has a number of publications which support childcare providers in achieving quality standards.
It also supports childcare providers to achieve a "centre of excellence award" which confirms services that offer a very high standard of care for children. Specifically it offers "Seven Steps to Choosing a Nursery - A Parents' Guide".
This booklet offers parents a guide to what to look for in a quality childcare service.
It can accessed on the NCNA website - www.ncna.net
The provision of early care and education in Ireland is at an early stage of its development.
Providers must be supported to achieve set standards through support and advice from their member organisations. - Yours, etc,
CATHERINE BOND, Director of Services, National Children's Nurseries' Association, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7.