As 8,200 children return to Early Years and School Age Care settings in Donegal after the holidays, staff shortages and stark waiting lists remain nationwide.
A new survey has revealed that in Donegal there are 1,345 children under 4 on waiting lists, with only 89 places available.
This includes 362 children under the age of 1 on crèche waiting lists and just three places available for them; 468 children aged 1-2 years on waiting lists and just seven places available; and 515 children aged 2-3 years on waiting lists and 79 places available.
Recruitment and retention of staff continues to be one of the main issues faced by the organisation’s 121 member settings in Donegal. The latest available data shows that the average staff turnover stands at 18.2%.
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.
“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.
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 Donegal.”
